History
Please note that the History section is constantly under development. At present it contains only topic overviews (see images below). If you require indepth information, please refer to the PDFs at the bottom of this page. |
This History section explores the
multifaceted history of the British postal service since Charles I opened up
his royal mail to the public in 1635. It
demonstrates the wide range of stories covered by Royal Mail’s fascinating history.
The development of the History section will be a gradual process. The pages that appear here form part of the first stage of development.
If you would like to suggest other topics that you think we should cover, you can do on our Wiki History Section Suggestions page. If you have researched a particular aspect of postal history that you would like to share with the public, why not create a page about it on the Wiki?
Click on the images to browse the different sections...
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Key dates |
Business History |
People | Places |
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Stamps & Philately |
Mechanisation & Innovation |
War & Conflict |
Information sheets
The History section will gradually replace the information sheets. Until it is finished however, these information sheets remain in use:
Information Sheet - Airmail (PDF, 28KB)
Information Sheet - Animals (PDF, 28KB)
Information Sheet - Assistant Postmasters General (PDF, 96KB)
Information Sheet - Bicycles (PDF, 30KB)
Information Sheet - Caring for stamps and postal history (PDF, 30KB)
Information Sheet - History of Disability in the Post Office (PDF, 109KB)
Information Sheet - Local History (PDF, 26KB)
Information Sheet - Mail Coaches (PDF, 30KB)
Information Sheet - Mail Rail (PDF, 26KB)
Information Sheet - Mount Pleasant (PDF, 36KB)
Information Sheet - Pensions (PDF, 127KB)
Information Sheet - Pillar Boxes - Updated (PDF, 208KB)
Information Sheet - Post Office Job Descriptions (PDF, 137KB)
Information Sheet - Post Office Rifles (PDF, 30KB)
Information Sheet - Post Office Uniforms (PDF, 25KB)
Information Sheet - the Post Office in the Second World War (PDF, 30KB)
Information Sheet - Postal History of India (PDF, 208KB)
Information Sheet - Postcodes (PDF, 30KB)
Information Sheet - Postmasters General (PDF, 132KB)
Information Sheet - Secretaries to the Post Office (PDF, 102KB)
Information Sheet - Sergeant Alfred Knight VC (PDF, 192KB)
Information Sheet - Travelling Post Office (PDF, 30KB)
Information Sheet - Transport (PDF, 35KB)
