| A Messenger | |||
 | Reading in the Times newspaper I spotted a picture of three telegram messenger boys. The picture had been taken in 1942 in wartime London. These messenger had a notice attached to his belt " telegrams taken". The story went that due to bombings post offices were not working and the boys were sent out to the streets to offer the telegram service. Mention was made that the telegram boys job was distressing because of the news they delivered of wartime casualties. This article triggered memories for me. In this year, 1942, I was a 15 year old telegram messenger boy delivering telegrams in Oxford. Although not war-torn like London and other towns, telegrams were arriving with messages of casualties. Standing on a doorstep holding a telegram with thoughts that it might contain terrible news was not a pleasant experience. Now that I look back I can see that that earlier form of communication had elements which led up to today's computers. The form of transmission of the telegram from the counter of the Post Office was via machines like typewriters which transmitted the words over telephone lines to similar machines which printed the words on to reels of narrow paper tape. Rather like ticker tape. these papers strips were attached to telegram forms. Enveloped for messenger to deliver. | ||