News File

Brief history

Anthony Trollope, the novelist, introduced the pillar box to Britain in 1852 when he worked as a Post Office Surveyor in the Channel Islands. The first mainland box was erected a year later in 1853. At first local District Surveyors ordered boxes from local foundries. In 1859 a standard design was introduced. Wall boxes appeared in 1857, Ludlow boxes in 1885 and lamp boxes in 1896.

Each new reign brings boxes bearing the royal cipher of the monarch. Pillar boxes and wall boxes have been made in different sizes and with improvements to the design incorporated over time. A large number of different manufacturers have been employed and over the years there have been many experimental boxes put in service.

The Group

Founded in 1976, the LBSG has identified around 800 different types of postbox. There are more than 400 different varieties of pillar box; around 160 types of wall box, 66 Ludlow boxes and almost 80 versions of the lamp box. New boxes are still appearing while there are still many older boxes waiting to be discovered and rediscovered.
The Letter Box Study Group is the acknowledged authority on the history and development of the British roadside letter box.

Membership

We are an active group of individuals devoted to the study of postboxes. From modest beginnings four decades ago the Letter Box Study Group has grown to become the recognised authority on the subject – all through the voluntary efforts of its members.

VR PENFOLD PILLAR BOX

RON HALL

We are very sad to announce that our President, Ron Hall, died peacefully in his sleep on 11th September 2024.

Ron was one of the three founders of the Group in 1976. His interest in letter boxes began when he saw a Victorian Pillar Box in the Cotswolds. He thought it must be rare, so took a photograph of it. He soon realised that there was a tremendous variety of boxes to be found, spanning every reign since Queen Victoria. Correspondence in the Post Office Philatelic Bureau newsletter, after he had written on the subject of an oval 1930s box with built-in stamp dispenser, led to Ron teaming up with Ian Wilkinson and Loudon Morton. The trio wrote to stamp magazines and the Philatelic Bureau, to see if anyone else shared their affection for letter boxes. They thought that if there were around 25 others who were interested, they would have a good little group. In fact the membership grew quickly, and the Letter Box Study Group (LBSG) became the acknowledged authority on the history and development of the British roadside letter box. Today we have around 500 members. Without Ron the LBSG would not exist and have thrived in the way that it has for nearly 50 years. After decades as Information Officer and Chairman, Ron became our President in 1997.

There will be a full tribute to Ron in our next members’ Newsletter, which will be published on 1st December.

The Letter Box Study Group Education Pack will help children – and adults – look little more closely at post boxes, their place in our community landscape, and the importance of staying in touch with friends, family and neighbours all over the world.