When the 999 service was launched in London 75 years ago it was the world's first emergency phone number. What happened when it rang for the first time?
It even came with instructions
A week later, on 7 July 1937, the press reported the first arrest after a 999 call.
John Stanley Beard was woken in the early hours of the morning by a noise underneath his bedroom window in the affluent neighbourhood of Hampstead, north London.
The architect told Marylebone Police Court that he looked out and saw a man's foot.
He shouted at the man who, on hearing Mr Beard's voice, ran off down the garden path, jumped over some railings and headed towards Primrose Hill.
Meanwhile, Mr Beard's wife - referred to in reports only as Mrs Beard - dialled 999.
In less than five minutes, 24-year-old labourer Thomas Duffy had been arrested. He was later charged with an attempted break-in with intent to steal.
BBC News - Dial 999: 75 years of emergency phone calls
Now the architect would have been charged with breach or the peace for shouting and given an asbo foe waking his neighbours. His wife would have been arrested for making hoax calls due to the alleged burglar just using a public right of way which is well within his rights.
The alleged burglar meanwhile would have claimed his human rights had been breached and have been compensated for wrongful arrest.
You're lucky now if the police even turn up after you've been broken into, let alone arrest someone within 5 minutes.
"A 1951 article in the Post Office Telecommunications Journal described fairly chaotic scenes in its call centres during 999's early days.
"When the raucous buzzer sounded in the quiet disciplined switchrooms a few of the girls found the situation too much for them and had to be carried out. It was even suggested in the press that the buzzers were disturbing other people living in the vicinity of the exchanges!"
It even came with instructions
A week later, on 7 July 1937, the press reported the first arrest after a 999 call.
John Stanley Beard was woken in the early hours of the morning by a noise underneath his bedroom window in the affluent neighbourhood of Hampstead, north London.
The architect told Marylebone Police Court that he looked out and saw a man's foot.
He shouted at the man who, on hearing Mr Beard's voice, ran off down the garden path, jumped over some railings and headed towards Primrose Hill.
Meanwhile, Mr Beard's wife - referred to in reports only as Mrs Beard - dialled 999.
In less than five minutes, 24-year-old labourer Thomas Duffy had been arrested. He was later charged with an attempted break-in with intent to steal.
BBC News - Dial 999: 75 years of emergency phone calls
Now the architect would have been charged with breach or the peace for shouting and given an asbo foe waking his neighbours. His wife would have been arrested for making hoax calls due to the alleged burglar just using a public right of way which is well within his rights.
The alleged burglar meanwhile would have claimed his human rights had been breached and have been compensated for wrongful arrest.
You're lucky now if the police even turn up after you've been broken into, let alone arrest someone within 5 minutes.
"A 1951 article in the Post Office Telecommunications Journal described fairly chaotic scenes in its call centres during 999's early days.
"When the raucous buzzer sounded in the quiet disciplined switchrooms a few of the girls found the situation too much for them and had to be carried out. It was even suggested in the press that the buzzers were disturbing other people living in the vicinity of the exchanges!"
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