Is this Calderdale phone box the smallest museum in the world?

A disused phone box in Warley has been converted into a village museum that could be the smallest in the world.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Oct 2016, 08:33 GMT
Updated 25th Oct 2016, 20:59 GMT
Opening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Richard Macfarlane, Paul and Chris Czainski, Mayor Howard Blagbrough and Mayoress Catherine KirkOpening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Richard Macfarlane, Paul and Chris Czainski, Mayor Howard Blagbrough and Mayoress Catherine Kirk
Opening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Richard Macfarlane, Paul and Chris Czainski, Mayor Howard Blagbrough and Mayoress Catherine Kirk

Members of Warley Community Association (WCA) “adopted” the phone box from BT and completed a huge revamp – including etched glass, old photographs and information on the history of the village and some of its best known residents.

The group submitted an application to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records ahead of an official musuem opening by Mayor of Calderdale Howard Blagbrough and Bankfield Museum manager Richard MacFarlane.

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WCA chairwoman Eliana Bailey said: “We’ve had a phenomenal response. People thought it was amazing, when they saw inside they could not believe it.

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Opening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Arabella Howarth-Rogers, with Theo Szefer-Hall, Henry and George SzeferOpening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Arabella Howarth-Rogers, with Theo Szefer-Hall, Henry and George Szefer
Opening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Arabella Howarth-Rogers, with Theo Szefer-Hall, Henry and George Szefer

“It’s so inspiring when people come to have a look.”

The group wanted to do something different after researching the uses of other adopted phone boxes, which included book exchanges and defibrillators.

The work and planning was carried out by Mrs Bailey, her joiner husband Doug, and Warley artists Paul and Chris Czainski.

Kathryn Gallagher, from WCA, said: “We just started talking about what we could do with it and came up with the idea.I live two doors down from the museum and we’ve had so many people who just had to come and look at it.”

Opening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Arabella Howarth-Rogers, with Theo Szefer-Hall, Henry and George SzeferOpening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Arabella Howarth-Rogers, with Theo Szefer-Hall, Henry and George Szefer
Opening of the Warley Village Museum, in an old phone box. Pictured are Arabella Howarth-Rogers, with Theo Szefer-Hall, Henry and George Szefer
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The theme is currently local history but the group plans to make changes every three months.

But it has not all been plain sailing for Calderdale phone boxes as BT has announced a consultation into removing more than 40 under used units. Richard Seaman, Calderdale Council’s Development Manager, said: “BT is consulting on its proposals to remove 43 public pay phones in Calderdale following a reduction in usage. Under Ofcom guidelines, the council is coordinating the consultation feedback on behalf of BT.”

Related topics:PeopleCalderdale