Pillar box

Encyclopedia : P : PI : PIL : Pillar box

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For the practice of transferring films while preserving the original aspect ratio see Pillar box (film)

In the UK, a pillar box is a free-standing post box where post is deposited to be collected by the Royal Mail and forwarded to the addressee. Similar designs exist as historical artefacts in certain Commonwealth of Nations countries. Pillar boxes have been in use since 1855, only 15 years after the introduction of the first penny post.

Post may also be deposited in wall boxes, which serve the same purpose as pillar boxes but are attached to or set into a wall. There are approximately 156 recognised designs and varieties of pillar boxes and wall boxes, not all of which have surviving examples.

Image:UK post office box.jpg|A Penfold Hexagonal postbox, King's Parade, Cambridge. Image:PB1_viii_@Warwick.jpg|Pillar box type PB1/viii at the West Gate, Warwick. Image:PB8_Dunedin.jpg|Pillar box type PB8 in Dunedin, New Zealand. Image:Double_pillar_box_modern.jpg|Modern double pillar box, Menai Bridge. Image:Gibraltar-mailbox.jpg|A pillar box in Gibraltar.

Although the design for pillar boxes was standardised in 1859 to something similar to the current design (a cylinder with a horizontal slit), the earliest ones were more experimental, including octagonal pillars or fluted columns, vertical slits instead of horizontal ones, and other unusual features.

Standard British pillar boxes have been painted red since 1874. Prior to 1859 there was no standard colour although there is evidence that, sometimes, the lettering and Royal cypher were picked out in gold. In 1859, a bronze green colour became standard until 1874.

Following Irish independence in 1922, existing British pillar boxes were retained, and simply painted green. These can still be seen around the country today, retaining the monogram of the monarch who reigned at the time of the box's installation. The Department of Posts and Telegraphs continued installing similar pillar boxes and wall boxes, but with the initials SÉ (for Saorstát Éireann), a harp or the P & T logo[link] instead of a monarch's monogram (see gallery image). Since 1984 An Post, the current Irish postal service, uses the An Post logo to adorn their posting boxes.

In Scotland there were protests when the first boxes made in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II were produced. These bore the initials "E II R" but Scottish nationalists objected since Queen Elizabeth is not the second Queen of Scotland to bear that name. After several pillar boxes were blown up, the Royal Mail replaced them with ones which bore only a crown and no initials.

See also

• Lamp box
• Ludlow wall box
• Wall box

References

External links

• [British Postal Museum & Archive]
• [The Letter Box Study Group]

 

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