H.V. Dalling
Encyclopedia
Horace Victor Dalling was a Canadian watchmaker, jeweller and inventor. He was the watch inspector for the Canadian Pacific Railway
, and is also remembered for manufacturing the first two telephones in Woodstock, New Brunswick
, which he placed in his store and in his home.
He was born in Richmond, New Brunswick on February 5, 1854, to Thomas M. and Matilda Jane (Gray) Dalling.
In 1878 he moved to Woodstock and established his business, Dalling's Jewellery Store. In 1879 he married Mary Isabella McKilligan and the two had 4 children.
His store was damaged by fire on February 26, 1891. His losses ($150) were covered by insurance.
In 1900, he donated a silver cup, known as the "Dalling Cup", for golf. Another cup, a gold-lined silver cup, was given in 1905 for the Woodstock Hockey League.
He continued to run his store until 1929, when he retired because of ill health. His daughter, Edith, ran the store until his death on January 9, 1931.
Bell Telephone
later investigated his setup and were impressed enough to open a small telephone exchange
of twenty lines in his store, of which he was the manager. Because there was no service at night or on Sundays, Dalling built and installed a miniature switchboard
of eight lines at his home to answer important messages after hours.
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
, and is also remembered for manufacturing the first two telephones in Woodstock, New Brunswick
Woodstock, New Brunswick
Woodstock is a Canadian town in Carleton County, New Brunswick located on the west bank of the Saint John River at the mouth of the Meduxnekeag River, 92 km west of Fredericton and close to the Canada – United States border and Houlton, Maine.- History :Woodstock was settled by Loyalists...
, which he placed in his store and in his home.
He was born in Richmond, New Brunswick on February 5, 1854, to Thomas M. and Matilda Jane (Gray) Dalling.
In 1878 he moved to Woodstock and established his business, Dalling's Jewellery Store. In 1879 he married Mary Isabella McKilligan and the two had 4 children.
His store was damaged by fire on February 26, 1891. His losses ($150) were covered by insurance.
In 1900, he donated a silver cup, known as the "Dalling Cup", for golf. Another cup, a gold-lined silver cup, was given in 1905 for the Woodstock Hockey League.
He continued to run his store until 1929, when he retired because of ill health. His daughter, Edith, ran the store until his death on January 9, 1931.
Telephone
He is most remembered because of his homemade telephone, which he constructed in 1885 and ran between his home on Richmond St. and his store on Main St. He supported the wires by running them in the branches of trees alongside the streets. Telephones (either wires or instruments) were not yet common in the region.Bell Telephone
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
later investigated his setup and were impressed enough to open a small telephone exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
of twenty lines in his store, of which he was the manager. Because there was no service at night or on Sundays, Dalling built and installed a miniature switchboard
Telephone switchboard
A switchboard was a device used to connect a group of telephones manually to one another or to an outside connection, within and between telephone exchanges or private branch exchanges . The user was typically known as an operator...
of eight lines at his home to answer important messages after hours.
External links
- Probable photo c. 1876
- H.V. Dalling Jewellery Store in 1876, John Campbell
