Set into a small, brick pillar at a quiet road junction on the Isle of Eigg, this postbox can never have handled a great volume of mail. It’s out of use now but local residents don’t have far to go to the next post box.
Half a mile down the road, it looks as though the post box on the old shop is still in use. It was a Friday when I took the photo so I may just have missed the post. I guess the ‘one hour’ on the collection information may have referred to one hour before the departure time of the ferry.
Post box enthusiasts may notice that, while the older box has George V’s GR cypher, this box carries only a Scottish crown. When Elizabeth II acceded to the throne and adopted the EIIR cypher, Scots nationalists objected that Scotland had never previously had a queen Elizabeth so the new monarch was the first of that name. After protesters blew up the first EIIR box to be installed in Edinburgh in 1953, it was quietly decided that in future only the Scots crown cypher would be used on post boxes during the queen’s reign.
(Click on either photo for a closer view)
October 18, 2022 at 8:31 am
It’s surprising how much of a history lesson the humble post box can be. In fact the whole idea of posting letters is becoming rather a piece of history too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
October 18, 2022 at 8:44 am
We still have a few postcard senders among our family and friends so try to keep up the habit when we’re on holiday. It’s a long time since I wrote a proper letter.
LikeLike
October 18, 2022 at 8:52 am
Likewise. And where does your family find postcards to buy? I rarely see them on sale anywhere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
October 18, 2022 at 8:56 am
For a while I included a stamped postcard in the welcome basket for guests in our holiday cottage. They were always used, or at least taken home as a souvenir. I must get back into the habit.
LikeLike
October 18, 2022 at 8:58 am
A great idea! Though the cost of a stamp these days may cause you to put your prices up 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
October 18, 2022 at 9:02 am
Definitely out of use!
LikeLiked by 1 person
October 18, 2022 at 6:48 pm
Fabulous! I am very interested in post boxes as you know and love to see what people find. Your Isle of Eigg one is wonderful and I love the history around the Elizabeth II box – those Scots are very proud people, but blowing up a post box is taking nationalism a bit far!
LikeLiked by 1 person
October 18, 2022 at 9:45 pm
I did have you in mind when writing this post!
LikeLike
October 18, 2022 at 10:49 pm
😁
LikeLike