Back in August I wrote a post about Post-Boxes after finding a book of postcard that I'd forgotten about.
I said I could feel a new hobby starting so of course it needed a book!
It's one of the small Shire books and quite concise with lots of photos. The chapter headings are Victorian pillar boxes, Twentieth-century pillar boxes, Wall letter boxes, Ludlow letter boxes, Lamp letter boxes and Miscellaneous letter boxes.
I'm starting with some photos that were already on my blog from my journeys around my old village.
This one below is in the village and built into what was the village
Post Office. Long since closed. It is a Wall letter box and dates from the time of George 5th. Wall letter
boxes predate Lamp Letter boxes The first ones had no hood over the aperture but they were changed when the rain got in.
This one below is at the end of the lane where I lived. From the book I now know this is a Lamp Letter box so called because they were originally made to fix to the new lamp posts that had started to appear as public gas lighting was introduced in C19. They are the most common type in country areas where the amount of post is small. The first Lamp letter box was made in 1896 and this one below comes from the reign of George V. It has the words LETTERS ONLY over the slot. . It had a much needed coat of paint in 2019.
That's my first look at Post/Letter boxes ...........I will be back with more............you've been warned!
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Quaint and attractive - I'm looking forward to more.
ReplyDeletexx
Another idea to fill a blog post!
DeleteI hope they never take our red post boxes away for something modern, they are so pretty and, for me, part of 'real England'
ReplyDeleteI agree - I really enjoy a walk through the village with my granddaughter to post a letter in the box! I'm glad that when a pillar box is removed because of new buildings or road widening, it is preserved and then relocated. Excellent recycling!
DeleteI know of two in different villages that have gone and not been replaced. One stolen and the other because someone new moved into an old post office and didn't want the letter box on the wall of their house!
DeleteThank you for thst Sue, I now know tht the one directly opposite my sitting room window is a lamp letter box.
ReplyDeleteI think they should have thought of a new name for those on posts rather than fixed to telegraph poles etc
DeleteSomeone I know actually collects them! Interesting post - never heard of a lamp letter box before. I shall keep my eyes peeled now.
ReplyDeleteWe have the only Edward VIII Post Office ever built, down in town with - presumably - an Edward VIII post box in the wall. I often park opposite it so will check it out for you today.
There is one of the few Edward VIII letter boxes in Suffolk that I need to visit
DeleteP.S. I have SEEN lamp letter boxes, but not known their actual title.
ReplyDeleteI like looking at the postboxes when I go anywhere new. I have seen several gold colored ones and now the newest ones are being decorated with mostly knitted or crochet tops on them. I remember the paddington ones tthat were in special ones for the children to see. I hope we always keep them.
ReplyDeleteHazel 🌈🌈
I don't know about Paddington Letter boxes - I shall investigate
DeleteI think they were only in London area.
DeleteHazel 🌈🌈
The first post box on mainland UK was installed in Carlisle. It wasn't red, but green and had a vertical slit to insert the letters.
ReplyDeleteYes the early ones were all green and had vertical slots
DeleteSo interesting; thank you!
ReplyDeleteI remember when we spent a weekend in Dublin, I insisted on taking a photograph of a green pillar box. I'd like to check off the blue airmail one in Windsor, too.
I'm sure they have other colours in different countries too - Yellow somewhere?
DeleteVery rarely are they red anywhere else. Yellow is very common.
DeleteThey're red in Australia.
DeleteThey are blue in the US.
DeleteGrey with red trim in Canada
DeleteI'm just glad they are red, with failing eyesight a strong colour is what I need!
ReplyDeleteGood point!
DeleteWe have a Lamp ERII postbox as our nearest one. The Edward VIII PO in town (long shut) has a bricked-up bit where there was obviously once an Edward VIII red postbox, and instead, lower down and set into a different bit of wall, just a flat black fronted ediface with Posting Box and a letter-shaped hole in it . . . How disappointing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame.
DeleteIf I want to post mail, I just put it in my mailbox at the end of my driveway and put the red flag up so my mailperson knows there is mail to go. It is mounted on a post near the curb and our mail deliverer drives around in the post office vehicle going from house to house.
ReplyDeleteYes I've seen them on films.
DeleteGeocaching logs are quite often hidden on post boxes. I am going to take more notice of the boxes themselves in future. Wonderful blog and I look forward to reading more soon.
ReplyDeleteI shall be looking at post boxes all over the place - if I remember!!
DeleteI like the variety of postal boxes you have in the UK. A mix of older vintage boxes along with newer boxes is quite nice. I googled US post boxes and did see one vintage small cast iron red and blue box. I was totally unaware of this box. Modern day boxes are tall and blue.
ReplyDeleteI hope we can keep them all - adds variety to life!
DeleteI used to work in a historic building that had a modern banking complex built around it. We had a PO in the complex with two of the normal red mailboxes - but - just outside - and still in use - was a beautiful standing mailbox made of brass with ornate carvings - I loved it. There was so much brass in this building that rumour had it that one custodian spent the day working from one end of the building to another - polishing brass as he went!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful building - good to hear it's still in use
DeleteThis is very interesting to learn about the various boxes and the history of them. I hope you do come back with more!
ReplyDeleteI will sometime - need to get out and about for photos
DeleteWhat's a "Geocaching log"? New Zealand's older boxes were all red, but the newer ones have some white on them and are far bigger. Mind you, the postal service here is so run down they've removed many- most - of the boxes, and many of the Post Offices too. The problem of 5 million people, most of whom never send a letter! I was astounded at seeing a lovely red post box on the corner of a country lane in Devon, and stopped to take a photo of it. I remember they still had twice daily clearances!
ReplyDeleteIf you click on hilarys name you will find her blog which will explain geo-caching.
DeleteCollecting and delivering twice a day was the norm until about 40 years ago
Fascinating! Here in the Netherlands we only have modern postboxes.
ReplyDeleteWhat colour are your post-boxes?
DeleteAre the postboxes that were painted gold for the Olympic winners in 2012 still gold?
ReplyDeleteIf they are I may start looking for a few.