The Past
Businesses
Churches
Communities
Community Services
~ City Hall
~ Fire
Department
~ Health Care
~ Justice of
the Peace
~ Library
~ Newspaper
~ Police
Department
~ Post office
~ Telephones
~ ~ Hinderance
or help
~ ~ History of
Telephones
~ ~ Duties of
Operators
~ ~ Operators in Enderby
~ ~ Modernized
services 1990
Entertainment
Ethnic Groups
Geography
Heritage Homes
Industries
Organizations
People
Schools
Transportation
Numerous people have worked for the
Enderby telephone district since it was first installed prior to 1907. I can only presume
that Mrs. James was the first operator, followed by Edith St. Barbe
Robinson.
Edith St. Barbe Robinson arrived in Enderby with her
mother from England shortly after her father died in 1910. Barbe worked in the Telephone
Office at 613 Mill St. from the 1920's to 1943. She and her mother had a small room with
living quarters attached in case of emergencies in the night. In 1943 Barbe married
Captain Clement F. Bigg, who had served in India and later in the First World War. In
1952, Barbe and C.F. returned to England. After a long illness, Barbe died in Cornwall on
February 20, 1965, shortly after her husband died in 1960.
In 1943 the position of chief operator was filled by Kitty Folkard. She
began her career while still attending high school, grade 10 or 11, in Armstrong. There
she became Chief Operator and returned to Enderby to do
emergency service after 11:00. She stayed overnight at the little office which contained a
bed, a stove, a washroom, and other necessary facilities. She married telephone repairman
Charles Newman. They moved to Vernon and now reside in Kelowna.
Her position was filled by Agnes Miller Engles, who grew up in Enderby.
She worked there in the Enderby office from 1936-1956, and became Chief Operator in 1944
and moved into the house. When dial telephones came in 1956, Agnes transferred to Salmon
Arm and worked until she married in 1959. She is now residing in Enderby.
Other operators who worked there, but whom I was unable to contact were: Antoinette
Paradis, Violet Grant, Thelma Kelway, Gerrie Danforth, Phyllis Steele, Kay Steele, Betty
Dale, Phinell Garett.
Mandy Daniells
ALF School 1989