APRIL 2024 – “BEGINNER’S LETTER BOXES” BOOKLET The Letter Box Study Group has added a “Beginner’s Letter Boxes” booklet to the Welcome Pack that new Members receive when joining. It explains how to spot some key characteristics which will help them identify some of the many types of letter box they may encounter. Designed to get new Members started in the hobby,… Read More
FEBRUARY 2024 – WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PILLAR BOX AND A LETTER BOX? This question was answered recently in The Times. The newspaper’s archive editor Rose Wild writes a weekly feedback column on issues from its Letters page, and on 27th January 2024 we were very pleased to read the following: “I was too quick off the mark last week when I apologised for not knowing the difference… Read More
DECEMBER 2023 – SINGING CHRISTMAS POSTBOXES SERENADE THE PUBLIC For the first time since 2020, letter boxes specially decorated for Christmas have been unveiled by Royal Mail. The postboxes will surprise and serenade members of the public when they post their cards and letters at four chosen locations across the UK. Painted red and gold, and located in each UK nation, the boxes are… Read More
JUNE 2023 – CRAFTY ROYAL FANS USE THEIR IMAGINATION TO THE FULL ON LETTER BOXES CELEBRATING THE CORONATION In the weeks leading up to the Coronation of King Charles III on 6th May, many communities made their local letter boxes look as royal as possible with bespoke knitted and crocheted toppers, often featuring the King, Queen, and the crown jewels. According to Royal Mail, toppers began to appear in the Christmas season in… Read More
MAY 2023 – ‘LIVERPOOL SPECIAL’ LOOKING EVEN MORE SPECIAL FOR EUROVISION The United Kingdom is hosting the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the 2022 winners, Ukraine. Liverpool was chosen to be host city, with the Grand Final taking place in the Liverpool M&S Bank Arena next to the River Mersey on Saturday 13 May and Semi-Finals being held in the Arena earlier in the… Read More
MAY 2023 – SPECIAL POSTBOXES TO CELEBRATE THE CORONATION Royal Mail celebrated the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla with four specially decorated letter boxes across the UK. The four postboxes were unveiled in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and County Down in Northern Ireland. The box in London is situated very close to Westminster Abbey, where the coronation took place on Saturday 6th… Read More
SEPTEMBER 2022 – TAKE A LETTER: THE POST BOXES OF GOSPORT The Letter Box Study Group was recently asked to help in the production of a virtual tour around Gosport looking at the variety of post boxes in the town, as part of Heritage Open Days. https://www.gosportheritage.co.uk/take-a-letter-the-post-boxes-of-gosport/… Read More
JULY 2022 – POSTBOXES TO MARK THE BIRMINGHAM 2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES To mark the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Royal Mail has created five special postboxes across the UK. The postboxes are decorated in vibrant pink and purple and include graphics and encouraging messages to participating teams. Letter Box Study Group members and friends were out and about photographing the boxes as soon as they were unveiled.… Read More
JUNE 2022 – PLATINUM JUBILEE: WOOLLY POSTBOX TOPPERS APPEAR FOR QUEEN Woolly postbox toppers are appearing to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. Usually attached to the tops of pillar boxes, the creations are either crocheted or knitted in a wide range of colours and can be the result of many hours of patient work. The craze began during the first lockdown, but the Jubilee has seen a… Read More
MAY 2022 – ROYAL MAIL JOINS IN WITH THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW To coincide with the return of the Chelsea Flower Show after two years due to the Covid pandemic Royal Mail has put together a display at the Hackett store on Sloane Street in London. It features a letter being posted into a crown-topped postbox, all beautifully made from flowers. It can be seen here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/61557710.… Read More