
25/03/2023
Another wall box for today's . This time in the wonderfully named Cley next the Sea, Norfolk.
The vibrant green of the house plants, the blue sky reflected on the window and the bright red box makes this a pretty perfect scene.
The Postal Museum tells the story of postal communication and its impact on global society.
Take an immersive ride on Mail Rail, London’s secret Post Office underground railway.
Operating as usual
Another wall box for today's . This time in the wonderfully named Cley next the Sea, Norfolk.
The vibrant green of the house plants, the blue sky reflected on the window and the bright red box makes this a pretty perfect scene.
Did you know that we now stock post vechicle miniatures like the iconic Post Bus?
Available online and in person from our museum shop. Recreate your own postbus adventures.
👉 https://buff.ly/3ZHHbUW
Post & Play dates tickets for April and May are now on sale.
Join in the fun this Spring with our tailor made sessions for under-5s. Priced at just £5 a child and £1 for Camden residents.
👉 https://buff.ly/40pKZdl
Looking to keep the family entertained this Easter?
Look very closely and you might notice more than just the post when you visit the museum this spring with our Spring programme of activities, inspired by The Wild Escape.
Find out more 👉 https://buff.ly/3JAP1sA
A Wisbech postman shows it took more than one mode of transport to complete his morning delivery in 1937.
As you can probably guess, it's not easy to snap a pillar box and the BT Tower in the same shot. This was the best we could manage for today's .
Formely known as the Post Office Tower, this iconic London landmark had a name change in the 1980's.
Let's share some content.
This amazing photograph from 1969 captures two engineers simultaneously working on a locomotive in the Mail Rail depot.
With Cheltenham Festival starting this week, we know who we're backing. 👀
POST 118/905 - Northern Ireland, 1938.
Did you know we're hosting our next Royal Mail Staff Open Day this month?
On Sunday 26th March, current or former employees and their friends and family can come down to the musum for just £1.
Museum staff will also be on hand to share the stories and collections from our archives plus family activity sessions that everyone can enjoy.
More info and booking 👉 https://buff.ly/3L99rLK
Welcome to Coldingham Sands for today's
As you might be able to tell from the cypher, this was taken in Scotland, a short hop up the coast from Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Have you got any examples of post boxes beside the seaside?
We don't mean to brag, but we have a pretty eclectic range of cards on offer in our museum shop. From archive poster art to original designs, head to our online store and get 5 for the price of 4, and boost your own collection of quirky cards.
👉 https://buff.ly/3YtmvP6
Well, quite.
'A Wet Day - London'. This hand drawn postcard was sent in 1908.
To mark International Women's Day, our deputy curator Georgina has taken a look back at the life and career of Enid Marx.
You may not have heard her name before, but Enid played a vital role in the design of Queen Elizabeth II's first definitive stamps. Helping to pave the way for more female artists and designers.
👉 https://buff.ly/3ymmP7z
Did you know that Mail Rail employees dabbled in street art?
There are numerous examples of murals and drawings like this dotted around the platforms and tunnels below Mount Pleasant Sorting Office. This delightful painting of shop shelves is probably our favourite.
This it's a trip up to the North East to St Peter's Marina on the outskirts of Newcastle.
The rowing boat planter adds the perfect ambiance for the occasion.
Life as a rural postie wasn't always a picnic. Occasionally they'd be chased away by hostile locals. 🐏
📸 The River Findhorn near Nairn, 1938.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!
On St David's Day we're taking you back in time to 1934 and a postal van driving through the Vale of Gwynant, Snowdonia.
The peak of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) can be seen on the horizon.
Our series of relaxed Post Early sessions returns to The Postal Museum on Monday, 3 April.
These events are specifically designed for autistic and neurodiverse visitors, including families and adults, so they can enjoy the museum when it's less crowded and noisy.
Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/3B8yPtu
This let's play spot the post box. 👀
📷 1980, St Norton Philip post office in Somerset.
Want work in a friendly & supportive environment at one of London's most unique museums?
We're hosting two Recruitment Open Days on 2 & 9 March where interested applicants can learn more about becoming a Visitor Experience Host or Driver/Controller.
👉 https://bit.ly/3XVmanU
The Mail Rail tunnels beneath Mount Pleasant have scarcely changed since this photgraph was taken in 1928 - just one year after opening.
Did you know that you can step back in time and explore a fascinating piece of hidden London history on one of our Tunnel Walks?
New dates have been released for April to June.
Find out more 👉 https://bit.ly/38MIoR0
Did you know that King Edward VIII's stamp was created by an amateur, teenage stamp enthusiast?
In 1936, 17 year-old Hubert Brown wrote to the Post Office asking for permission to send in a design for the new stamp.
Coincidentally his sketch almost exactly resembled the design that was released in September that year, having been preferred by the new King. However, young Hubert was never paid or publically acknoweldged, despite receiving a letter from the Post Office referencing the similarities.
Discover more philateltic facts about the history of stamp design by reading our new blog for The King's Stamp exhibition below.
👉 https://bit.ly/3xBW6nh
Easy does it.
It's only wise to take a Monday morning in small steps like this postman here.
📸 Norfolk Broads, 1947.
These recent blue sky days have been a real treat. They also provide the perfect backdrop for capturing postboxes at their best.
This was taken in Homerton, East London.
Spring has been in the air this week with daffodils in bloom being spotted.
Taken in 1984, this photo was snapped in Truro as a postie goes about her daily round.
Check out some behind the scene snaps from our new landmark exhibition.
Here you see our curatorial and conservation team installing not only the very first definitive stamps of King Charles III, but also the Tyrian Plum design of Edward VII. This is the only complete sheet of stamps in existence, making it one of the great philatelic rareities.
Fancy seeing for yourself? Visit The King's Stamp, only at The Postal Museum.
👉 https://bit.ly/3YmTvJC
Are you a current or former Royal Mail employee?
On 26th March we're hosting another of our Staff Open Days, as Royal Mail workers past and present have the opportunity to visit the Postal Museum with their friends and family for just £1 per person.
Find out how you can get involved by following the link below.
👉 https://bit.ly/3fx0qia
This Valentine's Day, how about sending a 'Vinegar Valentine' to someone you, erm, disapprove of?
These rather nasty cards with bitter messages were sent during the Victorian era anonymously, usually to the people you didn’t like, and – even worse – to the recipient’s expense!
👉 https://bit.ly/3JS6ZJ1
This LGBT+ History Month we take a look back at the stamp designs that marked 50 years of the UK Pride movement in July 2022.
In total eight stamps were commissioned, all illustrated by artist Sofie Birkin.
This Post Box Saturday takes us down to the south coast in Hastings. This wall box looks so weather-beaten that it could be from 1066. The George V cypher suggests otherwise.
"A bit of paper just large enough to bear the stamp, and covered at the back with a glutinous wash.”
This is the 1st stamp description of a stamp, penned by Rowland Hill in 1837. See their changes the years in our new exhibition, The King's Stamp.
👉 https://bit.ly/3I7qKe6
The King’s Stamp opens today, marking Royal Mail’s release of the first new definitive stamp design in the UK for 56 years. Be the first to see King Charles III’s stamp in person, before it’s in circulation.
The exhibition spans 180 years of iconic design. See some of the rarest and most valuable British stamps from the reigns of six monarchs including one of only two sheets in the world of Edward VII’s ‘Tyrian Plum’ stamps.
Discover how Royal Cyphers have been developed for Post Boxes from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II and find out how past monarchs have shaped their royal identities through these everyday objects.
👉 https://bit.ly/3I7qKe6
We'd kindly like to point you in the direction of our very own, and very new, Tik Tok account.
Why not give us a follow for behind the scenes access to The Postal Museum and Mail Rail, if you're into that kind of thing.
👉 https://bit.ly/3kxm0VM
It was a rather drab, drizzly day in Reading when this photo was taken for our latest Post Box Saturday. However, spotting this beautiful wallbox and Edward VII cypher by the Abbey ruins made up for it.
Do you want to learn how to spot a royal cypher? Click the link to read our ultimate cypher-spotting guide.
👉 https://bit.ly/3IZ0VxS
Did you know we hold a variety of paintings in our archive?
Here's one of our personal favourites showing a travelling Post Office painted by George Charlton in 1935.
Discover more of the artworks from our collections by following the link below.
👉 https://bit.ly/3r7banJ
It's February already? That means that Half Term is just around the corner.
Visit us this school break and join in the fun with our range of craft and activity sessions for children of all ages.
👉 https://bit.ly/3FnWw1W
Taken in 1991, this photograph shows a postwoman on her delivery route in rural Oxfordshire complete with a quaint as can be thatched roof.
Do you want to see an alternative view of the Mail Rail? Sign up for one of our Tunnel Walks to explore a hidden side of London's history.
👉 https://bit.ly/38MIoR0
Could you find a more picturesque Oxford scene?
This , glimpse George VI's cypher on this wall box found on the historic Turl Street.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? We're not entirely sure.
We do know the quickest way is by Air Mail thanks to this poster from 1935, designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer for the General Post Office.
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Today, we remember the life of Queen Elizabeth II through the stamps issued throughout her 70-year reign. From the special issue stamps marking her Accession in 1952 to the Platinum Jubilee stamps issued this year, the image of the late monarch has been a consistent and recognisable symbol of Great Britain for generations.
We're taking a trip down "construction" lane this week as we look ahead to our 5th birthday this Sunday. Is this how you imagined the Mail Rail trains arrived? 🚂
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the London 2012 Olympics 🏅 This series of stamps commemorates the spectacular opening of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. What are your memories of London 2012?
A day in the life of a Coding Desk Operator ✉️ Step into Matthew's shoes and find out what it was like to work with sorting machines in the 1980s -> https://bit.ly/3MSGEZj
New in our 'Meet the Maker' blog series 🌈 We chat to Dean from Dean Morris Cards and Jason from the Gay Pride Shop in Manchester, exploring LGBTQ+ greetings card design -> https://bit.ly/3OfER1k
New on the blog 📢 Step into the shoes of Coding Desk Operator Matthew and find out what it was like to work with sorting machines in the 1980s -> https://bit.ly/3MSGEZj
Looking for things to do in London this half term? The London Mother shares her top tips including our programme of storytelling inspired by The Jolly Postman -> https://bit.ly/3LtiBiA
Want to explore London's secret underground on foot? We've released new tickets for Mail Rail Tunnel Walks throughout July, August and September. Book yours -> https://bit.ly/38MIoR0
Looking for a new exhibition to explore? Reveal ground-breaking technology that revolutionised Britain and the post forever 🇬🇧 Sorting Britain: The Power of Postcodes is now open -> https://bit.ly/3JPRcYD
On this day in 1994, the Channel Tunnel was officially opened. Thousands of English and French worked to complete what is still the world’s longest undersea tunnel, at 25 miles!
Happy Easter holiday! Has anyone received a hand-written Easter card this year? See our favourites from the past on the blog -> https://bit.ly/2UHLaU7
Welcome to Sorting Britain: The Power of Postcodes exhibition. Here's a sneak peek from our opening day 🎥
Sorting Britain: The Power of Postcodes is NOW OPEN! Discover the ground-breaking technology that changed the post forever in our new exhibition -> https://bit.ly/3JPRcYD
We're getting ready to open Sorting Britain: The Power of Postcodes. This is how the coding machine ELSIE, our star object on display, made it to the exhibition. See it from 30 March -> https://bit.ly/3JPRcYD
The Postal Museum in London reveals Britain's remarkable social and communications history through the eyes of an iconic service. Take a ride on Mail Rail and experience 15 minutes of immersive underground exploration on our miniature trains, now adapted for enhanced safety.
LSESU Economic History Society
Sheffield StreetMuseum of Domestic Design & Architecture
Boulevard Drive