The telephone lines came to Timaru in 1885 but the ines did not reach outlying townships untili after the turn of the century. The Ear is on the former telephone exchange building.
Russell Clark. The Ear. Ferro Cement. 1957
An image, identified on the verso, as "Telegraph of news 17th May 'The Relief of Mafeking' c[irca] 1900 (Baden Powell), being received at a Post Office by C W. Keinan" Depicts two men at a bench transcribing the message while three others stand in the background. South Canterbury Museum 2681
Switchboard at the Timaru Telephone Exchange, circa 1905. Depicts two women at the switchboard with another person in the background. South Canterbury Museum 3883
The Timaru manual telephone exchange, Christmas 1985. Depicts five telephone exchange operators sitting at switchboards (four women and one man), posed looking towards the camera. Several desk fans can be seen in the background on top of the switchboards. South Canterbury Museum 7136