Old Post Office Collection

The Old Postman (engraving)
8631966 The Old Postman (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Old Postman. Illustration for England's Pioneers)

Sorting letters at a post office (b/w photo)
8626063 Sorting letters at a post office (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorting letters at a post office)

The 'Sheldrake', a postal service ship, off Falmouth, England, an important centre for navigation to the west
MMM5466081 The 'Sheldrake', a postal service ship, off Falmouth, England, an important centre for navigation to the west

Blitz, 1940-41: Telephonists continuing to work (b/w photo)
8634814 Blitz, 1940-41: Telephonists continuing to work (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Telephonists continuing to work)

Page from New York Album, c.1895 (colour litho)
8640783 Page from New York Album, c.1895 (colour litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Illustration for New York Album (np, c 1895)

Soldiers on foreign service sending money home (litho)
8649490 Soldiers on foreign service sending money home (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Soldiers on foreign service sending money home)

An Old Packet Boat attacked at Sea (colour litho)
8649468 An Old Packet Boat attacked at Sea (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: An Old Packet Boat attacked at Sea)

Dispatching the St Kilda Mail (litho)
8649482 Dispatching the St Kilda Mail (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dispatching the St Kilda Mail)

The Irish Mail at Euston (colour litho)
8649478 The Irish Mail at Euston (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Irish Mail at Euston)

A letter box in the Australian Bush (litho)
8649477 A letter box in the Australian Bush (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: A letter box in the Australian Bush)

Mail Coach snowed up (colour litho)
8649474 Mail Coach snowed up (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mail Coach snowed up)

Philadelphia: US Custom House and Post Office (b/w photo)
8654579 Philadelphia: US Custom House and Post Office (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: US Custom House and Post Office)

Near the Post-Office, early morning (engraving)
8646971 Near the Post-Office, early morning (engraving) by Frost, Arthur Burdett (1851-1928); Private Collection; (add.info.: Near the Post-Office, early morning. Broadway, New York)

New Zealand, 1890s: Invercargill, the Post Office (b/w photo)
8662463 New Zealand, 1890s: Invercargill, the Post Office (b/w photo) by New Zealand Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Invercargill, the Post Office)

Sorting letters at a London post office (b/w photo)
8626062 Sorting letters at a London post office (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorting letters at a London post office)

Lake District: The Old Post Office, Loweswater (colour litho)
8622473 Lake District: The Old Post Office, Loweswater (colour litho) by Cooper, Alfred Heaton (1864-1929); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Old Post Office, Loweswater)

A scene with the Post Office telegraph headquarters, 1850
3478429 A scene with the Post Office telegraph headquarters, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting a scene with the Post Office telegraph headquarters in London)

Royal Post of the Court of Philip II, lithograph, 16th century
AIS5388194 Royal Post of the Court of Philip II, lithograph, 16th century; Museo Postal y Telegrafico, Madrid, Spain; (add.info.: Royal Post of the Court of Philip II)

General Post Office with tram, Bombay, India, 1900s (postcard)
7379792 General Post Office with tram, Bombay, India, 1900s (postcard); Private Collection; © Ajay Goyal/Dinodia Photo.

Modern Wonders, 1938: The Speaking Clock (colour photo)
8659931 Modern Wonders, 1938: The Speaking Clock (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Speaking Clock)

Head Office of Savings Bank, West Kensington (litho)
8649498 Head Office of Savings Bank, West Kensington (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Head Office of Savings Bank, West Kensington)

Paying for a letter in olden times (litho)
8649488 Paying for a letter in olden times (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Paying for a letter in olden times)

Stamping the letters (litho)
8649486 Stamping the letters (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Stamping the letters)

Elephant carrying His Majesty's Mails (litho)
8649479 Elephant carrying His Majesty's Mails (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Elephant carrying His Majesty's Mails)

Rural Postman, South Africa (colour litho)
8649464 Rural Postman, South Africa (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Rural Postman, South Africa)

The Post Office, Wickhambreaux, Kent (b/w photo)
8647622 The Post Office, Wickhambreaux, Kent (b/w photo) by Davie, William Galsworthy (1841-1915); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Post Office, Wickhambreaux, Kent)

Post Office, Launceston (engraving)
8648032 Post Office, Launceston (engraving) by Australian School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Post Office, Launceston)

Children paying into the Savings Bank (litho)
8651744 Children paying into the Savings Bank (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Children paying into the Savings Bank)

Sorters at work in Mail Van (litho)
8651460 Sorters at work in Mail Van (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorters at work in Mail Van)

Mr Punch's advice to the British workman at the time of the opening of the Post Office Savings Bank, 1850
3478072 Mr Punch's advice to the British workman at the time of the opening of the Post Office Savings Bank, 1850; (add.info)

Bloemfontein: The Post Office (b/w photo)
8633962 Bloemfontein: The Post Office (b/w photo) by South African Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Post Office. Illustration for Views of Bloemfontein (np, c.1900)

Posting a letter at the Mail Van (litho)
8649504 Posting a letter at the Mail Van (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Posting a letter at the Mail Van)

Motor Mail passing through a village (litho)
8649480 Motor Mail passing through a village (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Motor Mail passing through a village)

Operators at the telephone exchange (litho)
8649475 Operators at the telephone exchange (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Operators at the telephone exchange)

Sorting parcels, Mount Pleasant (colour litho)
8649469 Sorting parcels, Mount Pleasant (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorting parcels, Mount Pleasant)

The defence of the Telegraph Office (colour litho)
8649467 The defence of the Telegraph Office (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: The defence of the Telegraph Office)

The great ship passing through the Suez Canal (colour litho)
8649466 The great ship passing through the Suez Canal (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: The great ship passing through the Suez Canal)

A Penny Postage Page (litho)
8641665 A Penny Postage Page (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Penny Postage Page)

Laying Submarine Cable (colour litho)
8651457 Laying Submarine Cable (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Laying Submarine Cable)

Saigon Central Post Office, 19th century (photo)
8711393 Saigon Central Post Office, 19th century (photo); (add.info.: Saigon Central Post Office. It was constructed when Vietnam was part of French Indochina in the late 19th century)

A post office, sorting the mail, 1904 (print)
7422839 A post office, sorting the mail, 1904 (print); (add.info.: Science. Communication. A post office, sorting the mail. Calendar, France, 1904.); © Archives Charmet.

The Royal Mail steamship 'Atrato', built of metal by Caird & Co, in Greenock, England, in 1853
MMM5485015 The Royal Mail steamship 'Atrato', built of metal by Caird & Co, in Greenock, England, in 1853. Painting 1864, watercolor by William Frederick Mitchell (1845-1914)

Mr Punch's advice to the British workman at the time of the opening of the Post Office Savings Bank, 1850
3478426 Mr Punch's advice to the British workman at the time of the opening of the Post Office Savings Bank, 1850; (add.info)

Fourth Street, Cincinnati, 2 February 1858 (engraving)
8637317 Fourth Street, Cincinnati, 2 February 1858 (engraving) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fourth Street, Cincinnati, 2 February 1858)

Stamping (colour litho)
8672406 Stamping (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Stamping. Illustration for The Children's Friend (1900).); © Look and Learn.

Indian Postal Official attacked by Wild Buffalo (colour litho)
8649473 Indian Postal Official attacked by Wild Buffalo (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Indian Postal Official attacked by Wild Buffalo)

King Edward's Building (colour litho)
8649471 King Edward's Building (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: King Edward's Building)

Customs Officials, Mount Pleasant (colour litho)
8649476 Customs Officials, Mount Pleasant (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Customs Officials, Mount Pleasant)

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Step back in time and explore the rich history of old post offices around the world. From the charming i-SITE visitor centre in Rotorua, New Zealand to the picturesque Old Post Office in Tintagel, England, these buildings have witnessed centuries of communication and connection. The establishment of the Universal Postal Union Foundation through the Treaty of Berne in 1874 marked a significant milestone for global postal services. This foundation laid the groundwork for efficient mail delivery systems that we rely on today. Imagine a future where pigeons deliver our letters. The concept may seem whimsical, but it once sparked curiosity and creativity. A colourful lithograph depicting this "pigeon post of the future" reminds us that innovation knows no bounds. In contrast, a dramatic scene unfolds as a mail coach braves a thunderstorm in another lithograph. The lightness of style demanded by such artwork captures both danger and resilience – qualities often associated with postal workers who brave all weather conditions to ensure timely deliveries. An engraving transports us to Trevena's Old Post-Office, showcasing its architectural beauty against a backdrop of rolling hills. This image invites us to appreciate not only functional aspects but also aesthetic elements that make each post office unique. A vibrant lithograph depicts people eagerly picking up their mails – an everyday occurrence that symbolizes human connection across distances. It serves as a reminder that even amidst technological advancements, personal interactions remain at the heart of postal services. Across continents, old post offices have left their mark on iconic cities like New York and Adelaide. Black-and-white photographs capture City Hall Park's grandeur or showcase New York's bustling Post Office building. Meanwhile, colour photos reveal King William Street's charm with its Town Hall and Post Office standing proudly side by side. Even language barriers cannot hinder appreciation for these historic institutions; engravings from Le Vocabulaire Illustre depict various translations for "post office, " reminding us of the universal importance of communication.