
A telephone that once provided vital support to thousands of LGBTQ+ people has been described as a piece of history as it goes on display in Bristol before travelling to Brighton and Liverpool.
The Bristol Lesbian and Gay Switchboard was founded by the late Dale Wakefield at her family home in Totterdown, and operated from 1975 until 2012.
The phone now features in a new exhibition at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery titled Gender Stories, marking 50 years since the helpline was established.
“That phone connected me to all the people reaching out for help, support, and a sense of not being alone. It’s a part of history, and it’s important we don’t forget it,” said former volunteer Tash Walker.
Andrew Foyle, from the oral history group OutStories Bristol, said: “The very first call, on 1 February 1975, came from a straight man.
“He described himself as a cross-dresser - not a term we’d use today - who was concerned he might be mistaken for being gay.
“For the first three years, from 1975 to 1978, Dale handled all the calls herself, day and night. She was incredibly important - a key figure in the gay rights movement.”

In the early days, every call was logged, noting the caller’s details, the reason for the call, who responded, and what information was provided.
As the internet and mobile phones later enabled LGBTQ+ people to connect online, calls to the switchboard gradually declined, and the service closed in 2012.
Tash Walker, who volunteered in the 2000s while studying in the city, recalled: “I knocked on the door, really nervous. I didn’t know much - just that I was gay.
“On the side was the phone - the very one now in the museum - and I just started answering calls in this tiny room.”
The switchboard had by then moved to new premises. The red, hardback logbooks used to record each call are now held in Bristol Archives. However, to protect callers’ confidentiality, much of the information will remain sealed for over 80 years.
Gender Stories runs at Bristol Museum until 12 October, before travelling to Brighton and Liverpool.