Monadnock Moment No. 184

Era 7: Emergence of Modern America - 1890 to 1930

Mason Calls England

On January 22, 1927 an historic event in international communications occurred in Boston. On that date the president of Harvard University and the vice-chancellor of Cambridge University in England spoke to each other by telephone in the first telephone call from the United States to England. Telephone company officials were present for the historic call and prepared messages were sent across the ocean.

Within a day or two, Wallace Mason, cashier of the Keene National Bank, made Keene's first overseas call. With a New England Telephone Company official and a Keene Sentinel reporter looking on, Mason telephoned his friend Walter Pontin of the Raymond & Whitcomb travel agency on Cockspur Street in London. Mason spoke to Mr. Pontin for thirteen minutes discussing the weather, the business climate and the achievement of the telephone company in bringing together the two continents by phone. Mason made the call from the phone booth in the Keene National Bank.

After the call, Mason praised the radio impulse telephone connection, stating that there was no interference at all and that Pontin sounded as plain as if he were at a local telephone. Perhaps the connections were as clear then as they are today, but one aspect of overseas calling has improved since 1927. When Mason completed his call, Mr. Richardson of New England Telephone informed him that the charge for his thirteen minute call was $325.00.