History of the Telephone: 150th anniversary special

28 snips

Mar 27, 2026

Guest

Catherine Bohart

Guest

Iwan Morus

Catherine Bohart, comedian and writer, brings sharp humour and reflections. Professor Iwan Morus, Victorian science historian, explains early telephone tech and culture. They discuss the 1876 patent race, how telephones worked, Bell’s promotional tours, wire-crossing and eavesdropping, rise of female switchboard operators, and Victorian anxieties about etiquette and privacy.

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ANECDOTE

The First Telephone Call Was A Nearby Demonstration

Bell's first demonstrated call was within his building when he said to his assistant Mr Watson, 'Come here, I want you,' proving the device over ~10 metres.
The demonstration dazzled audiences but didn't initially prove long-distance utility beyond a parlour trick.

INSIGHT

Spectacle, Not Logic, Sold The Phone Early On

Businesses initially failed to see telephone value; Western Union refused Bell's $100,000 offer, underestimating voice communication's future utility.
Bell resorted to spectacle and demos (harp music across cities, royal gifts) to create demand and sell infrastructure subscriptions.

ADVICE

Build Networks Not Just Devices

To scale a device, plan for infrastructure not just hardware; telephone uptake required wiring homes and networks beyond selling boxes.
Bell leveraged existing telegraph cabling but still needed capital and organisational work to connect individual houses.

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For our 150th episode, Greg Jenner is joined by historian Professor Iwan Morus and comedian Catherine Bohart to learn about the history of the telephone on its 150th anniversary. The inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, was granted the American patent for his new communication system 150 years ago, on the 7th March 1876, beating out fellow inventor Elisha Gray who had submitted his patent on the very same day. But Bell still had to convince people that this novel form of communication would change their lives, and so he set out on a promotional tour across America and England, showcasing the wonder of his new invention, and even gifting a pair of phones to Queen Victoria. In this episode, we look at the first few decades of the telephone’s existence: the dramatic race between Bell, Gray and an Italian immigrant named Meucci to be the first to patent it, how quickly it was rolled out across America, how the technology actually worked, and its problems, including the ease with which people could eavesdrop on their neighbour’s conversations. We also look at the rise in jobs for women it provided, and the social anxieties it provoked, which mirror many of the worries voiced today about smartphones and social media. And we examine some early telephone etiquette: should you answer the phone with ‘hello’ or ‘ahoy-hoy’, and did a man need to be wearing trousers when speaking on the phone to a woman?

If you’re a fan of the scientific innovations of the past, feuding inventors, and the competing anxieties and opportunities of new technology, you’ll love our episode on the History of the Telephone. If you want to learn more about Victorian science with Professor Iwan Morus, listen to our episode on Vital Electricity. And for more from Catherine Bohart, check out our episodes on pirate queen Grainne O’Malley, Julie d'Aubigny, or the History of General Elections. You’re Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Rosalyn Sklar and Katharine Russell Written by: Rosalyn Sklar, Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Dr Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars