History — Blog — Ana Sampson

When I discovered that my home village boasts a post box from the reign of every monarch since Queen Victoria – an unusual claim to fame for such a modestly sized place – I was intrigued. We all walk past these pieces of historic street furniture every day and, like most people, I had never taken much notice of them. Now, though, I always give them a closer look, and take a glance at the royal cypher. This monogram tells us who was on the throne when the box was first installed, and can help bring the history of the places we live and the people who lived there before us to life.

For centuries the postal service, established by Charles II, has connected people, bringing birthday cards and less welcome bills, good and tragic news, festive greetings, love letters, gifts and gossip. Before letter boxes, correspondents could catch a passing uniformed postman or ‘Bellman’ – so called because they would ring a bell or blow a horn to announce their presence as they approached on foot or horseback.

Alternatively, correspondents could visit a receiving office, the precursor of the modern Post Office.

*Ashtead Post Office Staff, October 1911 (courtesy Mrs G. Mooring / Leatherhead & District Local History Society). Mary Stewart, Postmistress 1908 – 1911 in in the centre.*

In 1852 the first British post boxes appeared in Jersey, at the suggestion of Post Office employee Anthony Trollope who had seen them in use in Europe. Trollope is best remembered now for his novels including Barchester Towers, though fewer people are familiar with his literary legacy than the one he has left on our pavements. For a while the boxes were painted a rather murky green, but from 1874 the iconic red became standard and after some design metamorphoses – including the hexagonal Penfolds, now very rare – the pillar box took its now familiar cylindrical shape.

I embarked on a mission to ‘collect the set’ of monarchs and discovered to my delight that my nearest box is the village’s oldest, an elegant Victorian. I was puzzled to find it surrounded by houses that date from the 1960s, but it was apparently moved from its original home. It was curiously moving to think of the generations who had deposited Christmas wishes, invitations and eccentrically spelled children’s thank-you letters here. I was hooked.

I began to interrupt walks, bike rides and school runs to examine the cyphers on every box we passed. My children eventually stopped rolling their eyes. A passer-by found it hilarious when my five year old hurtled past an Edward VII on her bike bellowing, “Was he the one that ran off with Mrs Simpson, Mummy?”

I’ve found two Edward VIIs so far, both bearing his rather sinuous cypher.

Around 15% of letter boxes in the UK date from George V’s reign, making them the most common after the Elizabethans. In his rather austere insignia, the flourishes of his predecessors are replaced with an authoritative GR. I learnt that the King himself had visited the village in 1914 to inspect the Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, based here during wartime, and couldn’t help wondering whether he might have passed any of his post boxes en route. Our Lockdown walks were cheered when a neighbourhood knitter crocheted one of the George Vs a rather natty hat… I wonder whether he would have approved? It was a lovely way to open our eyes to these heritage street furnishings (and we took our entertainment where we could during those dreary early months of 2021!)

George V post box with additional natty hat

The rarest boxes date from the reign of Edward VIII, who was on the throne for only 326 days before he abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson. The brevity of Edward’s reign meant that only 161 pillar boxes were ever struck with his royal cypher, and not all of those are still in use. Letter boxes from his era are therefore the geek’s holy grail, and lovers of letter box history take delight in tracking them down around the British Isles. Surrey seems to offer rich pickings, since I have found references to Edward VIII boxes situated in Claygate, Esher, Guildford and West Byfleet.

An Edward VIII box — one of two originally installed in the village — still stands proudly on a handsome mid-century estate. It must have predated some of the nearby houses since building on the surrounding streets was interrupted by World War II, during which pigs were reared on its vacant plots as part of ‘Dig for Victory’ efforts. This drive also saw crops being grown on the nearby Common and war allotments being established nearby. The Women’s Land Army who tended these became a familiar sight in their distinctive hats and corduroy breeches. I wonder whether they might have posted letters home or to soldiers overseas here.

George VI succeeded his brother, and reigned from the end of 1936 to 1952. There are at least two post boxes from his time on the throne in the village, but although more than 60% of current British post boxes date from our current Queen’s reign, accidents of geography (and the school run!) meant it look me longest to track down an Elizabeth.

I’ll never again pass one of these everyday but iconic objects without checking the monarch’s crest, feeling connected to the people who walked these streets before us, wondering how different the village – and life – would have looked then. It’s inspired me, too, to pick up a pen and generate some proper paper post – so fun to write, and so wonderful to receive – in this digital age. Which kings and queens have left their legacy in your neighbourhood?

I have written about historic post boxes for Surrey Life and The Countryman Magazine.