Telephone Kiosk, 9 Main Street, Lack, Co Fermanagh, BT93 0DN

Telephone Kiosk, 9 Main Street, Lack

A fully structurally intact telephone kiosk designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, this is a pre-1953 K6 model, as indicated by the Tudor Crown cypher. The kiosk is a square-plan, freestanding structure of cast-iron construction, painted red with glazing to three of the elevations and a solid panel to the fourth (west). It is built to Scott's standardised design and retains an unusually high proportion of glass for a non-rural setting, with more than half of the exterior glazed.

The kiosk is located on the pavement in front of the former post office at Lack, Fermanagh. It is in working order and in a decent state of repair, though the lower leather door strap is missing, the handle is a non-original-design replacement, and the signage reading 'TELEPHONE' is faded on the south-east elevation. A replacement fluorescent light and modern telephone equipment have been installed during its lifetime.

The K6 model was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. Constructed in cast-iron with a teak door and compact in size, the design was developed from Scott's previous models, the larger K2 (introduced in 1926) and K3 (1929). It was distributed throughout the UK from 1936 and became the most successful type ever introduced, with approximately 60,000 placed around the country. About 8,000 were installed as part of the 'Jubilee Concession', which allowed towns and villages with a post office to apply for a kiosk. A year later, under the 'Tercentenary Concession' celebrating the Post Office's 300th anniversary, a further 1,000 kiosks were installed over twelve years for local authorities willing to pay a five-year subscription of £4.

A minor alteration to the K6 design occurred following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, when the Tudor crown motif was replaced with the St Edward's crown. From 1955 the Crown of Scotland was used for kiosks in that country. The model continued in production until 1968 when the more modernist K8, designed by Bruce Martin, was introduced.

A telephone call box was marked on this site on the Ordnance Survey map of 1965. A report in the Northern Whig of 27 August 1951 stated that the Post Office was prepared to erect a kiosk outside Lack Post Office in County Fermanagh. The kiosk visible today, being a Tudor crown pre-1953 version of the K6, was likely installed here around 1951 to 1953.

This iconic piece of street furniture, once common but almost entirely replaced by modern mobile phone use, makes an essential and attractive contribution to the village's historic character. It is a rare working example. During its lifetime, the kiosk has adapted to keep pace with changes in society and technology. Upgrades to equipment and vandal-proofing measures, including the replacement fluorescent light and door handle, are necessary adjustments that do not compromise the building's overall significance and architectural and historical worth.