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Royal Mail

Categories: Transport

Before the 2012 Olympics started the Royal Mail committed to turn a red post box gold for each British Gold medal, Olympic and Paralympic. In the event this meant that over 100 boxes turned colour. Each one is associated with a particular gold medal and has been chosen to be close to the medallist's home town/borough. Here's the map. We don't believe that the Royal Mail despatched an employee with a pot of gold paint the instant the medallist crossed the line but they have said the colour is permanent.

The Royal Mail have their own website of memorials, nationwide: https://www.royalmail.com/memorials/home .

2022: Londonist have posted (ha ha) an excellent page on postboxes

2024: We read a WW2 'Letter from London' by Mollie Panter-Downes with: "Posting a letter has acquired a new interest, too, since His Majesty's tubby scarlet pillar boxes have been done up in squares of yellow detector paint, which changes colour if there is poison gas in the air and is said to be as sensitive as a chameleon." 

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Royal Mail

Creations i

Anthony Trollope - pillar box - Fleet Street

5 similar plaques have been erected.

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Anthony Trollope - pillar box - Piccadilly

This plaque commemorates the bicentenary of the birth of Anthony Trollope (18...

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Anthony Trollope - pillar box - Rutland Gate

5 similar plaques have been erected.

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Anthony Trollope - pillar box - Strand

5 similar plaques have been erected.

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Charlotte Dujardin gold post box

{On plaque attached to side of box:} This post box has been painted gold by R...

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Other Subjects

Harrow & Stanmore Railway

Harrow & Stanmore Railway

Our image shows the station building at Stanmore, renamed Stanmore Village. Dewi Williams has more photos of the building, in 1949. In 1882, nearby Bentley Priory, a stately home and deer park, wa...

Place, Transport

1 memorial
Clapham Junction rail disaster

Clapham Junction rail disaster

At 8.10 a.m. a crowded passenger train from Basingstoke heading for London Waterloo, crashed into another train that had stopped at a signal. A further empty train travelling in the opposite direct...

Event, Tragedy, Transport

1 memorial
London steam carriage

London steam carriage

Londonist have a piece on this early manifestation of the car and steam locomotive, rolled into one.

Vehicle, Engineering, Transport

1 memorial
City Road turnpike

City Road turnpike

From Geograph: This turnpike was merged into the Metropolitan Turnpike Trust by act of parliament and closed by the enactment of the Metropolis Roads Amendment Act 1863 (c.78). From 1 July 1864. S...

Building, Commerce, Transport

1 memorial
C. Harman Wigan

C. Harman Wigan

Director of Vinot Cars Ltd. Andrew Behan has kindly carried out some research on this man: Cecil Harman Wigan was born on 7 June 1874 in Mortlake, Surrey, a son of James Wigan and Maria Branley He...

Person, Industry, Transport

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Dire Straits first gig

Dire Straits first gig

The picture shows a rehearsal for the gig, in front of the Cockpit Arts building. We thank Glenda Bogdanovs for permission to use her historic photo.

Event, Music / songs

1 memorial
Marcel Breuer

Marcel Breuer

Architect and furniture designer. He studied at Bauhaus, and was initially recognised for his so-called 'bicycle-handlebar' inspired tubular steel furniture. He moved to London to escape from Nazi ...

Person, Architecture, Craft / Design, Germany, Hungary, USA

1 memorial
Sir Ambrose Heal

Sir Ambrose Heal

Furniture designer and retailer. Born at Crouch End. Studied at the Slade School of Fine Art before joining the family firm which ran the Heal & Son department store. He designed the simple, st...

Person, Commerce, Craft / Design

3 memorials
Salvation Army

Salvation Army

A Protestant church internationally renowned for its charitable works. Founded as the "East London Christian Mission" or "Christian Revival Society" by William and Catherine Booth. Initially its me...

Group, Religion, Social Welfare

12 memorials
Collins Music Hall

Collins Music Hall

As Sam Vagg (1827-65) he was a chimney sweep but as Sam Collins he was an "Irish" singer. In 1862 he took over the Lansdowne Arms, turned it into a music hall and renamed it after himself. Sam died...

Place, Theatre

1 memorial