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Simon Mayo

How many letters does it take to fill a postbox?

Earlier this month Andrew Young from the Letter Box Study Group popped into Radio 2 to answer this important question. Listen to his interview. … Read More

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Advent Calendar Dec 11 - Lincoln Type G pillar bo

Advent Calendar Dec 11 - Lincoln

Type G pillar boxes - and their rust-prone steel predecessors the Type Fs - had been designed by notable designer David Mellor, who was also responsible for many other popular British street furniture designs such as the traffic light. But these did not go so well with the public, who didn't like the change from the traditional cylinder. Thousands signed a successful petition to get the Post Office to revert to cylindrical boxes.

Some of Mellor's design improvements included: a dial to show the next collection, which would have appeared through a hole in the collection plate; have an integrated pouch box to store bags of mail for postmen on delivery; and an improved collection mechanism for collecting the mail. Some of these are still present in the latest postboxes, while others are no longer used.

#postbox #mailbox #letterbox #adventcalendar #lincoln #letterboxstudygroup #adventcalendar2024 #history #design #streetfurniture #davidmellordesign

Advent Calendar Dec 10 - Hereford This October we

Advent Calendar Dec 10 - Hereford

This October we held the LBSG AGM near Hereford, so many of us took the opportunity to pop by this George VI Type C (oval) pillar box and its parcel box friend outside the delivery office. It only appeared here a few years ago after the road layout was changed, having been recovered from a Royal Mail service yard, and we're confident that it used to be installed in Central London. Larger boxes are less common from George VI's reign due to metal being required for other purposes in World War II.

As for the parcel box, it's a very common and standard design. Early boxes of this type were made for franked mail, before the wording over the shutter was changed to 'Parcels and Franked Mail'. Many Franked Mail boxes were converted with a red sticker over the old sign, a process beginning around the late 2010s, but this one was manufactured with the Parcels sign as standard

#adventcalendar #adventcalendar2024 #hereford #postbox #mailbox #letterbox #royalmail #postoffice #georgevi #letterboxstudygroup #history #streetfurniture

Advent Calendar Dec 9 - Edinburgh Since 1953 Scot

Advent Calendar Dec 9 - Edinburgh

Since 1953 Scottish postboxes have carried the Scottish Crown instead of the royal cipher. After Elizabeth II became queen, many in Scotland protested against her being called 'II' as there had never been an Elizabeth I reigning in Scotland, and indeed Elizabeth I of England had been an enemy to Mary Queen of Scots. The first EIIR postbox installed in Edinburgh was attacked and bombed, and later replaced with a George VI box. Some EIIR boxes that accidentally made it north, such as this Type C in Edinburgh, had the cipher locally amended or removed.

#postbox #postboxes #mailbox #letterbox #edinburgh #letterboxstudygroup #adventcalendar #history #elizabethii #scotland #streetfurniture #adventcalendar2024

Advent Calendar Dec 8 - Worcester Edward VIII's b

Advent Calendar Dec 8 - Worcester

Edward VIII's brief reign in 1936 saw his postboxes appearing that November, but many were removed or switched to George V's after he abdicated due to his relationship with American divorcee Wallis Simpson. We know that all the standard wall boxes produced had their doors replaced. Some boxes were left in storage and finally installed years later! Finding an Edward VIII postbox like this one in Worcester is a treat.

These days, Edward VIII it is only the second-rarest cipher, thanks to Charles III's new postbox in Great Cambourne, Cambridgeshire. Hopefully we'll see many more Charles IIIs in the next few years, so keep your eyes out!

#worcester #postbox #mailbox #letterbox #adventcalendar #adventcalendar2024 #history #edwardviii #streetfurniture #letterboxstudygroup

Advent Calendar Dec 7 - Stoke-on-Trent This green

Advent Calendar Dec 7 - Stoke-on-Trent

This green postbox is a survivor. Dating to 1860, it is a fantastic example of the First National Standard, manufactured by Cochrane & Co of Dudley in the early days of letter boxes. From 1866 they would go on to manufacture the iconic Penfold.

As the name suggests, this was the first standardised postbox in the UK, as the Post Office sought to do away with the many localised versions used all over the place, and bring in a consistent, uniform design. This example is preserved in Hanley's Potteries Museum

#postboxsaturday #postbox #mailbox #letterbox #history #streetfurniture #postal #royalmail #postoffice #dudley #stokeontrent #hanley #hanleystokeontrent #letterboxstudygroup #adventcalendar #adventcalendar2024

Advent Calendar Dec 7 - Preston Outside some of t

Advent Calendar Dec 7 - Preston

Outside some of the UK's largest Royal Mail centres are these unique postal suites. The designs of them vary by location, and here in Preston there are two slots for post, one for parcels, and three for franked mail. There's even two spaces on the end for more slots if needed! It might even be big enough to cope with Christmas mail

#postboxsaturday #postbox #mailbox #letterbox #preston #streetfurniture #royalmail #postoffice #letterboxstudygroup #adventcalendar

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JULY 2024 – THE FIRST CIIIR POSTBOX IS UNVEILED LIVE ON BBC BREAKFAST 15th July 2024
JULY 2024 – FIRST CIIIR POSTBOX ENTERS SERVICE 12th July 2024
APRIL 2024 – “BEGINNER’S LETTER BOXES” BOOKLET 8th April 2024
FEBRUARY 2024 – WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PILLAR BOX AND A LETTER BOX? 20th February 2024

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