Going Postal: The History of Royal Mail Post Boxes

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Readers will be aware of our recent series highlighting the Royal Mail Post Boxes spread around the country. These unassuming objects which we often pass by with no thought are and have always been essential features in some of the most amazing locations, keeping people connected up. And still essential today despite the growth of communications by social media and email.

A Post Box on a stand and in the wall a really old post box. Modern communications in Internet boxes beside them

Historic England has published an excellent document on the history of Royal Mail Post Boxes where they remind us that there is a post box within half a mile of over 98% of us.

The variety is incredible: ‘There are around 115,500 pillar, wall, and lamp boxes across the UK.’

The roadside post box was introduced in Britain following the 1840 postal reform which provided for universal affordable postage. New adhesive stamps made pre-payment of postage easy.

At first people still had to go to a letter receiving office in order to post their letters but as postal communication increased a solution was needed to allow people easier access nearer to where they were.

And that solution was provided by none other than the novelist Anthony Trollope who was a GPO official. Whilst in Jersey he looked at what was happening in Europe where roadside boxes were provided for people to post their stamped letters.

His scheme began in the Channel Islands in 1852 and was extended to the mainland in 1853.

From 1857 wall box-type post boxes came into use for fixing into existing walls. In 1859 an improved cylindrical design of pillar box was created for standard use nationwide.

It is very easy to be snide about the amazing service provided by such an assuming object as our Royal Mail Post Boxes but because they are so accessible with a universal postage rate we can reach anyone in the UK for the price of a stamp. It is at those significant times in a person’s life: birth, death, birthdays, weddings etc that we really appreciate a card or letter.

You can read more about that by clicking on the link: Royal Mail Post Boxes

Small very old postal box in a stone wall
Location Sorn, Image credit Helen Armet

Post Boxes have also been used in political activism. They have been targeted by protesting groups from Suffragettes to Scottish Republicans objecting to ERII insignia.

Here’s a selection from our series;

A golden pillar box in Dunblane marking the Olympic champion Andy Murray
Image credit; Kenny Armet. Location Dunblane
A Royal Mail pillar Box at the start of Victoria Street in Kirkwall
Location Kirkwall
A in pillar box beside an old telephone kiosk
Location Kirkwall
a pillar box on the side of the pavement looking up the street in Ullapool with the hills in the background
Location Ullapool Image credit: Christie Grahame
A post box set in a stone wall in the village
Location Drum, Kinross-shire Image credit Rosie Hopkins
Post box on a stand with graffiti on it next to a housing street and a modern telephone box
Location Kirkwall
A post box set into the wall to the Highland Hospice shop one the old Post Office in Beauly
Location Beauly
Post Box on a stand at the edge of the road with the mountains in the distance
Location Rhitongue
A post box on a stand at the side of a country road with trees on either side
Location Bearnock
a post box at the side of an empty road surrounded by a desolate looking landscape and a sheep warning sign
Image credit C. Grahame Location between Tongue and Bettyhill
A post box on a stand next to a wall covered in small tea pots next to the local school and a polytunnel
Location Cannich
Post box in fend with notice not in service due to birds nesting
Location Barra Airport Image credit Hans J Wentritt
A pillar box in Blantyre with Edward VII on it
Location Blantyre. Image credit Peter Brown
A Post Box on a stand and in the wall a really old post box. Modern communications in Internet boxes beside them
Location Kilmorack
a post box on a stand next to a large flowering raised bed with Muir of Ord on it. Looked over by Rowlet
Location Muir of Ord Image credit C. Grahame
small post box on stand with stickers on it outside Spar shop with a Surfs Up board in the window next to it
Location Durness
Royal Mail Post Box on a stand at the side of the road in Beauly with residential houses on the other side
Image credit Christie Grahame
A post box on a wooden post beside the road and surrounded by forest
Location Cannich
a pillar box next to a car park in Drumnadrochit with a tourist visitor centre and lots of notices
Location Drumnadrochit
A pillar box before a white warehouse building at Stromness Harbour
Location Stromness
post box on a wooden post beside a lamp post in the distance is the Stromness Vets Office
Location Stromness
a rather battered looking post box on a stand near the Market Green Dounby
Location Dounby
a small post box set within a whitewashed wall in Stromness
Location Stromness
small post box on a stand outside the Dounby Post Office which also does hairdressing
Location Dounby
A post box set into a stone wall and next to it is a large barometer also set into the wall
Location Stromness
A small post box next to a field where a cow is grazing.
Location: Sandwick
A Royal Mail post box set within the stone wall of an old building in Palace Village Birsay
Location Palace Village, Birsay
a tall and quite fancy post box in Rothesay beside a hedge
Location Rothesay Image credit Helen Armet
post box on a wooden post outside the small Holm Shop in St Mary's
Location St Mary’s
A post box on a wooden post
Location Burray
Post box on a stand and a BT telephone kiosk at the side of the road
Location Twatt
A Royal Mail Post Box on a stand in the background the sweep of the South Isles and the Barriers
Location Holm
post box on a fence post outside Burray Community Garden
Location Burray

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