Postal Collection

Poster, Night Mail, quoting part of the poem by W H Auden written for and narrated in the documentary film of the same name (1936). circa 1930s

The Royal Logistic Corps. The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed in 1993, by the union of the following British Army corps: Royal Corps of Transport, Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Royal Mail: Greetings from Sheffield, c. 1910
From an original at Sheffield Libraries: p00010

First airmail letter delivered, Windsor Castle
The first airmail letter ever to be delivered is handed to the Postmaster of Windsor, to whom it is addressed, on the East Lawn of Windsor Castle

Red English Post Box in a brick wall in Cambridge, England

Records of first UK aerial mail service
Thepostmasters official handwrittenrecordsrelatingto thefirst UKaerialmail service from London to Windsor andWindsor to LondoninSeptember1911. 1911

Use the Air Mail Poster
GPO Poster, Use the Air Mail, The Fastest Mail. Depicting the underside of a monoplane against a blue and black sky

Women working during the First World War. Above: in a weapons factory, filling shells with explosives. Below: an outdoor scene with a woman bus conductor

The British Empire Exhibition - Postcard back
The reverse of a postcard sent from the British Empire Exhibition of 1924, held at Wembley Park, London, showing the official exhibition stamp and event postmark!

Mailboxes in Takaka, South Island, New Zealand
A row of colourful farm mail boxes at the roadside in Takaka, at the northern end of New Zealands South Island

Airmail postcards at Gamages, London
People at Gamages in Holborn, Central London, addressing postcards and posting them in the special London Aerial Postbox, in time for the first aerial mail service from Hendon to Windsor

Sorting Post 1930S
One of the hundreds of groups of auxiliaries at the General Post Office (GPO), dispatching parcels to distant colonies during the usual Christmas postal rush

Sorting Post 1930S
A postal worker at the General Post Office (GPO), at Mount Pleasant, north London, sorts out parcels on a conveyor belt in the warehouse

GPO map of Mail Steamship Routes. Date: circa 1950s

Freemason seal of the 19th century with different symbols as the Seal of Solomon or Star of David. Metals. FRANCE. Ό E-DE-FRANCE. Paris

District Messengers / Gpo
Young boys worked as GPO District Couriers and delivered packages all over London. Here, they leave the District Messenger & Theatre Office. Date: circa 1930

Pony Express Riders, c. 1860 (b / w photo)
PNP246299 Pony Express Riders, c.1860 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Stamp Card produced by Ottmar Zeihar - Iran (Persia). These cards enabled collectors to see stamps which they were unable to obtain, or afford

Blitz in London -- salvaged mail, Calthorpe Street, WW2
Blitz in London -- following the bombing of Mount Pleasant Post Office on 18 June 1943, salvaged mail was temporarily piled up in nearby Calthorpe Street. Date: 1943

Man and boy, Timsgarry Post Office, Isle of Lewis
A man and a boy stand at the door of the rustic Timsgarry Post Office, Uig, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Main Post Office and Automobile Club, Casablanca, Morocco. Date: circa 1920s

Air Mail to Africa Poster
Poster, Air Mail to Africa, showing two Africans looking up at airliner G-ABPI. 20th century

A Village Post Office in Jamaica Date: circa 1907

Gustav Hamel arriving at Windsor with the airmail
The aviator Gustav Hamel arriving at Windsor from Hendon on the very first airmail flight. The first aerial mail service took place on 9 September 1911 from Hendon Aerodrome to Windsor

Gustav Hamels plane ready to leave Hendon for Windsor
Gustav Hamels aeroplane ready to leave Hendon Aerodrome for Windsor on the very first airmail flight. The first aerial mail service took place on 9 September 1911 from Hendon to Windsor

Rocket Mail to I O Wight
Gerard Zucker demonstrates his rocket system for a postal service between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight, but his rocket travels only three kilometres

Futuristic airmail airship
A futuristic airmail airship with a vast array of wings

Royal Mail van at the Post Office (colour litho)
3641924 Royal Mail van at the Post Office (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Royal Mail van at the Post Office)

Posting letters at Air Mail pillar box at Charing Cross post office 1930

Stamp Card produced by Ottmar Zeihar - Barbados. These cards enabled collectors to see stamps which they were unable to obtain, or afford

S Teerwood. The mail van
A red mail van stops at a remote village in the Scottish Highlands to collect and deliver post

New York Worlds Fair - First Day Cover
New York Worlds Fair World of Tomorrow - First Day Cover - Left-hand stamp depicts the Contemporary Arts Building. Date: 1939

HINE: CHILD LABOR, 1910. Two young messenger boys using the showers at the Postal Telegraph Co. in New York City. Photograph by Lewis Hines in July 1910

The Tilden Mansion
Exterior view of the Tilden Mansion at 14 and 15 Gramercy Park, originally built in the 1840s but massively renovated in 1870, New York, New York, early 1900s

Stone Letter Box
A quaint carved stone letter box on the Isle of Arran, Scotland. Date: 1930s

Gustav Hamel posting an airmail letter
The aviator Gustav Hamel posting an airmail letter which he himself will transport by air to Windsor. The first aerial mail service took place on 9 September 1911 from Hendon to Windsor

Gustav Hamel signing receipt for mail, Hendon
The aviator Gustav Hamel in the cockpit of his aeroplane, signing the official receipt for the mail, just before setting out from Hendon Aerodrome to Windsor on the very first airmail flight

Boy & Girl Post Letter
A boy and girl arrive with a letter just as the postman is emptying the box

Sir Rowland Hill / World I
SIR ROWLAND HILL English postal reformer

Map of the Greater London area with council areas marked. Date: mid-20th century

A mail train on the Great Northern Line
5308399 A mail train on the Great Northern Line.; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a mail train on the Great Northern Railway Line. Dated 19th century. 01/01/1850); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Cartoon depicting a well-informed post mistress, 19th century
5308833 Cartoon depicting a well-informed post mistress, 19th century; (add.info.: Cartoon depicting a well-informed post mistress. Dated 19th century 01/02/1871); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Union patriotic envelopes
3029381 Union patriotic envelopes; Private Collection; (add.info.: United States Civil War, Union patriotic envelopes); © Don Troiani. All Rights Reserved 2022.

Illustration showing women postal workers in the Sorting Room at the General Post Office in St Mary-le-Grand, London
5311167 Illustration showing women postal workers in the Sorting Room at the General Post Office in St Mary-le-Grand, London. 1879.; (add.info.: Date: 1879); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Postal workers on strike, 1899
3480873 Postal workers on strike, 1899; (add.info.: Postal workers on strike, Paris, France, 1899.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Frank Ives Scudamore
3585743 Frank Ives Scudamore; (add.info.: Portrait of Frank Ives Scudamore (1823-1884) an English Post Office reformer and writer. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Letters for Post. Cartoon by Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827), English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian Era
5669475 Letters for Post. Cartoon by Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827), English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian Era, 1819 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG.

The arrival of the mail coach, 1837
3083162 The arrival of the mail coach, 1837.; Private Collection; (add.info.: From The Century Edition of Cassell's History of England, published c. 1900).

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"Delivering History: Unveiling the Postal Journey Through Time" Step into a world of communication and connection as we explore the captivating realm services. From vintage posters to iconic landmarks, join us on an enchanting journey through history. Immerse yourself in the charm of yesteryears with a glimpse at the "Night Mail" poster, showcasing the allure and efficiency of overnight deliveries. Discover how The Royal Logistic Corps played a pivotal role in ensuring seamless postal operations across the British Empire. Marvel at the sight of a red English post box nestled within a sturdy brick wall, symbolizing reliability and trustworthiness that has stood strong for generations. Delve into archives revealing records from the first UK aerial mail service, where letters soared through skies to reach their destinations faster than ever before. Experience nostalgia with an air mail poster that harks back to simpler times when handwritten messages traversed continents effortlessly. Witness women breaking barriers during World War I as they took up roles in postal services, leaving an indelible mark on history. Transport yourself to The British Empire Exhibition through postcard backs adorned with vibrant imagery, capturing moments frozen in time. Marvel at picturesque mailboxes dotting Takaka's landscape in New Zealand's South Island—a testament to global connectivity even amidst remote beauty. Travel back to bustling Gamages store in London where airmail postcards were cherished treasures waiting for eager hands. Step into 1930s Britain as dedicated workers meticulously sorted mountains of mail, ensuring each letter found its rightful place. Finally, send greetings from Sheffield circa 1910 courtesy of Royal Mail—an era when heartfelt sentiments traveled far and wide via pen and paper. Join us on this captivating expedition uncovering tales woven by every stamp affixed and envelope sealed—a celebration of human connection spanning centuries. Come along as we unravel stories etched upon envelopes—tales that have shaped our world one delivery at a time.