The firm of Edward Cole manufactured wooden-carcass, steel-fronted, enamel plated boxes for use at Post Offices from premises at 34 Albion Street, Birmingham from around 1886. By 1900 the same premises were being used by James Ludlow to manufacture very similar boxes, and these continued to be made, with minor changes in design and different monarchs’ ciphers until 1952. “Ludlow” has become the generic name for these attractive boxes.