{{Short description|British speaking clock voice (1909–1996)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Jane Cain | birth_name = Ethel Jane Cain | birth_date = 1 May 1909 | death_date = {{Death date and age|1996|9|19|1909|5|1|df=y}} }}
'''Ethel Jane Cain''' (1 May 1909 – 19 September 1996) was a British telephonist and actress, and the original voice of the speaking clock in the United Kingdom.
Working at London's Victoria Exchange, she was appointed on 21 June 1935 following a competition among GPO telephonists; there were nine finalists in total and the adjudication panel included leading actress Sybil Thorndike and Poet Laureate John Masefield, who announced that "She has a golden voice. It is beautiful."<ref>'Golden Voice Girl Chosen', ''Daily Mirror'' 22 June 1935, p.6</ref> Her recording was used from 1936 until 1963, when it was replaced by Pat Simmons. She also made a record for the GPO, helping other staff members improve their speaking voices, and went on to become announcer for Henry Hall during his broadcast concerts.<ref>[http://www.britishtelephones.com/clocks/spkgclock.htm Speaking Clocks by Andrew Emmerson] Retrieved on 20 October 2008</ref>
Having been chosen as the 'Golden Voice Girl', in July 1935 she was offered the leading role in the Columbia Pictures film ''Vanity''.<ref>'Golden Voice Girl in Film', ''Daily Mirror'' 17 July 1935, p.4</ref> Directed by Adrian Brunel, it began shooting at Walton-on-Thames in October and was first shown in December.<ref>'Golden Voice Girl's First Film', ''Kinematograph Weekly'' 5 December 1935, p.23</ref> Using the name Jane Cain as an actress, she then made her professional stage debut at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park on 17 July 1936, playing Celia in ''As You Like It''.<ref>'Chit Chat', ''The Stage'' 9 July 1936, p.8</ref> The Post Office had started its 'speaking clock' service on the 1st of the same month, over a year after her appointment had been announced.<ref>'The Golden-Voice Girl', ''Nottingham Evening Post'' 1 July 1936, p.6</ref>
In addition to working with regional repertory companies, notably a lengthy association with Scotland's Perth Theatre Company in the 1950s, she also appeared in such West End shows as ''A Soldier for Christmas'' (1944), ''Maigret and the Lady'' (1965) and ''The Sleeping Prince'' (1968).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theatricalia.com/person/1zq9/jane-cain | title=Jane Cain | Theatricalia }}</ref> She also played supporting roles in such TV series as ''Starr and Company'' (1958) and ''Thirty-Minute Theatre'' (1961).{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}
== See also == * Speaking clock * Pat Simmons, second permanent voice * Brian Cobby, third permanent voice * Lenny Henry, comedian, temporary voice * Alicia Roland, 12-year-old schoolgirl, temporary voice * Sara Mendes da Costa, fourth permanent voice
== References == <references/>
== External links == * [http://www.thg.org.uk Telecommunications Heritage Group] * {{IMDb name|0128907}} * {{cite web|last1=Midleton|first1=Alan|title=The Speaking Clock - Objectivity #152|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVeMNrwRO-A |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/uVeMNrwRO-A |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|website=YouTube|date=31 January 2018 |publisher=Brady Haran|accessdate=1 February 2018|format=video}}{{cbignore}} Includes video clips of Jane Cain.
{{s-start}} {{succession box |title=Permanent voice of the British Speaking clock |years=1936–1963 |before=Post created |after=Pat Simmons |}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cain, Ethel Jane}} Category:1909 births Category:1996 deaths Category:British voice actresses Category:Clocks Category:Telephone voiceover talent Category:20th-century British actresses