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Letter to Daily Telegraph

Royal Mail needs to get its paintbrushes out

The Telegraph

“SIR – Angie Bell (Letters, February 14) is right. Tatty post boxes are a disgrace. Royal Mail and English Heritage published a joint policy statement in 2002 in which Royal Mail undertook…” read more… Read More

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Images

In 1957 Carron took over manufacture of all Type A In 1957 Carron took over manufacture of all Type A and B pillar boxes. The UK was on its way to adopting ISO 216 - the international standard for paper sizing - and A4 was a little too wide for the 8 inch apertures. So Carron made the aperture 2" wider, also jutting it out a little from the front of the box. There are also a handful of 10" aperture boxes with the old-style curved aperture. Thanks to LBSG members for sharing these photos. Pics: Type A Carron Company pillar box with 10" curved aperture, Juniper Green Type A Carron Company pillar box with 10" jutting aperture painted white for the Cricket World Cup Type A Carron Company pillar box with 10" jutting aperture, Birmingham Type B Carron Company pillar box with 10" jutting aperture painted gold for Ellie Simmonds' medal in the 2012 Paralympic Games, Aldridge #postboxlove #postboxesofinstagram #postboxhappy #mailboxes #postbox #letterboxstudygroup #postboxesoftheuk #mailbox #postboxes #postboxsaturday #queenelizabethii #queenelizabeth #goldpostbox #olympicgoldpostbox #paralympicgold #elliesimmonds
The earliest pillar boxes in Queen Elizabeth II's The earliest pillar boxes in Queen Elizabeth II's reign were essentially the same as those produced in 1905, when McDowell Steven & Co took over pillar box manufacture. They had innovated integrating the 8 inch aperture into the door instead of above it. In 1952 McDowell Steven still made the larger Type A pillars, while Carron Company manufactured Type Bs. Both were based in Falkirk, and made postboxes not only for the UK and British territories, but also for non-British territories such as Ireland and Colombia. Type C pillar boxes were made from 1952 into the 70s, and saw little design change for a long time. Versions can be found from many foundries. Thanks to LBSG members for sharing these images. Pics: Type A McDowell Steven & Co in Leamington Spa Type B 1952-57 Carron Company pillar box in Gibraltar painted for the Gibraltar FA's entry into UEFA Type C 1952-1970s Meadow Foundry pillar box painted gold for and with a Special Stamps plaque for Nicola Adams, Leeds Type B 1952-57 Carron Company pillar box in Colombia #postboxlove #postboxesofinstagram #postboxhappy #mailboxes #postbox #letterboxstudygroup #postboxesoftheuk #mailbox #postboxes #pillarbox #queenelizabeth #queenelizabethii #gibraltar #leamingtonspa #leeds #colombia #nicolaadams #olympics #olympicgold #olympicpostbox #olympicgoldpostbox
From 2010 this new style of lamp box was introduce From 2010 this new style of lamp box was introduced. Made of steel, the cipher is on an unpainted plate bolted under the aperture. This should hopefully be easy enough for Royal Mail to update with the next Royal Cipher, compared to the process on the old cast iron boxes where the mould would have to be updated. #postboxlove #postboxesofinstagram #postboxhappy #mailboxes #postbox #letterboxstudygroup #postboxesoftheuk #mailbox #postboxes
The lamp box, known fondly as the "Tin Lizzie" saw The lamp box, known fondly as the "Tin Lizzie" saw little change over Queen Elizabeth's reign until 2010. Made of cast iron, the design was very reliable. The only very obvious change was in 1995, when the words "POST OFFICE" became "ROYAL MAIL". There are also other changes LBSG members will know about, and the collection plate holder changed to a "universal" design around 1980. You might well spot one of these in a wall, where it has replaced an older wall box of similar dimensions. Thanks to LBSG members for these pictures. #postboxlove #postboxesofinstagram #postboxhappy #mailboxes #postbox #letterboxstudygroup #postboxesoftheuk #mailbox #postboxes #queenelizabeth #queenelizabethii #e2r #postboxsaturday
Another postbox that stopped being made in the 198 Another postbox that stopped being made in the 1980s, and will not be seen in King Charles's reign, was the standard cast iron wall box. There were four styles produced in Elizabeth's reign. A, B, D and E. A and D were larger, B and E smaller. D and E were used at post offices, had a rear door, and originally didn't have any adornment on the front except the royal cipher. Their collection plate and tablet holders were added later. #postboxlove #postboxesofinstagram #postboxhappy #mailboxes #postbox #letterboxstudygroup #postboxesoftheuk #mailbox #postboxes #postboxsaturday
Ludlow wall boxes are some of the most popular pos Ludlow wall boxes are some of the most popular postboxes in the UK, as many of them carry a beautiful white enamel plate that stands out a mile away. Made of a mixture of wood and cast iron, they were less durable but cheaper for local postmasters to purchase. They were last produced in 1960, as provision of postboxes was centralised, and Charles III will be the first monarch since the invention of the postbox not to have any. Even Edward VIII got some! Here are some examples of Elizabeth II Ludlow wall boxes from around the UK. Many thanks to our members for sharing these photos. #postboxlove #postboxesofinstagram #postboxhappy #mailboxes #postbox #letterboxstudygroup #postboxesoftheuk #mailbox #postboxes #postboxsaturday #queenelizabeth #eiir
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A to Z of Letter Boxes

Z = Zoos

London Zoo has a pillar box painted in zebra stripes for visitors to use to make donations. Chessington Zoo has one in tiger stripes. Many former Post Office/Royal Mail letter boxes have found their way into private hands, or are now preserved in museums, or displayed by other organisations. If they were once official postal boxes the LBSG records them all. The LBSG Directory, available to Members, records every genuine box, in use, in private hands, or abroad.
Letter Box Study Group
2016-02-10T16:23:27+00:00
London Zoo has a pillar box painted in zebra stripes for visitors to use to make donations. Chessington Zoo has one in tiger stripes. Many former Post Office/Royal Mail letter boxes have found their way into private hands, or are now preserved in museums, or displayed by other organisations. If they were once official postal boxes the LBSG records them all. The LBSG Directory, available to Members, records every genuine box, in use, in private hands, or abroad.
https://lbsg.org/testimonials/z-zoos/

B = Bantam

The name was chosen after a competition among Royal Mail employees, to be applied to a small cast-iron box designed by Kenneth Grange and installed mainly in rural locations. The box bears a supposed resemblance to the fuel tank of a GPO Bantam motorcycle as well as being small. They were introduced in 1999; Scots, Welsh and English versions exist.
Letter Box Study Group
2016-02-10T15:57:36+00:00
The name was chosen after a competition among Royal Mail employees, to be applied to a small cast-iron box designed by Kenneth Grange and installed mainly in rural locations. The box bears a supposed resemblance to the fuel tank of a GPO Bantam motorcycle as well as being small. They were introduced in 1999; Scots, Welsh and English versions exist.
https://lbsg.org/testimonials/b-bantam/

C = Carron Company

One of the major suppliers of letter boxes during the twentieth century. From the Mungal Foundry, near Falkirk, Stirlingshire they cast pillar boxes (from 1922), wall boxes (from 1952) and lamp boxes (from 1969 to 1982). The ironworks were first established in 1759 and played an important part in the Industrial Revolution as well as becoming famous for its naval cannons: the company became insolvent in 1982 after 223 years casting iron.
Letter Box Study Group
2016-02-10T15:58:06+00:00
One of the major suppliers of letter boxes during the twentieth century. From the Mungal Foundry, near Falkirk, Stirlingshire they cast pillar boxes (from 1922), wall boxes (from 1952) and lamp boxes (from 1969 to 1982). The ironworks were first established in 1759 and played an important part in the Industrial Revolution as well as becoming famous for its naval cannons: the company became insolvent in 1982 after 223 years casting iron.
https://lbsg.org/testimonials/c-carron-company/

D = Dual aperture

Dual aperture boxes first appeared in 1899. Large oval boxes designated as Type C, they provided apertures into separate halves of the box. Originally introduced in London to help pre-sort mail into “LONDON and ABROAD” and “COUNTRY” destinations. In the 1960s Type C boxes replaced all the single aperture boxes in central London, sweeping away many early and historic boxes.
Letter Box Study Group
2016-02-10T16:05:14+00:00
Dual aperture boxes first appeared in 1899. Large oval boxes designated as Type C, they provided apertures into separate halves of the box. Originally introduced in London to help pre-sort mail into “LONDON and ABROAD” and “COUNTRY” destinations. In the 1960s Type C boxes replaced all the single aperture boxes in central London, sweeping away many early and historic boxes.
https://lbsg.org/testimonials/d-dual-aperture/

E = Escutcheon

Escutcheons are found widely on many types of pillar box and wall box, they were intended to provide protection for the key hole. The collecting postman could turn a disc with two prongs located on the head of the key which would slide a cover over the keyhole, excluding rain and dirt. In practice they were rarely used and frequently got clogged-up when the box was painted.
Letter Box Study Group
2016-02-10T16:05:39+00:00
Escutcheons are found widely on many types of pillar box and wall box, they were intended to provide protection for the key hole. The collecting postman could turn a disc with two prongs located on the head of the key which would slide a cover over the keyhole, excluding rain and dirt. In practice they were rarely used and frequently got clogged-up when the box was painted.
https://lbsg.org/testimonials/e-escutcheon/
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