Dorset postboxes – Christchurch
Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:56 Chris Downer |
There are 88 postboxes in the BH23 (Christchurch) postcode district, which are located in the county of Dorset. (The BH23 district does include part of Hampshire but I am not including that area.) They are plotted on this map. Because of the fairly equal urban/rural split of the area, there is no particular prevalence of either pillar or lamp boxes over the other. Standard pillar boxes Christchurch is fortunate in having an early, pre-standard design of pillar box: ![]() This is the only Victorian pillar box in the area, and neither is there an Edward VII box. There are 14 George V-reign pillars: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() One very rare Edward VIII box: ![]() And eight George VI: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The remaining 13 are Elizabeth II: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Modern pillar boxes There are seven ‘Type K’ boxes, a familiar modern design, and these are by definition all Elizabeth II: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Large pillar boxes The area includes five of the fatter version of the pillar box; all these are Elizabeth II-reign ones: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Double-aperture pillar boxes There are three Elizabeth II-reign examples of these: ![]() ![]() ![]() Interior boxes There are also a couple of interior boxes; the first is of a design which is seemingly exclusive to Sainsbury’s supermarkets, while the second is found inside other supermarkets and, as in this one, inside post offices: ![]() ![]() Lamp boxes Designed to be clasped to lampposts and wooden poles, these are nowadays often seen mounted on a metal pole. All of Christchurch’s 24 are of the Elizabeth II reign. Firstly, here are one attached to a lamppost, one to a telegraph pole and one to its own wooden post: ![]() ![]() ![]() The remaining 21 are fixed using a metal pole: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Wall boxes There are eight boxes, of whatever design, set into a brick structure. One of these is set into the wall of the railway station and is Victorian: ![]() The other seven are set into their own brick pillar. Respectively, one Victorian, one of Edward VII, three George V, one Elizabeth II... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ... and finally, a large one which does not have an identifiable monarch: ![]() Business boxes These boxes started appearing in the mid-1990s and are for franked mail only – franked mail cannot be put in ordinary boxes and previously had to be handed in at a post office counter unless the Royal Mail collected from the business. Christchurch has two: ![]() ![]() |
---|
View Image Detail - View in Browser - View as Slide Show - KML - photo RSS - topic RSS