Rural British Letter Box Photograph by Carla Parris

Rural British Letter Box

by Carla Parris

Canvas Print

$71

Framed Print

$89

Art Print

$23

Poster

$23

Metal Print

$77

Acrylic Print

$85

Wood Print

$57

Tapestry

$39

Throw Pillow

$26

Fleece Blanket

$51

Duvet Cover

$100

Shower Curtain

$68

Bath Towel

$33

Jigsaw Puzzle

$39

Tote Bag

$26

Weekender Tote Bag

$44

Zip Pouch

$24

Portable Battery Charger

$47

Yoga Mat

$60

Greeting Card

$5.95

Spiral Notebook

$16

iPhone Case

$27

Beach Towel

$33

Round Beach Towel

$70

Weekender Tote Bag

$44

Coffee Mug

$14

Men's Clothing

$27

Women's Clothing

$27

Youth Clothing

$23

Toddler Clothing

$21

Baby Clothing

$25

Title

Rural British Letter Box

Artist

Carla Parris

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photograph

Description

RURAL BRITISH LETTER BOX is a digital photograph by Carla Parris.

This bright red letter box, affixed to a wooden post and nestled amid foliage on a country lane in a small village in Kent, was a striking sight for this photographer on a recent trip to England.

Bright fire-engine red roadside letter boxes are an iconic symbol of England.

However, they did not originate in England and were not introduced there until the 1850s after being proposed by novelist Anthony Trollope, who had seen them in used in France and Belgium, while working as a Surveyor's Clerk for the post office.

They were first used, on a trial basis, on the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, before being introduced on the mainland.

The earliest boxes were painted green so as to blend into the landscape. However, when they proved too difficult to locate, the Post Office first tried chocolate brown. Because this color required an extra coat of varnish and so was more expensive, they finally settled on the now-familiar bright red, which was introduced in 1874.

Red has remained the standard color with limited exceptions. In the 1930s, special boxes for airmail letters, painted blue, were introduced. More recently, following the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the post boxes in the home towns of British gold medal winners were painted gold.

Free-standing pillar boxes are the oldest, and most prevalent, type of letter box. However, wall-mounted boxes (or in this case, post-mounted boxes) were introduced in 1857 as cheaper, smaller capacity boxes suitable for smaller towns and rural communities.

I asked my English husband the meaning of the "G" "R" on the top of this letter box, and he reckons the box must have been cast during the reign of King George, with the initials standing for "George Rex."