Dialling Into the Past: How a Memory Box Inspired a Red Phone Box Revival
After the resounding success of Steve’s bespoke D-Day memory box – crafted from an ammunition box and brought to life with the voices of soldiers – Restore the Story CIC caught the attention of many. But one particularly inspired response came from Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council, who saw an opportunity to bring their own local history to life in a similarly powerful way.
Impressed by the emotional connection the original memory box sparked, the council approached Restore the Story CIC with a unique idea: Could the same concept be adapted to fit inside one of Britain’s most iconic structures – a traditional red telephone box?
The answer, of course, was a resounding yes.
Working closely with the council, Steve and the team at Restore the Story CIC began the transformation of an old pay telephone into a beautifully restored memory box, mounted inside the council’s historic red phone box, located within their community exhibition space.
Gone is the sound of dial tones – replaced now with local voices and living memories.
The converted telephone box now features a custom interface that allows visitors to listen to firsthand accounts from known residents of Newport and Carisbrooke. From stories of everyday village life to pivotal community events, and even tales from the war years and social changes over time, the recordings form a rich oral tapestry of local heritage.
Each recording was carefully collected, digitised, and programmed into the system. Visitors simply lift the handset, press a button, and are instantly transported into the spoken history of the area – told by the very people who lived it.
What makes this installation so special isn’t just the clever re-use of the red phone box, but how it invites passersby – locals and tourists alike – to pause, listen, and connect.
“It’s wonderful,” one visitor shared. “I’ve walked past this box for years. Now, it feels like a portal into our shared memory.”
This collaboration between the parish council and Restore the Story CIC exemplifies the kind of creative partnership that honours heritage while embracing technology. It also speaks to the universal power of storytelling – whether it’s from the front lines of Normandy or the quiet streets of the Isle of Wight.
As more communities look for meaningful ways to preserve their histories, we hope this project stands as a beacon for what’s possible: giving the past a voice, and a place, in the present.
