Odd 'sockets' in skirting board

[Oliack1417]

We have these little socket type things in every room of our 1904 home, some larger rooms have more than one. I've lived in a few Edwardian/Victorian properties before, but never seen these?
I wonder if anyone knows what they are - perhaps something to do with early phone or electricity connections?
Just wondering really!

How interesting, I've never seen anything like this in all the houses we've had. I'll ask dh later if he's come across anything like this (he's an electrician).

Definitely sockets, not vents?

Vents?

Cross posted with Olivo

Interesting - are they all near more modern plug sockets? If so my money would be on electrical wiring points of some sort, especially set into the skirting boards as that was common practice until relatively recently.

Vacuum system connection points?

Or vents

Perhaps vents?
Yes serf I think that was what I was trying to remember - early vacuum systems where you connected via each room. Perhaps! Will check proximity to sockets..

Dh has never seen them before.

How have you not looked behind one of them? Might be a portal in to another dimension!

Or maybe vents/ built in vacuum cleaner plugs.

Could they be for gas pipes in yr olden days of gas lighting?

I can't find a picture of a vintage vacuum system connector but this is a modern part. So not dissimilar maybe?

That does look very similar Serf. Gas lighting pipes wouldn't usually be at that level. They are routed above the ceilings in our Edwardian house.

Fancy mice Windows?

the hole in the middle looks about the size of a pencil, so I don't think it can be for a vac. It looks to me like a multi-pin electrical connector. At one time radio (and, later, TV programmes) were piped round some estates on wires, by companies like Rediffusion. They were operating in the 1950's and I think closed down mid 1980's, when there were more transmitters and aerial reception was better.

Sockets for electric lights were (and still are) used, but yours has too many pins. If you found that in an office, I'd think it might be for an old intercom. Such connectors were used on military radios, but I don't think yours is.

(A Vacuum Tube is what in USA they call what we call a Valve, as used in old radios, TVs, radar sets etc. It won't be what your connector is for)

A Vacuum Tube is what in USA they call what we call a Valve, as used in old radios, TVs, radar sets etc. It won't be what your connector is for)

How confusing.

You're a veritable font of practical wisdom Piglet.

I think it may be an old phone cable point. I think we used to have them when I was a teenagers many years ago.

The rediffusion TV/Radio link was via regular coaxial cable, like a TV aerial socket. Looking at your 2nd photo, the outer ring of holes are not circular, as you'd expect for some sort of electrical socket, I suspect there are vents of some sort. Are they on interior or exterior walls?

BTW, vacuum tubes are still in use in some amplifiers:

SerfTerf
This is a modern 8-pin tube socket. It does look v similar to OPs photo - but I can't for the life of me think why you'd want to put one on a skirting board?

oops!

if, at the time, valve sockets were widely available and low cost, they might have been used as multiway sockets. I don't think I've ever seen a plug for one, though.

Ifailed, that looks identical! They are in the skirting in every room. How odd!

Wowfudge, some are near sockets but many are not... however I suspect you are prob right.

The place has obviously been bugged.