inamidst.com topic

Edward VIII Postboxes

There were, according to Bexley Council Strategic Planning and Regeneration Department, 271 letter boxes made during the short reign of Edward VIII. Of these, "161 were pillar boxes, 6 were wall boxes and the remaining 104 were Ludlow boxes for use at sub-post offices. All except 76 of the Ludlow boxes bore the cipher of Edward VIII." It concludes that "only about 130 letter boxes cast in 1936 still bear the cipher of Edward VIII, all being pillar boxes". But where are they?

Here is a list of the ones that I know about, with links to photos and sources and so on:

• Aberdeen (1) - source. "Desswood Place at Prince Arthur Street, Edward VIII Pillar Box".
• Aberdeen (2) - source. "Gregness Gardens at Girdleness Road, Edward VIII Pillar Box".
• Ascot - photo. There was a picture postcard up for sale on ebay, Item number: 150143664776, whose description read as follows: "Colour Photo print postcard British Postbox Series No.65. Edward VIII Pillar Box, Ascot, Berkshire. Celebrating 100 years of British Picture Postcards (1894 - 1994). Publisher: David Shaw, 63 Mill Hey, Haworth 1994. Postally unused. Mint condition."
• Bangor - photo. "Detail showing the Edward VIII letter box on Bangor Post Office, one of only two in the UK." There's another mention of it too: "There are some Queen Victoria, Edward VIII and George V1 boxes in Bangor, Gwynedd."
• Barrow-in-Furness - photo. "A RARE EDWARD VIII POST BOX AT THE JUNCTION OF SCHNEIDER ROAD AND BEECH STREET. BILL WAKEFIELD - BARROW IN FURNESS" (caps in the original, sorry; come on BBC!). It's also mentioned in Ormsgill, a community newspaper.
• Bawdsey, Suffolk - photo. "It is believed that there is only one surviving example of an Edward VIII Ludlow type letter box." Photo is captioned: "Edward VIII Ludlow at Bawdsey, Suffolk." On the other hand, FAQ 2 (WARNING: this page somewhat crashes Firefox 2.0) of the Postal Museum on the Isle of Wight says that they have one and it's one of only two in existence. Also mentioned in the book Hidden Suffolk.
• Birmingham (1) - photo. From a comment: "Of the regular sized post boxes this is one of only two Edward VIII boxes in the city of Birmingham, England."
• Birmingham (2) - photo. Not the one on Flickr; this must be the other one mentioned. The referring page says "(one of only 20 remaining)". There's another photo here which may either be this box or the previous one.
• Builth Wells - source. "Builth Wells has the distinction of having the only post box in the United Kingdom bearing the cypher of King Edward VIII, the uncrowned king whose abdication in 1936 caused a constitutional crisis." The source being Wikipedia. I should edit it, but perhaps it's a third Ludlow type! Via SharkyUK.
• Burpham, (Surrey? Sussex?) - photo. Via Edward VIII postbox: "I discovered today that the local postbox at Burpham is an Edward VIII. There can't be many of those about."
• Claygate, Surrey - photo. "Unusual King Edward VIII post box at Claygate, Surrey, England".
• Colne, Lancashire - source. "Even rarer, I think there is an Edward VIII cypher on the post box at Knotts Lane, Colne. I believe there are only two in the country but I don't know where the other one is." - Ron Freethy. Perhaps he meant county?
• Coventry - source. "There are no Edward VIII pillar boxes or wall boxes in Warwickshire, although there are still examples to be seen in Birmingham, Coventry and Worcester".
• Derby (1) - source. "BRACKENSDALE AVENUE OS SK 3236 SE Edward VIII pillar box at junction with Greenland Avenue."
• Derby (2) - source. 'STENSON ROAD OS SK 3433 SW Sunny Hill Post box at Sunny Hill Post Office; one of 271 Edward VIII post boxes; "county treasure".'
• Derby (3) - source. "VILLAGE STREET OS SK 3433 NE Edward VIII pillar box, one of 271 in the country."
• Earl Shilton, Leicestershire - source. "What all enthusiasts want to do is to 'discover' an Edward VIII box. Only about a score are thought to have been installed in the country. Two exist in Leicestershire and can be found outside the sub post-offices in Hugglescote and Earl Shilton."
• East Dunbarton - source. "In relation to a question from Councillor Risk, regarding the location of the Edward VIII Post Box, the Head of Partnership and Planning advised that he would confirm the correct location." Not very helpful! The minutes were taken in "Kirkintilloch on Tuesday, 6 August 2002".
• Enfield (1), EN2, London - source. "A little known PILLAR-BOX OF EDWARD VIII stands on the corner of Brodie Road and Browning Road [in Enfield], attention to which was recently drawn by John Cordell. One hundred and sixty one pillar boxes bearing the cipher of Edward VIII were cast during his short reign in 1936, many of which are still in use although only sixteen of the larger 'A' size are known to exist. The only other known pillar-box of this monarch in the borough stands in Chase Side, Southgate [Is this the Winchmore Hill Road one? See Southgate]. Does anyone know of other local examples?"
• Enfield (2) - photo. On Waggon Road.
• Exeter - photo. There was a picture postcard up for sale on ebay, item number 150145948560, whose description read as follows: "Colour Photo print postcard. British Postbox Series No.44. Edward VIII Pillarbox Peryam Crescent, Exeter Devon (Photo Margaret Harris). Publisher: David Shaw, 63 Mill Hey, Haworth 1992. Postally unused. Mint condition." Looks like a somewhat old photo!
• Foots Cray, Bexley, London - source. On the verge "by 69 Saint James's Way".
• Glasgow - source. "# Pillar box in Hyndland Road, Glasgow. One of only 161 such pillarboxes installed during the short lived reign of Edward VIII."
• Highcliffe, Dorset - source. "A number of unusual post boxes are to be found in Dorset. Located in the east of the county are three pillar-boxes cast during the short reign of Edward VIII, one in Highcliffe and two within a mile of each other in Parkstone, Poole. Only 161 such boxes were ever made and about 150 survive nationwide."
• Hugglescote, Leicestershire - photo. "A rare Edward VIII Pillar Box, at Central Road, Hugglescote, Leics". Also from Kibworth & District Chronicle.Dec94:About Post Boxes: "What all enthusiasts want to do is to 'discover' an Edward VIII box. Only about a score are thought to have been installed in the country. Two exist in Leicestershire and can be found outside the sub post-offices in Hugglescote and Earl Shilton."
• Leeds (Note: Gone!) - source. "There used to be rare Edward VIII post box on Stanningley Road next to the Pavilion cinema until recently. Sadly gone now."
• Liverpool (1) - source. Allerton Road? "Allerton Road (Allerton Police Station would be off to the right hand side)."
• Liverpool (2) - photo. Canning Street. "An ordinary British pillar box - except that this one bears the mark of King Edward VIII, who was king for just a few months before he was forced to abdicate in 1937. I wonder how many of these were installed across the country during those few short months? Our pillar box has recently received a coat of beautiful, glossy red paint. There'll be a new photo soon." See also Postboxes: "There's one at the corner of Canning St / Bedford St South too. So not actually the one I was thinking of - maybe they're not so rare after all." It's also mentioned in Georgian City.
• London, Beckenham/Stumps Hill - photo. "I was beginning to think these post boxes were a myth, and we were on some aurthurian snipe hunt. Of the hundred or so Edward VIII boxes made, there is still one in Beckenham." Also another source: "It is also worth a slight detour to the junction of Southend Road and Brackley Road to see a very rare Edward VIII pillar box made at Carron Ironworks." And a third at Roaders' Digest > A2015 > Notes: "At the top of the hill we leave the London Borough of Lewisham for the London Borough of Bromley and a little further on we pass Stumps Hill Lane on the right, which has a pillar box with a very rare King Edward VIII insignia." I think these all refer to the same box. RED LONDON gives the road names too: "there is an Edward VIII box at the junction of Southend Road & Brackley Road in Beckenham".
• London, Finchley - source. "East Finchley has a box with an unusual cipher denoting the brief reign of the uncrowned Edward VIII. It is outside Down's Garage in the Great North Road."
• London, Mill Hill East - source. "Somebody who knows better may be able to give more detail about High Barnet, but I don't think Mill Hill East would be a good choice, either (obtopic - just outside Mill Hill East (I presume it's still there) is the only Edward VIII postbox I've ever seen)."
• London, NW4 - photo. "the corner of Elliot Road and Hendon Way in north-west London". See also Rare postboxes, which references a newsletter saying "Another interesting -- and rare -- pillar box is the Edward VIII box in Elliott Road, NW4, near the junction with Hendon Way."
• London SE6 - source. On Crantock Road.
• London SE15 - source. At 62 Nunhead Lane. See also Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society: "There is an Edward VIII box situated in Nunhead Lane, SE15, and one on the Marine Esplanade at Ramsgate." As to it being at 62 Nunhead Lane, there's another page, NUNHEAD GREEN CONSERVATION AREA [caps are sic] that says "Noteworthy also is the Edward VIII pillar box in front of No. 6 Nunhead Green, which wwas moved to this location in 1998."
• London SE6 - source. On Hermitage Road, Beulah Hill. This might be the same as the one mentioned in Old postboxes as "There is one on a very dull road off Beulah Hill (whose name I've completely forgotten!). But it is on the route of the Capital Ring. It's the only reason to visit that particularly dire corner of Upper Norwood."
• London, Southwark (1) - source. "Southwark has two rare Edward VIII post boxes. [...] In London there are just 17."
• London, Southwark (2) - source. "Southwark has two rare Edward VIII post boxes. [...] In London there are just 17."
• London, Peckham Rye - source. "There's another one east of Peckham Rye."
• Maidstone - photo. On Week Street. Via Malcolm Smith's Post Box Pages.
• Overdale, Ashtead - photo. "Ashtead has boxes representing all six monarchs from Queen Victoria to the present Queen. This is unusual, as there are only about 100 boxes in the country that date from the short reign of Edward VIII and one is in Overdale." Overdale is indeed part of Ashtead, in Surrey.
• Poole (1) - source. "Edward VIII pillar box outside number 22 Lilliput Road".
• Poole (2), Dorset - source. "A number of unusual post boxes are to be found in Dorset. Located in the east of the county are three pillar-boxes cast during the short reign of Edward VIII, one in Highcliffe and two within a mile of each other in Parkstone, Poole. Only 161 such boxes were ever made and about 150 survive nationwide." Presumably the first of these two is the one at 22 Lilliput Road?
• Ramsgate - source. "There is an Edward VIII box situated in Nunhead Lane, SE15, and one on the Marine Esplanade at Ramsgate."
• Sandown - photo. Isle of Wight. On Green Lane in Sandown? There's another photo on Malcolm Smith's Post Box Pages of what appears to be the same one as in the Flickr photo, only it's marked as being on Melville Street in Sandown. Perhaps there are two in Sandown?
• Newcastle - photo. "Nearby at the western side of Portland Road with its junction with Sandyford road is a rarity. / This post box was erected in 1936, the year of the short and troubled reign of Edward VIII. It bears his Royal insignia." It's also mentioned elsewhere: "an Edward VIII post box in Sandyford - rare because of the shortness of his reign". "The post box, situated on the east side of Portland Road opposite Chester Crescent is five foot tall, red, with a black base and a splayed cap.", says Local List of Buildings [&c.].
• Sheffield (1) - source. "Nearby in Rowdale Crescent stands a King Edward VIII pillar box, one of only 3 in Sheffield".
• Sheffield (2) - source. One of the two not in Rowdale Crescent.
• Sheffield (3) - source. One of the two not in Rowdale Crescent.
• Southgate - photo. On Winchmore Hill Road. "This is one of the few larger size Edward VIII Pillar Boxes to have survived. Originally placed on the roundabout opposite the station, at some time it was moved to a safer position, probably when Southgate Circus as it is today was constructed."
• Tobermory, Isle of Mull - photo. "Less than 100 of these Post Boxes were made and one arrived here in Tobermory". See also LISTED BUILDINGS [sic]: "Tobermory Burgh, 20 - Edward VIII Post Box With Sign, Tobermory". There's another photo of it on the web too. Even royal.gov.uk has a photo of this box.
• Welling, Bexley, London - source. "Tyrrell Avenue", grid reference "546770 174675".
• Welshpool - source. "Very rare are the Edward 111VTH ones - about 8 or so in the UK apparently - there is one in Welshpool."
• Whitchurch, Cardiff - source. "There is/was one in Heol Don, Whitchurch. I've never seen it (why not you ask?) but it was listed in the letter box study group catalogue - but my copy is very old. I should get a new one."
• Winchester - photo. "this one in Winchester could do with a bit of tender care". There's another photo of the same box, with the comment "Alresford Rd Winchester outside Golden Lion PH, rare ER VIII."
• Wolverhampton - photo. "This listed postbox is at the corner of Burland Avenue and Aldersley Road." See also Aldersley Road.
• Wolverton, Milton Keynes - photo. "Post Office Pillar box, Furze Way | Reign of Edward VIII | Poor maintenance, not sufficiently appreciated,especially on present site".
• Worcester - source. "I know that there is one in worcester here but I don't know where the ones in Southwark are." The map location points to the corner of Ombersley Road and Vine Street.

That's 57 so far. Know of any more? Have better information or picture? Then please feel free to email me! If it's not listed here, I don't know if there's one in your town I'm afraid.

Wikimedia has a picture of a door of an EVIIIR pillar box from the Colne Valley Postal History Museum. One page on Letter Boxes says that "There are no Edward VIII boxes in Warwickshire." A comment from G.P.O. Pillar Box History that I like: "Those installed during the brief reign of Edward VIII had the doors bearing his Insignia replaced, although some do remain as a challenge for the devout enthusiasts."