The history of Letter Boxes in the UK

Letter boxes were only actually popularised in the UK and Europe in the mid-to-late 19^th century. The Royal Mail first encouraged homeowners to have letterboxes installed at their homes in 1849. Boxes were also installed at post offices in the 19^th century. The oldest letter box that still exists in the UK is now located at the Wakefield Museum and is dated 1809.

How post boxes evolved

Roadside letter boxes for the UK were first suggested in 1840, though were already in use in a few European countries like France and Germany. The first roadside letterbox in the UK appeared in 1852 in Jersey, with the first mainland pillar box arriving the following year in Carlisle. A letter box from 1952 is still in use and can be found at Bishop’s Caundle in Dorset.

The first London pillar box was located on the corner between Farringdon Street and Fleet Street. However, only a few photos and parts of this box now exist. Most early Victorian boxes were coloured green, but the standard design later became the hexagonal Penfold style. Around this time, the standard colour of green was changed to red. The first red boxes appeared in London in 1874, though it would be another decade before virtually every box in the UK was repainted.

The cylindrical design was launched in 1879, and the words ‘POST OFFICE’ were added in 1887. Smaller lamp boxes were unveiled in around 1897. These boxes normally appeared in areas where the inflow and outflow of post was relatively modest. Ludlow boxes were used at sub-post offices between 1885 – 1965, though these boxes were vulnerable to rotting.

Airmail pillar boxes were introduced in 1930. A new lamp box with a flatter roof was issued in 1935. In 1979, the cylindrical shape was reintroduced, but the pillar box cap was absent. The words ‘POST OFFICE’ have now been replaced with ‘ROYAL MAIL’.

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Brizebox is a revolutionary solution designed to keep parcels safe and secure. It is constructed to the highest standard and is manufactured from galvanised sheet metal which is powder-coated with architectural grade exterior paint. View our products, or get in touch with the Brizebox team by using the contact form on the site or by calling +44 (0) 1372 230795