Scissorbeans

@spudgun67

Lummox. Used to be a cat. Blue Plaque loony and sometime bass guitarist. E17 parkrun most Saturdays, porkrun nearer the truth to be honest (he/him) was @spudgun67 on the bad place☮️📤

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Bluesky

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Scissorbeans@spudgun67· 12d

Leyton High Road: A GviR type 'B' pillar box in danger of being engulfed by the buddleia. Cast by McDowall, Steven & Co. Ltd of London and Falkirk. From the state of the 'foot' it seems to be popular with the local pooch population. Bonus stamp vending machine (disused, obvs) #PostBoxSaturday

Leyton High Road: GviR type 'B' pillar box in danger of being engulfed by the buddleia. Cast by McDowall, Steven & Co. Ltd of London and Falkirk. From the rusty state of the 'foot' it seems to be popular with the local pooch population. Bonus stamp vending machine (disused) on the right hand side #PostBoxSaturday

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· 17d

Post a perfect album from the 90s that isn't Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam or Alice In Chains.

The cover of the absolutely marvellous debut album by Silver Sun from 1997. Hard rock/power pop with harmonies up the ying-yang. Came up randomly in the car yesterday, not a bad track on it. Apparently it was the first album (co)-produced by Nigel Godrich, who was never heard from again. RIP main man James Broad who died in 2020.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· 19d

For comparison, the post 1872 positions.

Later style Penfold postbox with the aperture below the royal crest.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· 19d

Early Victorian Penfold letter box, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, 24th August 2025 #PostBoxSaturday

A genuine red Penfold (hexagonal section) pillar box at Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, UK. The aperture is in the early position, above the crest. A problem with this layout was that letters could be caught in the cap of the box, so the crest and aperture positions were swapped for later versions, this carried over the late 20th century reproductions.

The stylised acanthus bud on the cap of a Penfold letter box

Penfold letter box detail - aperture above crest.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· 20d

Cardamome bum?

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· 26d

EIIR type 'C' double-aperture letter box, Victoria Square, in the long shadows of the evening of 3rd July 2026. #PostBoxSaturday

Red double aperture post box with a black base/foot in Victoria Square, London. Some of the five-storey stucco-fronted properties designed by architect Sir Matthew Wyatt, built 1838-1840 can be seen to the left, trees in the garden at the centre of the square to the right. Long shadows of early summer. In 1991, the square was used for the filming of the Merchant Ivory Productions adaptation Howards End.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· 27d

Post your O face

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jul 14

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jul 11

A Penfold post box in Hampstead High Street, London. No longer in use, the aperture has been sealed and the collection plate has been replaced with a sign declaring the box to be an historical monument. #PostBoxSaturday

A Penfold type (hexagonal section) post box in Hampstead High Street, London NW3, the Post Office in the background on the opposite side of the road. It is red, with a black 'foot'. The posting aperture has been sealed up and the collection plate replaced by a sign which reads 'This Penfold Pillar Box dating from around 1870 is preserved as an historical monument but is not in use Please post in Post Office opposite". The box has at some time been modified to carry a sign, now missing, which would have pointed towards the nearest post office or phone box, a modification which has necessitated the removal of the stylised acanthus bud that would have surmounted the cap of the box.

A sign affixed to Penfold type (hexagonal section) post box in Hampstead High Street, London NW3, which reads 'This Penfold Pillar Box dating from around 1870 is preserved as an historical monument but is not in use Please post in Post Office opposite".

A Penfold type (hexagonal section) post box in Hampstead High Street, London NW3, with No.22 in the background. Red pillar box with a black foot seen from the rear.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jul 4

A fine, old, and somewhat rusty 'Jubilee' pillar box bearing the royal cypher of Queen Victoria which lives at the edge of Hampstead Heath, at the junction of Pilgrim's Lane and Willow Road. At the foot is the mark of Andrew Handyside, the foundry that cast it between 1887 and 1901. #PostBoxSaturday

A red pillar type post box on a pavement near Hampstead Heath. Greenery in the background. The aperture is in the later, slightly lower position between the two rings encircling the box with the word POST cast on the left, OFFICE to the right. The change was made because post could get trapped between the aperture and the cap of the earlier design. The 'foot' of this box, normally black in colour, is encrusted with rust and mud, nevertheless the casting mark of Andrew Handyside & Company 'of Derby and London' can be seen. This foundry made some of the earliest post boxes in the UK - the two very early boxes in Framlingham are theirs - and continued to make pillar boxes, wall boxes and lamp boxes into the 1930s. Handyside also made the huge iron spans that support the roof of St Pancras International station. The largest structure built by Handyside, said to be the largest hall in the kingdom covered by one span of iron and glass, was the 1886 National Agricultural Hall in London, now known as Olympia.
Pillar boxes manufactured by Handyside between 1879 and 1887 omitted the words POST OFFICE and the VR royal cipher, and these boxes are known as Anonymous as a result. The story goes that it took eight years before the omission was pointed out and rectified, nobody is entirely sure why and it is unlikely that such a significant error could have gone unnoticed for that length of time. We can be sure this example was made after 1887, the Golden Jubilee year, when changes to the box design were introduced - and before 1901 when the old Queen passed.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 27

A large size 'Penfold' post box by the St. Peters Street motorcycle park in Norwich, originally installed in Gentleman's Walk in 1866. In 2001 it was damaged by a vehicle and put in storage, a replica being put in its place. The original, fully renovated box was reinstated in 2019. #PostBoxSaturday

A large size red Penfold-type post box, hexagonal, with stylised leaves and an acanthus bud cast into the cap, a black base section or foot, a few scruffy sticker marks, in St Peters Street Norwich. The aperture and post office crest are in the later positions, with the aperture below the crest. Older boxes had the aperture above the crest which could cause problems for the postie clearing the box. Originally installed in Gentleman's Walk in 1866. In 2001 it was damaged by a vehicle and put in storage, a replica being put in its place. The original, fully renovated box was reinstated in 2019.

These boxes get their name from their designer, J.W. Penfold, an architect and surveyor. The ‘Penfold’ was made by Cochrane, Grove and Co in three sizes and the design lasted for 13 years during which a number of small alterations and improvements were made. From 1874, all letter boxes were painted bright red as opposed to green in order to increase their visibility. Penfold pillar boxes remain very popular and in the late 1980s replica Penfolds were installed at various historical locations and tourist sites.

#PostBoxSaturday

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 19

Framlingham is justifiably proud of its two ancient letter boxes, so much so that one is immortalised on the town sign, erected in 1991 on Market Hill. The town will be familiar to fans of Mackenzie Crook's wonderful BBC TV comedy 'Detectorists' as Danebury. #PostBoxSaturday

The town sign of Framlingham in Suffolk, England. rectangular except for the top edge which is peaked at the centre. At the top, the word 'Framlingham' in gold capital letters with a blue background, following the slight peak shape of the top edge. The top third of the area beneath depicts Framlingham castle which was the seat of the powerful Howard family in the 15th and 16th centuries. The centre section depicts from left to right one of the Handyside post boxes, the town's armorial crest - shield shaped, a gold lion atop six crosses and a green rectangular box - to right the parish pump with its two spouts, at the bottom an image of ducks swimming on Framlingham Mere. The sign was erected in 1991 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Women’s Institute (WI), with funds raised by Framlingham WI. Designed by a collaboration of several Framlingham residents, the decorative sign was crafted by Master Blacksmith, Hector Moore of Brandeston Forge from final drawings by his wife, Mary, who also painted the sign. The armorial crest was designed by local resident Tony Martin and approved by The College of Arms (but never registered due to the expense). In March 1974 the designer generously assigned all interest in and copyright of the design to Framlingham Town Council.

The town was a filming location for the delightful, watch it immediately, BBC TV comedy 'Detectorists' standing in for the fictional rural Essex town of Danebury.. The show's creator Mackenzie Crook is on the record as saying that with hindsight they should just have put 'Danebury' in Suffolk.

A popular musical artiste going by the name Ed Sheeran grew up here, attending Thomas Mills High School. The town is the subject of his hit single "Castle on the Hill".

https://framlinghamhistory.uk/articles/the-history-of-framlingham/

https://visitframlingham.co.uk/about-framlingham-history/

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 19

The pretty market town of Framlingham in Suffolk rightfully claims the two oldest post boxes in use in the UK. They predate the introduction of 'standard' boxes in 1859, having been cast by Andrew Handyside & Son of Derby for the Eastern region of the post office in 1856. #PostBoxSaturday

Photograph of a hexagonal red post box with a vertical aperture and a black base atop a black stone block against a wall which has been painted white with the lower visible quarter in black. Concrete flower pots with pink white and purple flowers either side. This is one of two very early post boxes in the town of Framlingham in Suffolk. They were made for the Eastern Region of the post office in 1856 by Andrew Handyside & Son of Derby at a time when the local post master was responsible for the box design - the 'first national standard' boxes were not introduced until 1859. Both boxes are in their original locations and have been Grade II listed since December 1974. Only one other box of this type survives, in the Museum of Lincolnshire Life in Lincoln. I've not been able to ascertain what accident of history has led to these boxes surviving, somewhat incredibly in the same location; I'm sure there's an interesting story but regardless we are lucky to have them, doing the job they were designed to do for 170 years. Andrew Handyside & Son also made the massive roof spans of St.Pancras station and the footbridge at Kings Cross.

https://www.cvphm.org.uk/history.html

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1030366

https://visitframlingham.co.uk/online-town-trail/victorian-pillar-box-1856-7/

Street scene incorporating a hexagonal red post box with a vertical aperture and a black base atop a black stone block with some weeds emerging to the right. To the left the street sign for 'Mount Pleasant' which is quite apt. behind, a brick wall, a hedge of green ivy, a modern black rubbish bin. This is one of two very early post boxes in the town of Framlingham in Suffolk. They were made for the Eastern Region of the post office in 1856 by Andrew Handyside & Son of Derby at a time when the local post master was responsible for the box design - the 'first national standard' boxes were not introduced until 1859. Both boxes are in their original locations and have been Grade II listed since December 1974. Only one other box of this type survives, in the Museum of Lincolnshire Life in Lincoln. I've not been able to ascertain what accident of history has led to these boxes surviving, somewhat incredibly in the same location; I'm sure there's an interesting story but regardless we are lucky to have them, doing the job they were designed to do for 170 years. Andrew Handyside & Son also made the massive roof spans of St.Pancras station and the footbridge at Kings Cross.

https://www.cvphm.org.uk/history.html

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1199196

https://visitframlingham.co.uk/online-town-trail/victorian-pillar-box-1856-7/

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 12

Two men in business suits playing golf on the roof of Adelaide House in the 1920s. In the background to the left, the Insurance offices that more recently were House of Fraser but are now offices with a Wolseley restaurant on the ground floor. Background to the right, the Monument to the Great Fire of London. A group of people who have ascended the 311 steps to the viewing platform look on.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 12

Then and now. Same building 100 years apart. Different Bridge!

Photo of Adelaide House, technically in King William Street but seen here from a London Bridge vantage point in the 1920s. A crowd has gathered to see something happening on the Thames.

My photo of Adelaide House taken 7th June 2026.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 12

Bonus bonus, I thought the post box photo lent itself to a 'colour-pop' conversion so a bit more Photoshopping and here we are, everything not red is now B&W. Original photo taken 7th June 2026.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 12

Bonus Adelaide House picture. Photoshopped to 'square up' the building in the photograph, it gives me the heebie-jeebies seeing it like this tbqhwy.

photograph of the London Bridge aspect of Adelaide House, a very square, very imposing Art Deco-with Egyptian influence Portland stone faced office block in the City of London. The photographer has used Photoshop to square up the building and doesn't like the cursed image he has created. One might liken it to 'Deep Thought' but London has Senate House for that.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 12

A very different double-aperture letterbox this week - a double type 'G' pillar, a.k.a. two 'G's in an overcoat. This manky example is opposite Adelaide House at the City end of London Bridge. Introduced in 1974 to replace the rust prone type 'F' of 1968, they were made until 1980. #PostBoxSaturday

Red rectangular post box. Two doors, each with its own aperture, collection plate and EIIR royal cypher. This is a 'Double G' post box, which is effectively two type 'G' post boxes placed next to each other with a single 'cap' over both halves, hence 'two 'G's in an overcoat.

The single aperture type 'G' boxes were introduced in 1974 as a more robust replacement for the type 'F' which had been introduced six years previously. The type 'F' was a departure from the familiar British pillar boxes of the previous century, being square in section and made from fabricated steel rather than cast iron. These boxes, designed by David Mellor (who also designed the British traffic lights), introduced features intended to make clearing them easier for the Postman, but the British weather (and dogs out for a walk) was not kind to them and they rusted easily. A 'double' version of this box was also made. There are no type 'F's still in use. The type 'G', also designed by Mellor, was similar in design to the 'F' but reverted to cast iron manufacture. The 'double' version was used in places that might previously have had an oval type 'C' box. They were not popular with the public, being replaced with the modernist cylindrical 'pod' type 'K' in 1980 before the Post Office gave up and reverted to traditional designs in the 1990s and 2000s. I've seen the double 'G' referred to as type 'H' in some quarters. I'm not sure that's correct. After all, the double 'F' boxes were never referred to as type 'G'...

A cyclist passes in front of the entrance to Adelaide House, an art deco office block constructed in the 1920s on King William Street, next to London Bridge where a rectangular red post box can be seen. This is a 'Double G' post box, which is effectively two type 'G' post boxes placed next to each other with a single 'cap' over both halves, hence 'two 'G's in an overcoat.

The single aperture type 'G' boxes were introduced in 1974 as a more robust replacement for the type 'F' which had been introduced six years previously. The type 'F' was a departure from the familiar British pillar boxes of the previous century, being square in section and made from fabricated steel rather than cast iron. These boxes, designed by David Mellor (who also designed the British traffic lights), introduced features intended to make clearing them easier for the Postman, but the British weather (and dogs out for a walk) was not kind to them and they rusted easily. A 'double' version of this box was also made. There are no type 'F's still in use. The type 'G', also designed by Mellor, was similar in design to the 'F' but reverted to cast iron manufacture. The 'double' version was used in places that might previously have had an oval type 'C' box. They were not popular with the public, being replaced with the modernist cylindrical type 'K' in 1980 before the Post Office gave up and reverted to the traditional design. I've seen the double 'G' referred to as type 'H'. I'm not sure about that.

Adelaide House was the first steel framed building in the City of London, opened in the mid 1920s. Art deco with elements of Egyptian influence, reflecting the fascination with the discoveries about ancient Egypt being made at around this time. When new it had a roof terrace with an 18-hole putting green. Beneath are the remains of King William Street station, the terminus of the City and South London Railway, opened in 1890, closed when what is now the Northern line was extended to Moorgate in 1900.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Jun 6

Large dual aperture (Type 'C') letter boxes were introduced in 1899 and are a common sight in places that historically produced a lot of post. This one, near Monument tube station, is a rare example bearing the royal cypher of George VI - only about 30 of these are thought to exist #PostBoxSaturday

A red pillar box with a black base at the junction of Eastcheap and Fish Street Hill, near Wren's Monument to the Great Fire of London, photographed on 5th June 2026. It is of oval section, with two apertures and two collection plates, and has doors at each end of the major axis. This example bears the royal cypher of George VI which makes it something of a rarity. These large boxes are designated Type 'C'. An expensive, specialized casting reserved strictly for high-volume mail zones, they were introduced in 1899 and intended to help pre-sort mail into the destinations “LONDON and ABROAD” and “COUNTRY”. Many early boxes of this type can be seen in the 'square mile' of the City of London, the financial centre generating large quantities of mail - examples bearing the royal cypher of old Queen Victoria, or of Edward VII being quite common. An exercise to replace all single aperture boxes in central London with doubles was undertaken in the 1960s so as to better handle the vast quantity of mail the capital produced saw the arrival of many new examples of type 'C' boxes, bearing the royal cypher of Queen Elizabeth II. This sadly led to the loss of many historic c19th boxes. Boxes of this type from the three other kings of the 20th century are much rarer than the VR, EVIIR and ER types. No boxes of this type bearing the cypher of Edward VIII were made. Around 100-150 George V Type 'C' boxes are known, the rarest Type 'C' cypher being that of George VI - only about 30 of these exist.

A close up of the royal cypher of George VI on a red Type 'C' pillar box. photographed on 5th June 2026. These post boxes are of oval section, with two apertures and two collection plates, and have two doors, in this case at each end of the major axis. These large boxes were an expensive, specialized casting reserved strictly for high-volume mail zones; they were introduced in 1899 and intended to help pre-sort mail into the destinations “LONDON and ABROAD” and “COUNTRY”. Many early boxes of this type can be seen in the 'square mile' of the City of London, the financial centre generating large quantities of mail - examples bearing the royal cypher of old Queen Victoria, or of Edward VII being quite common. An exercise to replace all single aperture boxes in central London with doubles was undertaken in the 1960s so as to better handle the vast quantity of mail the capital produced. This saw the arrival of many new examples of type 'C' boxes, bearing the royal cypher of Queen Elizabeth II and sadly led to the loss of many historic c19th boxes. Boxes of this type from the three other kings of the 20th century are much rarer than the VR, EVIIR and ER types. No boxes of this type were cast bearing the cypher of Edward VIII. Around 100-150 George V boxes are known, the rarest Type 'C' cypher being that of George VI - only about 30 of these exist.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 30

A Penfold style postbox in Monmouth snapped in March 2025. Pretty, but a replica. A pattern was taken from a genuine example, and around 100 copies were subsequently placed in 'picturesque' locations in the UK in the late 1980s. #PostBoxSaturday

Red "Penfold" style post box in Monmouth. The base is black. Hexagonal when viewed from above. On the cap are stylised leaves and a centrally positioned acanthus bud which is sometimes missing on these boxes. The words 'post office' to the left and right of the aperture are picked out in black, the royal cypher of old Queen Victoria, the post office crest below the aperture and the word "Letters" on the flap covering the aperture are picked out in gold, which is overdoing it a bit. This is a replica box, one of around 100 copies made in the late 1980s. The "tell" is that the replicas do not have the maker's name cast into the base ("Carron" on the genuine article). At one time there will have been a small stainless steel plaque on the base detailing the inauthentic nature of the article, but these were glued on and as is often the case, this box no longer has one. The replica boxes were placed in pretty locations in picturesque towns which means if your town doesn't have one you're almost certainly living in a shithole. You are more likely to see a genuine Penfold letter box than one of these copies.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 25

Rowlett. Cadillac of toasters. Serviceable - if the element dies you can get new ones. It IS quite big...

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 23

Post boxes from the brief reign of King Edward VIII are pretty rare, but Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire goes one better with an Edward VIII post office. The nearest letter box is a double-aperture type 'C' painted gold to honour canoeist Ed McKeever's 2012 Olympic Gold Medal success. #PostBoxSaturday

Former post office in The Shambles in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. Sandstone colour. Timber framed windows at the top and bottom of the frame. Between the upper and lower storey windows is the royal cypher of Edward VIII and the date 1936.

A double aperture 'type C' post box in The Shambles in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. It bears the royal cypher of Queen Elizabeth II on both doors and has been painted gold to honour canoeist Ed McKeever's Olympic Gold Medal success in 2012.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 23

A very fine and rare Victorian fluted post box with a vertical aperture near to the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum on Ball's Road, Birkenhead, 4th June 2019. #PostBoxSaturday

Red Victorian fluted post box that could easily be mistaken for a bollard. This one has a vertical aperture and can be found near to the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum on Ball's Road, Birkenhead. It bears the royal cypher of old Queen Victoria. My picture, taken 4th June 2019.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 16

A wall box bearing the royal cypher of Queen Victoria in Cranbrook, Kent, 18th August 2024. Recently repainted, not all of the paint has made it onto the box. #PostBoxSaturday

A red post box installed in an old brick wall seen in Cranbrook, in the Weald of Kent, on a sunny day in August 2024. The box bears the royal cypher of old Queen Victoria and bears the name of the manufacturer B. P. Walker, Eagle Foundry Birmingham. It appears to have been recently repainted and some red paint has dripped onto the bricks below.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 10

New insult just dropped

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 9

At the Letter Box Study Group's outing to the Post Office Museum's stores in Debden. Cor! #PostBoxSaturday

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 2

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· May 2

Henley-on-Thames, 11th April 2026. #PostBoxSaturday

Red post box with the royal cypher of King George V on a brick path with a flower bed and a tree in the background. Henley-on-Thames Saturday 11 April 2026.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Apr 25

The Leas, Minster. #PostBoxSaturday

Modern red lamp type post box on The Leas, Minster, Isle of Sheppey, 18th April 2026. A signpost directs cyclists to the seafront. In the foreground, green grass. Background of sea and sky. There's a parkrun here, 9am every Saturday, you should give it a go.

Scissorbeans@spudgun67· Apr 24

A fine evening for a pilgrimage to the new @englishheritage.bsky.social blue plaque to the Astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, which was affixed to 70 Lansdowne Road - a short walk from Holland Park tube - on 22nd April 2026. The author of the most significant. astrophysics PhD of the 20th century.