Photograph Gallery

Below are galleries of pillar, wall and lamp boxes contributed by members of the Group. Click to display pictures of a particular type.

Found in built-up areas, especially outside Post Offices

Usually installed in a convenient wall where a large pillar box is not required. Only the front of the box is visible.

Small box found in large numbers in rural areas. Sometimes attached to a lamp post (hence the name), on a metal pole or installed in a wall, as per a wall box. Also includes pedestal boxes.

EDWARD VII TYPE C PILLAR BOX

Dual aperture pillar boxes were introduced in London in 1899 to provide extra capacity at busy locations as more and more letters were being posted. The apertures were labelled ‘Town’ and ‘Country’, to help speed up the sorting process, as this allowed the mail in each half of the pillar pox to be collected separately and taken to different sorting offices. The box illustrated here was one of two versions which carried the cipher of Edward VII.

Particulars

  • Name: Type C Pillar Box
  • Manufacturer: Handyside
  • Introduced: 1905
  • Construction: cast iron
  • Height: 63 inches
  • Diameter: 22¼ inches
  • Circumference: 91 inches
  • Weight: 17¾ cwt.
  • LBSG type number: PB1022
  • Total in LBSG records: 54

 

Type C