E.G. FOLEY
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • The Gryphon Chronicles
  • Fan Art
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Store
    • Store Home
    • Discounted Book Sets
    • $5 Off Paperbacks
    • Autographed Paperbacks
    • Bookstores, Libraries, & Schools
    • Return & Shipping Policies

The Victorian Speaking Tube

6/22/2021

2 Comments

 
Hi guys! Gael here. 😊 Yesterday, I was doing research on 19th-century communication technology for a scene I’m working on in The Gryphon Chronicles Book 8 and came across “speaking tubes,” the Victorian version of an intercom. Check this out! And so very steampunk!

Speaking tubes, also known as voice pipelines, date all the way back to 1849. Way before Jake’s time. How cool! Have you heard of these? Oh, my sisters and I would’ve had great fun playing with these as kids.

Clearly, speaking tubes would be useful in an office or factory setting (or a very large Black Fortress, ahem!). But they were also used in large middle- to upper-class Victorian homes to connect various regions of the house, particularly, servant work areas.

So, instead of yelling up and down the stairs to family members or staff all day long, all you had to do was: 1) blow into the correct speaking tube to signal the person on the other end to open their side (when not in use, the tube ends were fitted with whistle flaps), 2) then the person on the other end opened their flap, and 3) speak normally into the correct tube that would then transmit the message. There were multiple tubes running to and fro all throughout the house.

I would imagine that you’d have to be careful what you say, lol, when speaking tubes were around. You might think you were speaking the latest gossip in private around the water cooler when in fact you might very well be broadcasting the latest scandal to the boss, or the entire office.

The below image is from 1903. Do you see the 4 speaking tubes on the side of the desk? Judging by the scene in the picture, where do you think those tubes might be connected to? Would speaking tubes be handy in your house or work?

For more info on speaking tubes:
https://www.friendsofdalnavert.ca/blog/2019/1/10/the-speaking-tube
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cocktail-party-physics/can-you-hear-me-now-sound-technology-of-the-19th-century/
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/rare-victorian-intercom-phone-samson-junior

By Photographer not credited - http://www.officemuseum.com/photo_gallery_1900s.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9744722
Picture
2 Comments
Ashwath link
6/26/2021 01:22:09 am

umm so i need some info about when the next book is comming so yeah i enjoyed your thankyou sooo much for helping me

Reply
Eric
6/26/2021 11:07:24 am

Hello! We do not have the exact date, but Gryphon Book 8 is due out this October. We'll announce as soon as we have the official release date. Thanks!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    ADVENTURES IN
    ​WRITING
    Welcome to our blog! Here we'll be sharing the constant surprises, delights, challenges and endless twists & turns of our lives as full-time novelists. 

    Join E.G. Foley’s Mailing List

    Sign up for News, Events, and Behind-the-Scenes Fun!

    Almost There!

    To complete your sign up, please go to your inbox and verify your email address. If you don't see the confirmation email, check your "Spam" folder or "Promotions" tab.


    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Our Latest Release!
    Picture

    Archives

    November 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    January 2016
    December 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

*FREE shipping on orders of $75 or more!
Picture
Picture
Website Links
Home
About Us
The Gryphon Chronicles
Fan Art
Blog
Contact
Store Links
Store Home
Discounted Book Sets
$5 Off Paperbacks
Autographed Paperbacks
Bookstores, Libraries, & Schools
Return & Shipping Policies
Policy Links
Privacy Policy
Cookies Policy
​Terms of Service
​
Return & Shipping
​©​ E.G. Foley 2023
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • The Gryphon Chronicles
  • Fan Art
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Store
    • Store Home
    • Discounted Book Sets
    • $5 Off Paperbacks
    • Autographed Paperbacks
    • Bookstores, Libraries, & Schools
    • Return & Shipping Policies