Notes

The Development of the Letterbox
In the pre-post box era, there was two main methods for delivering instructions; senders will be necessitated to create their mail with a Receiving House, or would await the Bellman. The latter would patrol the streets, collecting post in the community. In order to distinguish himself, also to make his presence known, the Bellman dons a uniform and sound familiar.
check is at 1852 how the suggestion of road-side boxes finally became a reality, with a trial proposed to the Channel Islands. Three cast-iron pillar boxes were installed on Jersey to try out the newest system.
The success with the experiment triggered yet another four being set up on Guernsey, info now forms part with the British Postal Museum & Archive collection. Letter boxes then began appearing for the mainland as of 1853.
However, there was as yet no universal pillar box design with which we have been currently familiar. Design and manufacture was in the discretion of local authorities, and it is at 1859 that attempts were built to standardise the structures.
Horizontal slits took over as the favoured option over vertical ones, and had become the norm in letterbox design. Further improvements upon the original included the addition with the protruding cap to shield the contents from the elements.
As of 1859, this area ended up being to be accessible by 50 % sizes; a more substantial and wider size for highly populated areas, and a smaller version for elsewhere. However, the standardised pillar boxes didn't receive universal acclaim. It was from the backdrop of such criticism how the Liverpool Special was formulated.
This prompted the Post Office (opened in 1861) to generate another standard letter box in 1866. Again, this is not only a huge success and thus, an additional design came in 1879. This final design could be the one that we're used to today. It was 2 years ahead of this the iconic red colour from the post boxes became a standard feature.
Before this time around, the most well-liked colour option was green to be able to blend in with all the green British pastures. However, after a barrage of complaints how the structures were to tough to locate because of the camouflage, it turned out agreed that bright red was your best option. The programme of re-painting lasted for approximately 10 years.
For the population at large, the introduction and refinement of letter boxes enhanced the capability for sending and receiving mail easily. With the exception of oversized parcel delivery, people were afforded access to your delivery service never before witnessed in Great Britain.
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