Mystery of memento that featured Echo’s historic 3000 telephone number (From Bournemouth Echo)

Mystery of memento that featured Echo’s historic 3000 telephone number

11:04am Tuesday 16th February 2010 in

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THIS beautiful glass paperweight was sent in by reader Mrs Vickie Sansom from Bournemouth who wonders if anyone else in the Daily Echo region owns a similar piece of memorabilia.

The paperweight, measuring eight centimetres across, features a black and white photo of a young woman in a mob cap and frilled dress. She’s holding a notice declaring the Bournemouth Daily Echo’s phone number – 3000.

The exact date of the artefact is hard to pinpoint.

The period of the girl’s dress might suggest it goes back to 1900 – the year the paper was founded.

However, the Daily Echo’s telephone number was 1363 until September 20, 1922. The following day it changed to 3000 with little fanfare apart from a small advert declaring “3000 is the Telephone Number (Private Branch Exchange) of the Echo. Advertisers, Newsagents and Correspondents are advised kindly to note).”

The 3000 number remained until 27 May 1959, when it changed to 24601.

It was therefore made sometime between 1922 and 1959, but why?

It could have been given to businesses in 1922 as a reminder of the new telephone number of their local paper. However, this doesn’t explain the young woman’s old fashioned clothing.

Alternatively, it could have been produced in 1950 to celebrate the half-century of the Daily Echo, but why is there no mention of this on the item itself?

This particular paperweight belonged to Mrs Sansom’s grandfather, Mr Ernest Haysome, who was born in 1900 in Swanage.

He was managing director of Andrews Brothers motors on Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth. When the garage closed in 1960, he went on to work for Carmichael of Bournemouth Ltd, the motor body builders and repairers in nearby Cotlands Road.

Mr Haysome died in 1996 and was buried in Bournemouth. The paperweight was one of the belongings left in the family.

Mrs Samsom said: “We don’t know much about it, but I think my grandfather might have used the paperweight at work.”

An identical paperweight was recently for sale through an online dealer in Bromyard, Herefordshire who said: “Unfortunately I know nothing about it either. It’s one of those old items I bought for its visual appeal.”

Do you have a similar paperweight, or know more about it?

Please contact 01202 411277 or E-mail: michaela.horsfield@bournemouthecho.co.uk