Product Description
Pillar boxes - 8th October 2002
Royal Mail marks the 150th anniversary of the introduction of the first pillar boxes with this set of 5 colourful stamps.The need for the pillar box came about because of the 1840 Postal Reform which introduced cheaper postage rates throughout the country, and the 1d black stamp. Because letters were now generally prepaid, a facility for senders to 'post' letters other than at a post office became necessary. The very first boxes were erected in November 1852 in St Helier, Jersey, as an experiment suggested by the novelist Anthony Trollope, who was then a post office clerk.
The stamps, printed by Joh Enschede Stamps in lithograhpy and recess (intaglio)
2nd class - A highly decorative Victorian box (1857) used in London, Dublin and Edinburgh. A 'cut-price' version in red was used elsewhere.
1st class - 'Fluted' box - the early box of the 1856 design but in the red livery adopted in 1874 with a horizontal aperture. Earlier versions has a vertical aperture.
'E' class - 1934 Airmail box with dual notice plates, a feature introduced in 1932. Blue boxes were used for airmail postings between 1930 and 1938.
47p - George VI Double-aperture city box. This is shown in the wartime livery with white paint at the base, instead of black, for greater visibility during the 'blackout'. The roof has yellow gas-detecting paint.
68p - 1980 Modern box in use between 1980 & 2001. Current installations are cylindrical with a milled edge, similar to the airmail box.
Gutter Pair set available - please order two sets and specify in 'Additional Information' at checkout.
