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Listing: This
letter box, identified by the Letter Box Study Group, has no royal
cypher and a small posting aperture which indicates that it is likely to
be a rare example of a so‑called "anonymous" pillar box dated from
between 1879 and 1887. A letter box is shown on this site on the 1884
Ordnance Survey map.
Comment: Wolverhampton also has one of the
very rare Edward VIII letter boxes (not to mention a couple of rare
telephone boxes). This one must, beyond reasonable doubt, be an
"anonymous " box.
Martin Robinson, in his book "Old Letter Boxes",
Shire Publications, 2nd edition, at p.12, says: "The
pillar boxes made by Handyside between 1879 and 1887 bear
no royal cypher, crown or wording of any kind except for the
maker's name beneath the door. For this reason they are
known as 'anonymous' boxes. Over three hundred survive
....". And he illustrates an example, just like this one,
at p.11.
In 1887 the high posting aperture (shown on our
example) was moved down so that it was between the two raised
bands. The Post Office also admitted that there had been
an oversight and the cypher and the words "Post Office" were
added.
For post boxes generally see Martin Robinson's
book mentioned above and Jonathan Glancey, "Pillar Boxes",
Chatto & Windus, 1989, where anonymous boxes get a mention and a
picture at pp.52-3.
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