Building    From 23/9/1829  To 1910

General Post Office

Categories: Commerce

The first general post office in London opened in 1643, after King Charles I legalised use of the royal posts for private correspondence. It was possibly located on Cloak Lane near Dowgate Hill, in the City.

Later, in 1678, the General Post Office moved from Bishopsgate Street to a building in Abchurch Lane and remained there until the opening of this building on the east side of St. Martins-le-Grand in 1829, designed by Robert Smirke. Here Trollope began work as a junior clerk and here Rowland Hill transformed the Post Office into an efficient, greatly-loved institution.

Quoting from Mogg's New Picture of London and Visitor's Guide to it Sights, 1844, Victorian London describes this building and adds: "Here is the head of this vast establishment; but there are four branch offices, - at Lombard Street; Charing Cross; Cavendish Street, Oxford Street; and 266. Borough High Street."

In the 1870s a new building was created on the west of St Martins-le-Grand to house the telegraph department. This was expanded to the north in the 1890s. The magnificent Smirke building was closed and demolished in 1912. All that remains is an Ionic capital outside the Vestry House Museum in Walthamstow.

The National Telephone Company, created in 1881 out of a number of small local telephone companies, was taken over by the GPO in 1912.

The1870s building was the General Post Office headquarters 1894 - 1984.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
General Post Office

Commemorated ati

General Post Office capital

185cm high x 160cm wide x 160cm deep and over 5 tons.

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General Post Office plaque

The General Post Office moved from Bishopsgate Street to a building on this s...

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GPO architectural sculpture

Immediately north of this panel are 7 other similar architectural panels rela...

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Penfold pillar box - EC1

Painted in the authentic green then in use, this is a reproduction of the Pen...

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
General Post Office

Creations i

Michael Faraday - N7 - plaque

This plaque was first erected in the Sandemanian Chapel, at the same time, 19...

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Other Subjects

Glyn, Mills & Co. Bank

Glyn, Mills & Co. Bank

Founded in London as Vere, Glyn & Hallifax. Name changes: c.1780 Glyn, Hallifax and Mills; 1850 Glyn, Mills & Co.; 1864 Glyn, Mills, Currie & Co.; 1923 Glyn, Mills Currie Holt & Co....

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
Vernon W. Hill II

Vernon W. Hill II

Co-funder of the Reagan statue. American businessman and banker.

Person, Benefactor, Commerce

1 memorial
Ignatius Sancho

Ignatius Sancho

Writer, shopkeeper and socialite. Born on a slave ship bound for the West Indies (his birth year is approximate). His first name was Charles, but he was baptised Ignatius. His mother died soon afte...

Person, Commerce, Literature, Race Issues

2 memorials
Thomas Briggs

Thomas Briggs

Banker and murder victim. He was beaten and robbed while he travelled on the 9.50pm train from Fenchurch Street to Chalk Farm. The assailant took his gold watch and gold spectacles, but left £5 in ...

Person, Commerce, Tragedy

1 memorial
Joseph Cayetano de Genernales

Joseph Cayetano de Genernales

Spanish merchant, husband of Elizabeth.

Person, Commerce, Spain

1 memorial