How old this letter box?

[Lounge Lizard]

The most famous of the early designs is that named after the architect who designed it, John Penfold. Penfold boxes come in three sizes and altogether there are nine different types. They are very widespread, with the biggest accumulations in London and Cheltenham. Others are spread across England, Ireland, India (including locally made copies), British Guyana, Australia and New Zealand. An export order from the postal service of the Republic of Uruguay resulted in nine boxes of the Penfold design being exported there in 1879, of which six are believed extant, including one in the philatelic department of the central Post Office in Montevideo. In 1993 the Correo Uruguayo commemorated Penfold post boxes with a set of stamps of various denominations.
There are no original Penfolds in Scotland, but 1989-built replicas have been erected in these areas, as well as other deserving sites where they are suitable. The first replica Penfold was erected at Tower Bridge, in London, on the south embankment and carries a commemorative plaque. Genuine Penfolds can be seen at the British Postal Museum & Archive Museum Store in Debden, Essex, The Farm Museum in Normanby by Scunthorpe, the National Railway Museum at York, Beamish Open Air Museum, the Black Country Museum, Crich National Tramway Museum, Oakham Treasures, near Bristol, Carshalton Beeches in Surrey, The Isle of Wight Postal Museum near Newport, Isle of Wight and Bygones Museum in Basingstoke, whilst the Severn Valley Railway and the Talyllyn Railway both have replica Penfolds. Penfolds, distinguished by their hexagonal construction and Acanthus bud surmounting the cap, were originally exclusively city-based, but have now been installed rural areas as well. About 300 were made, of which 150 survive. Nearly 100 replicas, made at the end of the 1980s, have also been installed.
The New Zealand boxes are the only Penfolds to bear the cypher of King Edward VII; all others in the former British controlled territories have the cypher of Queen Victoria. Penfold boxes in Uruguay bear the national coat of arms of Uruguay and are painted either yellow or black with a yellow band. Boxes made in Madras, India for the kingdom of Travancore carry that kingdom's emblem of a stylised Turbinella pyrum seashell. The Acanthus bud and leaves decoration on the top of Penfold boxes was also emulated in a design of cylindrical post boxes for New Zealand and Australia.

And there was me thinking Penfold was the blimp in 'DangerMouse'....

Seriously, we are turning into anoraks now. This could easily trigger vulnerable citizens into abandoning their platform tickets and touring countries eagerly ticking off Penfolds from their lists.

With these concerns in mind, I request the mods password-protect or remove this thread.

"touring countries eagerly ticking off Penfolds from their lists" - they already do

http://www.lbsg.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone applying for membership of The Letter Box Study Group agrees to pay the registration fee of £35.00 ( which includes the membership fee plus a 'starter pack' ).
Annual renewal thereafter is £25.00.
That's much cheaper than a season ticket for a half decent football club.
And imagine what might be in the 'starter pack'