Old Letter Boxes

Pillar boxes were first introduced into Britain at the instigation of Anthony Trollope, the novelist, who was also a Post Office Surveyor. Nowadays the red postbox is a familiar sight in city street and country lane alike. Although many are very ordinary, some types, such as those that survive from the 1850s, are understandably rare. Because of their sturdy cast-iron construction British letter boxes are very long-lasting, and examples of virtually every type from Queen Victoria's reign onwards can still be found, which makes the British Isles particularly rich in this aspect of our heritage. Surprisingly, whilst some nineteenth century boxes are relatively common, some modem ones, remnants of unsuccessful experiments, are much less frequently found. Pillar boxes, wall boxes of various kinds, lamp boxes and other non-standard specimens are included in this survey. The book ranges from the Channel Islands, where pillar boxes were first introduced in 1852, to Scotland which has had its own design of letter boxes since the queens accession in 1952, and from the heart of London.

Author: Martin Robinson
Publisher: Shire
Extra Details: Pictorial Card Covers 6 x 9 inches tall.Lavishly Illustrated with Colour and B&W photos throughout.