Dr. Kennedy and the Telephone

Among the many "firsts" stories from the area, the story of the early telephone network, which connected Dr. Kennedy's home on D'Arcy Street to his office and clinic on Foster Street, is particularly intriguing.

The monument is surmounted by a plaque honouring the work of Rev. Thomas Henderson who was also integral in development of telephone communications throughout the area. 

Perhaps the definitive article on this fascinating story is Early Adopters: Perth's First Telephone by local author Ron Shaw.

The Perth Courier of August 31, 1877, under the heading "The Telephone", reported, "A trial of this interesting invention was made here on Thursday of last week, Professor A. Melville Bell managing. One instrument was connected with the telegraph wire at Seeley’s office, and another on the wire at the station."

"A gathering was present at each place, and the result was gratifying – Talking, singing, and whistling were distinctly heard, at the length of the wire, and peculiarities of voices etc. plainly distinguishable. Mr. J. F. Kennedy is getting two of the telephones for use here."

The August 30, 1877 edition of the Perth Expositor reported, "On Thursday last, Professor A. M. Bell, the father of the Inventor, gave an exhibition of this new instrument between the Town and Station offices of the Montreal Telegraph Company. The telephone consists principally of a powerful magnet enclosed in wood about 5” long. At one end two wires are attached, one to the line and the other to go to the ground to complete the circle of the electric current. At the other end of the magnet is a thin metal disc which is enclosed with wood with an opening to speak into or hear from."

In 1885 Bell launched the first "long distance" connection services. It is possible that the first demonstration for this service took place in Perth in 1877 when a "box-that-talked" connected Kennedy's home to a railway office in Montreal. By 1886 there were 19 telephones in Perth, a switchboard, and the first phone directory was produced. 

It is worth your time to take a moment to read the plaque that was placed on top of the grave on June 12, 1954 by the Society of Telephone Pioneers. Where is Rev. Henderson buried? Elmwood shows no records of his interment but Ron Shaw adds an interesting twist in his final footnote to Early Adopters: Perth's First Telephone, "a history of Perth’s Baptist Church (Perth Courier, November 16, 1917) says, “Mr. Henderson’s body lies in Elmwood Cemetery”. Rev. Henderson is buried in Elmwood Cemetery. A bronze memorial plaque ... marks his grave”. Findagrave.com shows Henderson buried in both Mount Royal (memorial ID 108167462) and Elmwood (memorial ID 46188361)."