The private letter boxes that we take for granted these days were first seen in Paris in the late 18th century, and only made it across the Channel in the mid-19th century; before the mail was delivered to the local post office for collection. When the postman doing his rounds first came on the scene in the UK, he would actually knock on the door to give the post directly to the householder. On much of the continent and in North America, the preference has always been for external metal post boxes, either mounted on the side of a house or on a post. In the USA they often have a flag on them that the postman flips to let the householder know that they have mail to collect.
Until recently these external post boxes were rare in the UK, although multi-tenancy buildings like apartments in city centres such as London would have individual mailboxes in the entrance way to the property, and this practice is still common. External mail boxes are starting to become more widely seen these days in the UK at domestic properties, as they have several advantages over the traditional slot in the front door - and they can also be a decorative addition to the house.
Here at Mailbox Mania we stock all kinds of letter boxes, newspaper boxes and even boxes designed to take parcels. From moulded Victorian styles right through to the most uber chic stainless steel post boxes we have the right look to complement your home at affordable prices.
In the UK it is traditional for every front door to have letter boxes integrated into them so the post and newspapers are put through, and all you have to do is pick them up off the floor in your hallway. In most other European countries the post is put into post boxes attached to the wall of houses that are directly on the street, or to the boundary wall or fence near to the gate. In fact in France, for instance, there are strict rules about how high the post boxes must be set; this is so the postman doesn’t have to get out of his van to pop the post into the mailbox.
However, if you live in the UK and you have a house with a long drive and electric gates, one thing you really do not want to have to do is get up to open the gates for the postman every morning. The obvious solution is to have a durable, strong mailbox fitted outside the gates to your drive. This way the postman doesn’t have to disturb you and you can collect your mail when it suits you. Indeed external post boxes are becoming increasingly popular with many people in the UK as they have other benefits.
With an external post box for your letters and newspapers your front door is far more effective at keeping in heat, as letter boxes are invariably draughty. Plus no one can put anything like fireworks, for example, into your house. Of course the majority of us are unlikely to be the victim of an arson attack, but kids can, and will, do silly things. One of the other benefits that our clients report to us here at Mailbox Mania is that they actually get less hand delivered junk post, and that alone could be worth installing one of our mailboxes.
Puppies are adorable but they really do need training, and some breeds are easier to train than others. However there are some dogs that can never be trained out of certain strange habits, and for many it is shredding paper. While this may not be too bad if you have read the morning newspaper before they get hold of it, it is really annoying when they start to recognise when it is coming through the letter box - and learn to get there first. When they also savage absolutely anything that comes through letter boxes then you need to do something that means you actually get your post in one piece.
External post boxes that you fix onto a wall near your front door or even on your gate are a good looking and practical solution. Here at Mailbox Mania we have all kinds of letter boxes made from robust materials like steel to stand up to years of service. Of course you will want one that fits in with the look of your home and your personal taste but with lots to choose from we are sure that you will find something that fits the bill.
Naturally, the puppy who has developed a big dog taste for the post may go on to find other paper products, but at least you will have saved the post. Vital documents in the post - and even potential birthday gifts can be salvaged with a strong and durable post box.
