What did Victorian post boxes look like?
Green was adopted as the standard colour for the early Victorian post boxes. Between 1866 and 1879 the hexagonal Penfold post box became the standard design for pillar boxes and it was during this period that red was first adopted as the standard colour.
Who invented the postbox?
Anthony Trollope
The first was erected on November 24, 1852 in St Helier, in the Channel Islands. A mere three years later the inventive inspector was to achieve fame with the publication of his first novel, The Warden. Now better remembered as a famous author than as a postal worker, the inventive inspector was Anthony Trollope.
Where is the oldest post box in Britain?
The oldest working pillar box in UK can be found at Barnes Cross, near Sherborne in Dorset. The octagonal box was manufactured by John M Butt & Company of Gloucester in 1853, just a year after roadside pillar boxes were first introduced.
Are there any Queen Victoria post boxes?
The red post box is an iconic piece of British heritage, having been a familiar piece of the streets for nearly 180 years. The roadside post box has existed since the reign of Queen Victoria, with every subsequent monarch’s cypher being immortalised on the front.
How many VR post boxes are left?
Currently there are over 85,000 in England and 115,500 across the UK as a whole. In England, a small number are listed buildings. Post boxes make a significant contribution to the character and appearance of the areas in which they are located.
What Colour is a post box?
Over the following years, all boxes nationally were repainted red. Today, just a handful of post boxes can be found on our streets sporting a green livery. There are also a number of green post boxes in The Postal Museum collection.
Why are post boxes being painted black?
Four postboxes have been painted black to honour black Britons including Sir Lenny Henry and nursing pioneer Mary Seacole. Each features a significant figure in the British black community and has a social media link. Royal Mail says the aim is to help mark the success of black Britons.
How old is the oldest post box?
The oldest pillar boxes still in use by the Royal Mail are at Framlingham in Suffolk; this pair were founded by Andrew Handyside and Company of Derby in 1856 and are at Double Street and College Road.
How many Victoria post boxes?
It has been documented that of the approximately 300 ‘Penfold Hexagonal’ post boxes manufactured, only half remain in use to the present day, but with some surviving in such far-flung places as India, Australia and New Zealand—a reminder of the extent of the British Empire in the Victorian era.
Why are post boxes painted black?
What’s the history of the British post box?
Post boxes, a part of everyday life for most of us, are un-loved, under-used in the digital age and have a fascinating history of their own. Initially British post boxes were painted green but in 1874 the standard bright red colour was chosen to aid visibility, as some people complained that the green pillar boxes were difficult to find.
Why did the Victorian post boxes have vertical apertures?
Early Victorian boxes had vertical apertures; however the horizontal aperture became standard and rather than remain in the body of the pillar box, it was moved to the door to prevent letters getting stuck in the roof of the box. The aperture was also covered with a shade to prevent rain water damaging the mail. Rare GR Ludow Post Box
How did letter boxes change in the Victorian era?
Necessary modifications were made to the aperture, or mouth of the letter box, as the service progressed. Early Victorian boxes had vertical apertures; however the horizontal aperture became standard and rather than remain in the body of the pillar box, it was moved to the door to prevent letters getting stuck in the roof of the box.
How many post boxes were there in 1860?
By 1860, over 2,000 ‘standard’ design roadside boxes were established: by the 1890s, this had increased to 33,500. Boxes from wall to pillar and lamp-shaped designs have found their way into our daily existence, but all share two obvious features.