How old is this pillar box ?

[Gold Fox]

letter box1.jpg

[wabbithunta]

[clashcityrocker]

VR is Victoria, so 1837 - 1901.
I don't know if you can narrow it down further.

[Gold Fox]

So if some one ask me .... will I be right to say its about 100 years old ? I was clearing this box yesterday , a lady came along posted a letter and then asked me about the age of this pillar box.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

VR is Victoria, so 1837 - 1901.
I don't know if you can narrow it down further.

Letter Box Study Group identifiers appear in brackets. The first pillar box was erected in the Channel Islands in 1852 and it was soon realised that, while successful, pillar boxes were expensive to manufacture and sometimes difficult to site. A box which could be recessed into a wall was preferred in rural areas where no pavement or street lighting existed. The First National Standard (WB74) design was made by the Birmingham, UK firm of Smith & Hawkes Ltd. and the first boxes were installed in 1857. Today, around 10 survive, mostly in the West Country and West Midlands of Great Britain.

A Victorian Wall box (unidentified type) near Ashprington, Devon, UK.
The design was seen to have several flaws which lead to unacceptable ingress of water when in use in the wet British climate. A modified version, The Second National Standard (WB75 and WB76), debuted in 1859 and was more successful. A pedimented top and a large rain hood helped to keep water out of the box. Drainage holes were provided at the base to enable accumulated water to drain away easily. The doors of these two boxes were rather small and set high up the front of the box, which made clearing them awkward.

The only known example of the large 2nd National Standard wall box is at Boydon End, Wickhambrook, in Suffolk
This problem was overcome with the 1861 modification to form the Smith & Hawkes No.2 Size (WB78), in addition, a larger size, known as No.1 (WB77), was also provided. It had been trialled with the Second National Standard in very small numbers, only one of which has survived in the UK at Wickhambrook, Suffolk. There are about ten survivors of the later No.1 Large size and several hundred of the No.2 size in the UK.
By moving the Collection plate from the top front of the box casting to a slot in the door, it was made much easier to change, having previously been bolted to the box front. These produced the 1871 design (WB83/1). The foundry underwent a series of ownership changes which saw Eagle Range & Foundry, Bernard P. Walker and even a combination of these two incised into the box maker's plate at the foot of the door (WB83/2-83/5).
The Eagle Range & Foundry boxes of the mid-1880s were made with smooth recessed collection plates and small neat VR cipher and crown. The contract passed to W.T. Allen in 1886 with the production of the "odd" size C box (WB86), which should have been 10 inches wide and 13 inches deep, but was actually 13 inches wide and only 10 inches deep. Only 70 were made before this mistake was rectified, with the introduction in 1887 of the Queen Victoria Jubilee boxes. This series comprised three sizes with the largest now designated A, the medium size (formerly No.1) now B and the small one (formerly No.2) Type C (WB84, WB85, WB87). This trend remained the same for the next 75 years.

[Gold Fox]

letter box2.jpg

[Gold Fox]

Still can not make out year ?

[bustedflush]

It's a fake. Original probably stolen, and flogged on feeBay. Judging by the new-looking brickwork and mortar surrounding it anyway.
I do believe that when these are nicked (they're very durable and heavy so don't break usually) that a company makes them for RM and produces an exact replica of the old one?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The contract passed to W.T. Allen in 1886 with the production of the "odd" size C box (WB86), which should have been 10 inches wide and 13 inches deep, but was actually 13 inches wide and only 10 inches deep. Only 70 were made before this mistake was rectified, with the introduction in 1887 of the Queen Victoria Jubilee boxes. This series comprised three sizes with the largest now designated A, the medium size (formerly No.1) now B and the small one (formerly No.2) Type C (WB84, WB85, WB87).

[wabbithunta]

The contract passed to W.T. Allen in 1886 with the production of the "odd" size C box (WB86), which should have been 10 inches wide and 13 inches deep, but was actually 13 inches wide and only 10 inches deep. Only 70 were made before this mistake was rectified, with the introduction in 1887 of the Queen Victoria Jubilee boxes. This series comprised three sizes with the largest now designated A, the medium size (formerly No.1) now B and the small one (formerly No.2) Type C (WB84, WB85, WB87).

Bloody hell TBT.. you're definitely a "mine of information"!

There should be a new thread called: Ask TBT

*thinks* I might start one...!

[pod25]

I have a V R box in one of my villages and I believe it is listed.

[Lounge Lizard]

The contract passed to W.T. Allen in 1886 with the production of the "odd" size C box (WB86), which should have been 10 inches wide and 13 inches deep, but was actually 13 inches wide and only 10 inches deep. Only 70 were made before this mistake was rectified, with the introduction in 1887 of the Queen Victoria Jubilee boxes. This series comprised three sizes with the largest now designated A, the medium size (formerly No.1) now B and the small one (formerly No.2) Type C (WB84, WB85, WB87).

TBT,
And you can learn even more on a tour of the Postal Heritage Archive in Debden http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/visiting/museum/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; a right riveting couple of hours.
- and that's the van they took off me last year just behind that front post box.

[aiden01]

lol

[bustedflush]

This one looks quite clean and dry so I assume our perverted friend from Wigan never fancied the old wall-mounted ones?

[NWpostie]

The Post Archive Museum in Debden would be worth a day out from London, cheers for the link