The eight BT Telephone Exchanges (and four former) in the Stowmarket (01449) telephone area
Bacton ATE
Bacton telephone exchange is located in Church Road, Bacton IP14 4LJ and also covers an area including Cotton, Finningham and Wyverstone.
The first Bacton exchange was a manual switchboard opened around 1926. A UAX12 here came into service in about 1937.
The present exchange was transferred to electronic working around 1980.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01449-78.
Its former dialling code was 044 98.
ID: EABAC. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Bildeston ATE
Bildeston telephone exchange is located in Hadleigh Road, Bildeston Ipswich IP7 7EY and also covers an area including Hitcham, Kettlebaston, Monks Eleigh, Nedging Tye and Wattisham.
The exchange probably came into service in late 1972 or early 1973 when all lines became Bildeston 740*** numbers.
The principal telephone codes for this exchange include 01449-74.
Its former dialling code was 044 95.
ID: EABIL. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Bildeston former ATE
The former Bildeston telephone exchange was located in High Street, Bildeston Ipswich IP7 7EY.
The first exchange on this site was a UAX12 which came into service around 1936, replacing a manual switchboard opened in late 1923 or early 1924.
A second building was later placed on the site. It went out of service around 1973.
The former dialling code for Bildeston was 044 95.
ID: EABIL. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Coddenham ATE
Coddenham telephone exchange is located in School Road, Coddenham, Ipswich IP6 9PR Â and also covers an area including Hemingstone.
The first exchange here, on the left, was an RAX 5 which came into service around 1930.
The exchange was converted from Strowger to digital working around 1994.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01449-760.
Its former dialling code was 044 979.
ID: EACOD.  Photo courtesy of Geographer.
Haughley former ATE
The former Haughley telephone exchange appears to have been located in Station Road, Haughley, Stowmarket. Although currently in use by O2, the building carries a concrete trefoil on its gable end, suggesting its origins as a telephone exchange.
The first exchange here was an RAX 5 which opened around 1931. It was later extended and continued in service until 1984 when all lines were transferred to Stowmarket exchange as 673*** and 678*** numbers.
Its former dialling code was 044 970.
Photo courtesy of Geographer.
Mendlesham ATE
Mendlesham telephone exchange is located in Mill Road, Mendlesham, Stowmarket IP14 5TA and also covers an area including Brockford, Thwaite and Wetheringsett.
It replaced the previous exchange in Old Station Road. It was converted from Strowger to digital operation in 1986.
The principal telephone codes for this exchange include 01449-766, 01449-767 and 01449-768.
Its former dialling code was 044 94.
ID: EAMEN. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Mendlesham former ATE
The former Mendlesham telephone exchange was located in Old Station Road, Mendlesham, Stowmarket IP14 5RT.
The first automatic Mendlesham exchange, an RAX 5, came into service around 1933. It replaced a manual switchboard opened in late 1925 or early 1926.
Its former dialling code was 044 94.
It is now a house called The Old Exchange.
ID: EAMEN. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Needham Market ATE
Needham Market telephone exchange is located in School Street, Needham Market, Ipswich IP6 8BB and also covers Creeting St Mary and Barking.
It came into service around 1973 when Needham Market lines became 720*** numbers. It replaced an earlier automatic exchange, now demolished, at the other end of School Street.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01449-72.
Its former dialling code was 044 96.
ID: EANEE. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Needham Market former manual exchange
The former Needham Market manual exchange was at 32-34 High Street, Needham Market. It replaced a switchboard at 14 High Street, first opened by the National Telephone Company in July 1904, but was destroyed in an air raid in 1942 when the night operator Ernest Nunn was killed. It was eventually replaced in around 1947 by an automatic exchange in School Street (now demolished).
ID: EANEE. Photo courtesy of christchurchneedhammarket.co.uk
Rattlesden ATE
Rattlesden telephone exchange is located in Felsham Road, Rattlesden, Bury St Edmunds IP30 0SF and also covers an area including Buxhall, Drinkstone Green, Gedding and Felsham.
The first exchange here was an RAX5 which came into service around 1935.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01449-73.
Its former dialling code was 044 93.
ID: EARAT. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Stonham ATE
Stonham telephone exchange is located in Stowmarket Road, Earl Stonham, Stowmarket, IP14 6AA and covers an area including Earl Stonham, Little Stonham, Stonham Aspal and Mickfield.
The first exchange in the area was a manual switchboard called Little Stonham. It opened around 1927, changing its name to Stonham about a year later. It was replaced by an RAX5 around 1932.
The present exchange was transferred to electronic working around 1983.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01449-71.
Its former dialling code was 044 971.
ID: EASTN. Photo courtesy of Geographer.
Stowmarket ATE
Stowmarket telephone exchange is located in Kensington Road, Stowmarket IP14 1AR and also covers an area including Stowupland, Haughley, Creeting St Peter, Combs and Great Finborough.
Originally built as a manual exchange – the first in Stowmarket having been opened by the National Telephone Company in Ipswich Street in June 1904 – it became automatic at 1pm on 31 July 1962. The inauguration ceremony of the 800-line equipment was attended by Dorothy Short, one of the town’s first operators.
The principal dialling codes for this exchange include 01449-61, 01449-67 and 01449-77.
Its former dialling code was 044 92.
ID: EASTM. Photo courtesy of Geographer.