A GROUP of women used to connecting other people got together themselves for a reunion in Okehampton, many of them meeting again for the first time in more than 30 years.
A reunion was organised recently for former workers at the Okehampton telephone exchange, which closed back in 1969, bringing together 23 former telephonists.
Pam Chowings, from Okehampton, who helped organise the reunion with Beryl Wooldridge and Jean Dodd., said it had been a ?really lovely day?.
The reunion was held last month at the Oaklands home of Mrs Wooldridge.
The original telephone exchange was in Fore Street, later moving to a building behind the Post Office, before closing at the end of the 1960s.
Mrs Chowings said everyone had fond recollections of their time at the exchange. ?It was really a lovely time, and looking back it was most enjoyable and we all got along.?
Mrs Chowings said the exchange operators had come from all directions, with two women coming all the way from London for the reunion.
The reunion brought together many years of experience connecting the voices of Okehampton, the eldest lady who attended was 87-year-old Mary Boundy.
Mrs Chowings said the reunion had uncovered some interesting coincidences. ?A lot of people didn?t know they were actually living a stone?s throw away from each other,? she said.
Picture by Ian Snell