Saul Henry

London: Please Hold

Health EN ↓ 4 episodes

Apparently, reading the phone book is the ultimate test of endurance. I’m trying to bring it to life as something closer to an art form. In this inaugural episode, we begin our journey through the August 1939 London Telephone Directory (Letters A-K). Expect names, titles, vintage exchange names, incredibly short numbers, and the strangely captivating rhythm of a bygone metropolis.

Author

Saul Henry

Episodes

4. Abbitt & Abbott; sounding like a classic comedy duo that never was 28.06.2026 30:20

In this fourth instalment of London: Please Hold, comedian Saul Henry continues his hypnotic, line-by-line reading of the August 1939 London Telephone Directory. Picking up exactly where we left off—climbing out from the bottom of the Abbisses—we wade deeper into the 'Ab's, making our way steadily (but very slowly) toward the 'Ac's. Along the way, we uncover a strangely soothing litany of pre-war...

3. From Aba-damn! to the bottom of an Abbiss 25.06.2026 26:04

Doxing the names, places and numbers of a metropolis of memories once again Follow us on on Instagram instagram.com/londonpleasehold instagram.com/saulhenry101 Drop us a line londonpleasehold@gmail.com

2. Speaking! A H Gowns to Aarvold CD Barrister 16.06.2026 28:50

We return to the streets of pre-war London with another dive into the 1939 telephone directory. In this episode, we navigate more 'A' names uncovering a cross-section of capital life just months before the outbreak of the WWII. Follow us on on Instagram instagram.com/londonpleasehold instagram.com/saulhenry101 Drop us a line londonpleasehold@gmail.com

1. Ahoy-Hoy! A1 Abbott to A&H Dining Sets 08.06.2026 27:54

Apparently, reading the phone book is the ultimate test of endurance. I'm trying to bring it to life as something closer to an art form. In this inaugural episode, we begin our journey through the August 1939 London Telephone Directory (Letters A-K). Expect names, titles, vintage exchange names, incredibly short numbers, and the strangely captivating rhythm of a bygone metropolis. Follow us on on...