Throughout its history, the Post Office has been a consistently progressive and democratising force in society. Launched in 1516 by Henry VIII, the Royal Mail was intended to support official communications and bolster intelligence. It was only a rise in literacy, trade and interest that stimulated a demand for a public service.

It became a vehicle for literacy, free speech, commerce and communications in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, before evolving into a kind of prototypical welfare state in the early twentieth century, when it was the largest employer in the world. The Post Office has become a cherished social institution, linking people together and extending their vision outward into the wider world.

This online exhibition will provide further information on the themes explored in The Peoples Post, a 15 episode series airing on BBC Radio 4 at 13:45, Monday-Friday from 5-23 December 2011. You will be able to find further material on our blog and Flickr - and join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #PeoplesPost.