Hidden away near to the medieval Kingsgate in Winchester a Victorian post box is mounted in a window. The post box complete with its original enameled sign is still used for regular collections of mail today.
NOTICE. LETTERS WHICH CONTAIN COIN IF POSTED AS ORDINARY LETTERS WILL BE CHARGED ON DELIVERY WITH A SPECIAL REGISTRATION FEE OF 8D
Wonderful. These things must never disappear.
Quaint isn’t it
Crikey. Giving it publicity like this is bound to raise questions in Parliament. We had better ready ourselves for the likely reaction by the P.O. Common Purpose beaurocrats who will want to take it down and junk it. They will want the flowers gone too.
I think we need to keep those types out of Winchester, there is much they might have their beady little eyes on!!!
Not many of these left now – very occasionally I come across one in a country village in Gloucesteshire, but never with that old notice about the surcharge
I will be keeping an eye out in rural places and old towns to see if I can see others
What does V R stand for though…
I am presuming it is Victoria Regina, Uber.
It does stand for Victoria Regina. The letters next to the crown on post boxes refer to the Monarch that was reigning at the time the post box was erected.
http://www.saywhydoi.com/gr-and-er-post-box-what-does-it-mean/
We had an extremely rare double slotted VR postbox on a wide pavement not far from where I lived in the east end of London, it was rare even then, but was sadly completely destroyed by a boy racer some years later, how many still survive I don’t know but they should be preserved.
Unfortunate that such a rare treasure met a tragic end!
This may be useful to those interested…………..
http://www.sutton-coldfield.net/postbox.html
Excellent info Wiggia
Very interesting I had no idea there were so many different types. Thanks Wiggia
There are still quite a lot VR post boxes in London Town.
But you know what, I think ER VIII probably is the rarest.
I’ve only come across two so far.
Have you photographed them all?
What a brilliant find! I love all things post and letter related and would love to see this.
It is rather quaint, I wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t seen it in the guidebook that I bought.
Well spotted.
I’d love the opportunity to spend 15 minutes with the camera at this location.
There are plenty of photo opportunities near to this post box.