Ian Giles Photos, Wedding Photographer

Ian Giles Photos

Retired professional wedding photographers

But still capturing the images we love - naturally!

Ian and Helen are photographers now living in the Cowal Peninsular area of Argyll, Scotland
Constantly adding to their extensive image library with an ever-increasing selection of Scottish images

Ian and Helen live near Dunoon, Argyll and are having a wonderful time photographing Scotland which we invite you to share

IAN AND HELEN GILES

LETTER BOXES - A SELECTION OF INTERESTING EXAMPLES FROM VICTORIA TO THE PRESENT
VICTORIA, EDWARD 7, GEORGE 5, EDWARD 8, GEORGE 6, ELIZABETH 2

TO RETURN TO THE MAIN SEARCH OPTIONS - JUST SCROLL DOWN BELOW THIS LIBRARY SELECTION

INDEX PAGE	YOUR SEARCH OPTIONS (TO BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF ALL WEB PAGES) To access all other areas of this website click on the title links below then scroll down to view		HOME PAGE
Browse the new Scottish world of Ian and Helen		Our Scottish images from the Cowal Peninsular and beyond	Click here to browse
Browse the Pre-Scottish world of Ian and Helen		Ian and Helen have always been keen photographers outside the world of work with interests in history, geography, nature and special events. A selection from our large photo library is here for you to enjoy.	Click here to browse

We would like you to share in our Scottish Adventure and welcome any suggestions for further imagery

Ian Giles Photos, Kilmun, Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland

Tel: 01304 365588

email: photos@igiles.f9.co.uk

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Data Protection statement

All images on this website are identified simply by venue and reference number in order to enhance personal privacy

All images on this website are copyright material of Ian Giles and subject to copyright law. They may not be used commercially without prior written permission of Ian Giles

SECTION 1 - PILLAR LETTER BOXES AND OTHER STAND-ALONE LETTER BOXES Pillar box is the name given to most of the larger stand-alone letter boxes. They were proposed during the Victorian reign by Anthony Trollope, the author. Trollope was also a Post Office Surveyor and the first pillar box appeared in 1852 in the Channel Islands. They have been erected in every reign since then and have been an interesting example of constantly evolving industrial design ever since. Problems to be solved included a Health and Safety issue as the first boxes were green and people kept walking into them! Red was then adopted as more of an eye-catching colour. Other issues to be considered were the need to create a nationally recognised standard shape as well as considering the cost and quality of manufacture relative to durability. There were also matters of letter security to do with door hinges, letter aperture, and damage to letters caused by rain seepage. In addition there were operating problems concerning letters left stuck inside the top of the box and letters falling out of the bottom of the box upon opening the door. The examples illustrated here range from the early boxes of 1856 to the modern day throughout the reigns of every monarch. The earliest shown are the fluted designs of 1856, followed by the two National Standard designs (1859-66), the five Penfold designs (1866-79), then the two Anonymous designs. These were made without Victoria's cipher in error (1879-87) but they nevertheless established the familiar cylindrical shape used ever since. Modern designs have wider letter apertures and oval boxes can also be found with double letter apertures. Other variants include stamp dispensers, telephone kiosks, airmail boxes, franked mail boxes and additional franked letter apertures as well as boxes with straight sides and in materials other than cast iron. ‘Royal Mail’ has replaced ‘Post Office’ on boxes made since the 1990s. Beware - some ‘heritage centres’ such as Faversham and Broadstairs have installed reproduction Penfold boxes to add ambiance perhaps. These have been manufactured by Machen Engineering since 1989 and can be identified as the correct manufacturer’s name is not included on the base (Cochrane Grove & Co, Dudley).
Victorian pillar box - Framlingham 1856 design with vertical letter aperture and high collection plate	Victorian pillar box - Framlingham 1856 design with vertical letter aperture and high collection plate	Victorian pillar box - Framlingham 1856 design with vertical letter aperture & central low collection plate
Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Vertical letter aperture - Gravesend One of only 10 surviving	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Vertical letter aperture - Banbury One of only 10 surviving	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Vertical letter aperture - Banbury One of only 10 surviving - detail
Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Vertical letter aperture - Banbury One of only 10 surviving - detail	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Vertical letter aperture - Warwick One of only 10 surviving - Eastgate	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Vertical letter aperture - Warwick One of only 10 surviving - Eastgate
Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Vertical letter aperture - Warwick One of only 10 surviving - Westgate	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Horizontal letter aperture - detail One of only 4 surviving - Malvern	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Horizontal letter aperture One of only 4 surviving - Malvern
Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Horizontal letter aperture One of only 4 surviving - Malvern	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Horizontal letter aperture One of only 4 surviving - Malvern	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Horizontal letter aperture One of only 4 surviving - Solihull
Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Horizontal letter aperture One of only 4 surviving - Malvern	Victorian fluted pillar box of 1856 Horizontal letter aperture One of only 4 surviving - Malvern	Victorian pillar box of 1856 Made for Scotland Post Office collection, Essex
Victorian pillar box of 1857 Made for London Post Office collection, Essex	Victorian pillar box of 1857 Made for London Post Office collection, Essex	Victorian pillar box of 1857 Made for London Post Office collection, Essex
Victorian First Standard pillar box 1859-66 First box to be made in two sizes Brighton: One of only 6 remaining examples of the large size	Victorian First Standard pillar box 1859-66 First box to be made in two sizes Brighton: One of only 6 remaining examples of the large size - detail	Victorian First Standard pillar box 1859-66 First box to be made in two sizes Rochdale: The only one with a lamp-post on it's top!
Liverpool Special of 1863 The only one still in use	Liverpool Special of 1863 - top detail	Liverpool Special of 1863 - rear view
Victorian Penfold pillar box - Rochester Green -changed to red to be seen better 1866 original design - 20 remaining High horizontal letter aperture with inward facing flap. Small size box	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Budby Changed to red to be seen better 1866 original design - 20 remaining High horizontal letter aperture with inward facing flap. Medium size box	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Budby Changed to red to be seen better 1866 original design - 20 remaining High horizontal letter aperture with inward facing flap. Medium size box
Victorian Penfold pillar box - Budby Changed to red to be seen better 1866 original design - 20 remaining High horizontal letter aperture Inward opening flap shown in detail	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Cheltenham 1866 original design - 20 remaining High horizontal letter aperture with inward facing flap. Medium size box	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Cheltenham 1866 original design - 20 remaining High horizontal letter aperture with inward facing flap - currently missing. Medium size box
Victorian Penfold pillar box Chiddingstone Castle general view of setting	Victorian Penfold pillar box First modification: High letter aperture with raised surround. Chiddingstone Castle	Victorian Penfold pillar box First modification: High letter aperture with raised surround - detail. Chiddingstone Castle
Victorian Penfold pillar box Second modification: Letter aperture and cipher reversed. Oxford	Victorian Penfold pillar box Second modification: Letter aperture and cipher reversed. Oxford	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Folkestone Third modification: Lower collection plate with raised surround.
Victorian Penfold pillar box - Folkestone Third modification: Lower collection plate with raised surround.	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Folkestone Third modification: Detail The gold is only used for historically important boxes	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Cambridge Third modification: Collection plate with raised surround.
Victorian Penfold pillar box - Cambridge Third modification: Collection plate with raised surround.	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Cambridge Third modification: Collection plate with raised surround - detail	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Buxton Fourth modification: Collection plate much lower
Victorian Penfold pillar box - Buxton Fourth modification: Collection plate much lower	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Buxton Fourth modification: Collection plate much lower	Victorian Penfold pillar box - Folkestone The gold is only used for historically important boxes
Penfold replica letter box - Faversham (1989 Machen Engineering replica example)	Penfold replica pillar box - Broadstairs (1989 Machen Engineering replica example)	Penfold replica pillar box - Broadstairs (1989 Machen Engineering replica example)
Victorian anonymous pillar box 1879-87 This early design has a high letter aperture Cambridge - The spikes were reputably added to stop female students climbing over it to get over an adjacent college wall out of hours at a previous location	Victorian anonymous pillar box 1879-87 This early design has a high letter aperture Cambridge - The spikes were reputably added to stop female students climbing over it to get over an adjacent college wall out of hours at a previous location	Victorian anonymous pillar box 1879-87 This early design has a high letter aperture Cambridge - The spikes were reputably added to stop female students climbing over it to get over an adjacent college wall out of hours at a previous location
Victorian anonymous pillar box 1879-87 Modified design has a lower letter aperture to stop letters getting stuck - Warwick	Victorian pillar box - Folkestone Cylindrical design from 1887 with metal strip to right of door to help keep the rain out	Edward 7 wide pillar box High letter aperture above door Shalmsford Street
Edward 7 wide pillar box High letter aperture above door Folkestone	Edward 7 narrow pillar box High letter aperture above door Brighton	Edward 7 narrow pillar box Lower letter aperture in door 1904 adaptation to solve trapped letters above door - Brighton
George 5 narrow pillar box - Brighton	George 5 narrow pillar box - Brighton This seems taller because less of the base is sunk into the ground	George 5 oval pillar box - Hastings 1932 experiment with letter aperture at one end and stamps at the other One of 8 survivors of this smaller size
George 5 oval pillar box - Hastings 1932 experiment with letter aperture at one end and stamps at the other One of 8 survivors of this smaller size	George 5 oval pillar box - Hastings 1932 experiment with letter aperture at one end and stamps at the other One of 8 survivors of this smaller size	George 5 oval pillar box - Hastings 1932 experiment with letter aperture at one end and stamps at the other One of 8 survivors of this smaller size
George 5 pillar box - Barming Collection times for both land and airmail - 1932 design	George 5 letter box, stamp dispenser and telephone box combined - One of 6 remaining - Frodsham	George 5 letter box, stamp dispenser and telephone box combined - One of 6 remaining - Frodsham
Edward 8 wide pillar box - Maidstone	Edward 8 wide pillar box - Ramsgate Rotted lid and out of service	Edward 8 wide pillar box - Ramsgate Fully restored and back in service just 3 weeks after previous image was submitted - photo power?
Edward 8 narrow pillar box - Sudbury	Edward 8 narrow pillar box - Colchester	Edward 8 narrow pillar box - Broadstairs
Edward 8 narrow pillar box - Broadstairs	George 6 wide pillar box	George 6 wide pillar box - Wingham
George 6 narrow pillar box	Elizabeth 2 Pillar box with wide aperture and shoot. Original with Post Office on front	Elizabeth 2 Pillar box with wide aperture and shoot. Later version with Royal Mail replacing Post Office on front - Hull
Elizabeth 2 dual pillar box - Faversham	Elizabeth 2 pillar boxes - Maidstone	Elizabeth 2 Letter box for franked mail in front of alternative for the same plus stamped mail option - A Hull Post Office.
SECTION 2 - WALL LETTER BOXES Wall boxes were created from 1857 as a cheaper alternative to the town-based pillar boxes already established. The first, known as the First Standard Wall Box has a horizontal letter aperture with flap. Below this are the royal cipher and crown. Below those are the words 'cleared at' with a section below intended for a plate listing collection times. There is a relatively small door in the centre of the box. A later modification of this box, the Second Standard Wall Box, evolved to prevent rain entering by adding a hood, known as a pediment, over the letter aperture. Additionally, holes were often drilled into the bottom part of the door or box to release rainwater. Wire guards were placed inside to stop letters falling out when the door was opened. Further modifications introduced in 1871 and 1881 were made to the door sizes, protective coverings over the keyhole known as escutcheons, and door opening pulls. Letter aperture downshoots were replaced by upshoots to improve rainproofing and later, different widths of letter aperture were created. Wall boxes then remained largely unchanged from 1881 until they were discontinued in 1980.
Victorian wall box-Chaxhill 1857-8 first standard design Flap, cleared by, door in middle	Victorian wall box 1857-8 first standard design Yorton Heath	Victorian wall box 1857-8 first standard design Flap, cleared by, door in middle Yorton Heath
Victorian wall box 1857-8 first standard design Flap, cleared by, door in middle Yorton Heath	Victorian wall box 1857-8 first standard design Flap, cleared by, door in middle Yorton Heath - holes for drainage	Victorian wall box 1857-8 first standard design Flap, cleared by, door in middle Kencott- with hood added
Victorian wall box 1857-8 first standard design Flap, cleared by, door in middle Kencott- with hood added	Victorian wall box-Marton 1857-8 first standard design Flap, cleared by, door in middle Hood & pediment as rainproofing	Victorian wall box-Marton 1857-8 first standard design Flap, cleared by, door in middle Hood & pediment as rainproofing
Victorian wall box 1859 second standard design Small size - Oadby	Victorian wall box - Boyden End 1859 second standard design Large size - the only example No longer in service	Victorian wall box - Boyden End 1859 second standard design Large size - the only example No longer in service Key is London Chubb 51
Victorian wall box - Boyden End 1859 second standard design Large size - the only example No longer in service	Victorian wall box in oast house 1861 Number 2 -Full view	Victorian wall box in oast house 1861 Number 2 with aperture flap
Victorian wall box in oast house General view - Littlebourne	Victorian wall box in oast house 1861 Number 2 with aperture flap detail	Victorian wall box in oast house 1861 Number 2 with aperture flap detail
Victorian wall box - example at Deal 1861 Number 2 general situation	Victorian wall box - example at Deal 1861 Number 2 showing aperture flap	Victorian wall box - example at Deal 1861 Number 2 aperture flap detail
Victorian wall box - Minsterworth 1861 Number 2 showing aperture flap	Victorian wall box - Minsterworth 1861 Number 2 showing aperture flap	Victorian wall box - Minsterworth 1861 Number 2 door detail
Victorian wall box - Rous Lench 1861 Number 2 showing aperture flap	Victorian wall box - Rous Lench 1861 Number 2 showing aperture flap	Victorian wall box - Rous Lench 1861 Number 2
Victorian wall box - Radford 1871 Number 2	Victorian wall box - Radford 1871 Number 2	Victorian wall box - Radford 1871 Number 2