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Curious stories, personal passions and behind-the-scenes exclusives await in our museum blog:

A brief history of the Post Office in the UK
From Royal Mail to General Post Office (GPO) and beyond.
Post Office
The Pneumatic Railway
At the start of the 20th century, congestion on the streets of London, combined with poor weather and pollution meant moving post could be slow and dangerous. The Post Office started to explore more efficient solutions.
Archive & Collections
Post Office
Delivering the Post: The Beginning of the Postal Network
Before Rowland Hill introduced the world’s first postage stamp in 1840, the postal network had already been developing for over 300 years. But where did it all begin?
Archive & Collections
Post Office
A History of Mount Pleasant
Very close to The Postal Museum is the Royal Mail site of Mount Pleasant. It has been a major hub for the distribution of mail for over 130 years. However, before that the area had an infamous history.
Archive & Collections
Post Office
Why did Mail Rail close?
On 31 May 2003 Mail Rail carried post underneath London for the last time, bringing the operation to an end after 76 years. Learn about the events leading up to that day here.
Archive & Collections
Post Office
Letters from loved ones: the Browns and WWI
The First World War saw over 9.7 million military deaths, leaving mothers to mourn the loss of their sons. In this blog, we remember the bond between mother and son.
Human Stories
Post Office
Queer letters in history
The secret letters of Gentleman Jack.
Human Stories
Post Office
Exploring The Postal Museum’s Archive
Learn more about how you can make use of our Archive with this first-hand experience from volunteer Cyril.
Archive & Collections
Human Stories
Post Office
Love on the frontline: letters between lovers in World War Two. Part 2
Curator Yupeng traces Jimmy and Freda’s love story by exploring their correspondence during the Second World War.
Archive & Collections
Human Stories
Post Office
Love on the frontline: letters between lovers in World War Two. Part 1
Curator Yupeng traces Jimmy and Freda’s love story by exploring their correspondence during the Second World War.
Archive & Collections
Human Stories
Post Office
Why do we have postcodes?
Postcodes - codes with letters and numbers. Read about the groundbreaking technology that changed the post forever.
Exhibitions
Post Office
How did Jane Austen write her letters?
To commemorate Jane Austen’s death over 200 years ago, Archive Assistant Mathilde explores Austen’s private letters and what they tell us about postal history.
Archive & Collections
Human Stories
Post Office
Stamps
Telegram Messengers
Archivist Susannah uncovers how Telegram Messengers went about their daily duties by exploring one of their first-hand accounts.
Archive & Collections
Exhibitions
Human Stories
Post Office
Meet the Maker: Onjali Q Raúf
Meet award-winning children's writer Onjali Q Raúf and learn all about her new book The Letter with the Golden Stamp.
Human Stories
Post Office
Stamps
Postal Uniforms: The case of Sant Singh Shattar
Archivist Helen explores how a 1960 application changed who could be employed as a postal worker.
Archive & Collections
Exhibitions
Human Stories
Post Office
Pigs and Diplomacy: Lunar New Year Controversy in Hong Kong Stamp Design
As Lunar New Year approaches, Assistant Curator Yupeng explores the story behind Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year stamps, from the first designs by local artists to controversial pigs.
Archive & Collections
Design
Post Office
Stamps
A history of Christmas Cards
With the festive season upon us we take a look at how Christmas cards came to feature images of smartly dressed posties, pillar boxes, and even delivery robins.
Archive & Collections
Design
Post Office
Dressed to Deliver: How postal workwear has changed over time
From smartly dressed Victorians in formal frockcoats to modern posties and their all-weather activewear, uniforms have helped make postal workers an iconic feature of life in the UK.
Archive & Collections
Exhibitions
Human Stories
Post Office
The story of the Postbus
In 2017, the postbus took its final journey. Find out how the postbus came to be, and why it stopped running.
Post Office
The Thames River Postman – A Family Affair
Curator Stuart explores the fascinating history of the River Postman, a role that stayed in the same family for nearly 150 years.
Human Stories
Post Office