Jane Cain
Encyclopedia
Ethel Jane Cain was a British telephonist and the original voice of the speaking clock
in the United Kingdom
. She was appointed in 1936 following a "search for the girl with the golden voice". Her voice was used from 1936 until 1963, when it was replaced by Pat Simmons
. She also made a record for the GPO helping other staff improve their speaking voice and went on to become announcer for Henry Hall during one of his broadcast concerts. She was later offered a film part by Columbia Pictures under the name of Jane Cain.
Originally the speaking clock was accessed by dialling 846, spelling out the letters T-I-M, on the telephone dial in 'Director Area' (London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool & Manchester) and 952 as it was introduced elsewhere in the UK. .
Her only known screen role was the lead in the 1935 film, Vanity
.
Her voice lives on as the voice of the 'operator' (in UK) on CNet, a Worldwide network of old telephone exchanges preserved by collectors which uses a voice recognition system when you dial '0' or '100' for the 'operator' !
Speaking clock
A speaking clock service is a recorded or simulated human voice service, usually accessed by telephone, that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observatory on 14 February 1933.The format of the service is...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. She was appointed in 1936 following a "search for the girl with the golden voice". Her voice was used from 1936 until 1963, when it was replaced by Pat Simmons
Pat Simmons
Pat Simmons was the voice of the United Kingdom's Speaking Clock from 1963 until 1985.A supervisor at a London telephone exchange, in 1963 Simmons won a £500 competition to replace Jane Cain, whose voice had been used since the service began in 1936...
. She also made a record for the GPO helping other staff improve their speaking voice and went on to become announcer for Henry Hall during one of his broadcast concerts. She was later offered a film part by Columbia Pictures under the name of Jane Cain.
Originally the speaking clock was accessed by dialling 846, spelling out the letters T-I-M, on the telephone dial in 'Director Area' (London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool & Manchester) and 952 as it was introduced elsewhere in the UK. .
Her only known screen role was the lead in the 1935 film, Vanity
Vanity (film)
Vanity is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Adrian Brunel and starring Jane Cain and Percy Marmont. The film was a quota quickie production, concerning a conceited actress, convinced of the general adoration in which she is held, faking her own death in order to gratify herself by observing...
.
Her voice lives on as the voice of the 'operator' (in UK) on CNet, a Worldwide network of old telephone exchanges preserved by collectors which uses a voice recognition system when you dial '0' or '100' for the 'operator' !
See also
- Speaking clockSpeaking clockA speaking clock service is a recorded or simulated human voice service, usually accessed by telephone, that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observatory on 14 February 1933.The format of the service is...
- Pat Simmons, second permanent voice
- Brian CobbyBrian CobbyBrian Cobby , is a British actor and telephone exchange worker who in 1985 became the first male voice of the British speaking clock.In 2004, Cobby guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio drama The Creed of the Kromon....
, third permanent voice - Lenny HenryLenny HenryLenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
, comedian, temporary voice - Alicia Roland, 12-year-old schoolgirl, temporary voice
- Sara Mendes da CostaSara Mendes da CostaSara Mendes da Costa, born c. 1966, from Brighton & Hove became the fourth permanent holder of the iconic role of the voice of the UK Speaking Clock, first established in 1936, at 08:00 BST on 2 April 2007....
, fourth permanent voice