The Post Box

The humble postbox is often overlooked and taken for granted as a facility for depositing mail to be distributed all around the country, or even the world, by the Royal Mail postal service. In the UK little is known about the origins of the iconic bright red postbox, which before the inception of the Internet, was once a beacon of communication, dotted around towns and cities; often relied upon in order to keep friends and families in touch with one another, at a time before travel became common place, communicating news of births, deaths and marriages, as well as facilitating business transactions. Now the bright red postbox is very often unheeded, unless looked for.

It is widely believed that the origins of the very first postbox can be traced back to Paris, to as far back as 1653, when the first postbox was installed in France’s capital city. The postbox was then to become far more widely used across the country over the proceeding 200 years, and so by the year 1829, there were far more postboxes to be found in France, not just in Paris, but all across the country, as the postbox became the very first communication network, both convenient and expedient, to establish itself at that time.

The very first postbox made available for public use was located in Poland and installed in Warsaw, much later than those deployed in Paris, in the year of 1842. In Britain, the oldest postbox is believed to be that which was installed in Wakefield in West Yorkshire, it is dated 1809; indicating that the postal network came to Britain considerably later than the inception of the postbox across the English channel in France, over one hundred and fifty years previously. This very early example of what is thought to be the first postbox installed in Britain is now on proud display at the Wakefield museum.

Throughout history, the style of the postbox has changed, and in 1852 the first pillar box postbox was installed in Jersey. And so, just a year after the first pillar box had been erected in Jersey, the first pillar style postbox found it’s way to Britain, and from there the postal network flourished, with postboxes of different shapes and sizes making an appearance just four years later, as wall boxes installed in roadside locations began to spring up around rural districts, proving to be a far cheaper alternative to the iconic freestanding vibrant red pillar style postbox that has come to be synonymous with the British postal network today.

Imagine a world without letter boxes, with nowhere to safely and securely store your personal mail, it’s not a common concern amongst the general population, because like many everyday objects, the letter box is very often overlooked, and under valued. The letter box is something that we all take for granted, but we would struggle to live without.

But fear not, it is highly unlikely that the letter box will ever become extinct, but that is largely because it is a much needed and crucial communication tool; it maybe under appreciated but a letter box is a portal to a private and safe place for all your documents, letters, cards and bills (which you might be less inclined to feel the need to keep safe!) but let’s face it, there really are very few people who could live without their own secure letter box and the peace of mind that it provides.

So that is precisely why here at Mailbox Mania, we can help you to find exactly the right kind of letter box that will suit your everyday needs; we worry about the business of letter boxes, so that you don’t have to.

Whether you are a business that is looking to secure the mail you receive to your business address, perhaps with a lockable letter box that ensures your personal business post is kept safe and secure, accessible only to key holders, or maybe you need an extra large capacity letter box that is capable of receiving larger quantities of mail, or even if you are a homeowner who is just looking for a particular type of letter box, perhaps one that is unique, or durable and secure, one that you can trust to house your personal post, then Mailbox Mania is here to help you to find the right letter box solution that will meet your individual needs.

With a vast range of letter boxes available to choose from, and including a variety of shapes and sizes, made from a number of different materials, such as high grade plastic, steel and stainless steel or even cast aluminium letter boxes, as well as newspaper holders, or multi-occupancy and through the wall letter boxes, all available to choose from our range, with Mailbox Mania you can be sure that you will find the right kind of letter box to suit you, from a number of different options that are available now to order online.

Even with the phenomenal growth of e-mail as a communication tool, millions of letters are sent every day.  Marketing managers use internet marketing tools for promoting their products, but direct mail to send out information about products is often still used.  Letter boxes are not yet completely out of vogue and snail mail is still used in many situations for sending fliers and magazines.   There will always be a demand for letter boxes while snail mail is used.  Financial service companies such as banks also use snail mail to send confidential documents and new credit and debit cards and a letter box is needed to receive the letters and packages.  Research has shown that consumers often prefer to receive correspondence by snail mail and that many people ignore unsolicited emails and consider it as spam.

If you work from home, you may find a letter box useful so that you can receive mail when you are not in the house.   People who are out at work during the day need a letter box for receiving mail when the postman makes his delivery.  He needs to be sure that you receive your mail safely so it is your responsibility to provide a suitable letter box.

People are shopping on line more often these days, and even if you are not at home to receive parcels which will not fit in the letter box the postman will need a place to leave a card to let you know that he tried to deliver.

Apartment and office blocks often have a multi occupancy letter box in the lobby so that the postman does not have to deliver to every individual property.   This is vey convenient for the postman and for the occupants as they do not have to have a letter box in the door, which could cause problems in some high crime areas.  Each resident has a key to a letter box which is labelled with their name so that they can collect the mail from the box at a time which is convenient to them.

The original reason why letter boxes were introduced was that they reduced the workload for the postman.  As the Royal Mail developed, it was thought that letter boxes would reduce the postman’s time in finding the householder at home to receive their mail.  Instead of handing the mail to the recipient, he could just drop the mail through the letter box. The introduction of the letter box was effectively a cost cutting and productivity exercise.

Letter boxes were introduced in the UK in 1849 and there is still a place for them in the modern world. Even if you do most of your communication through electronic means, you will still need a letter box to be able to receive letters and cards.  The style of letter box you use is a personal preference, but it must be convenient and accessible for the postman. Letter boxes are convenient and save time and money.

There is a bewildering variety of post boxes available, so when you want to purchase a post box, you have lots of designs, styles and materials to choose from.   It will depend on what type of property you need the post box for as to which you will buy.  There are four basic designs of post boxes. A simple slot in the door is the most popular design for urban properties and can be seen in most front doors in the UK.  This design of post box is also known as a letter plate. They are easy to fit and provide good access for the postman to deliver your letters.  The slot in the door post box must be well fitted so that there are no draughts which will allow heat loss from your property.  If a retaining spring on the post box breaks, then it is better to replace the whole letter box so that it does not rattle in the wind.  You can also purchase indoor letter cages to complement your letter box so that mail pushed through the door does not fall on the floor.  The slot letter box can be made of aluminium, stainless or galvanised steel and can be fitted in uPVC or wooden doors.

The second design of letter box is a box attached to your property, gate or wall.  There are many styles of letter box of this design.  Some have rear retrieval options with a mail chute which may be more convenient in some situations.  Other letter boxes are large capacity specifically designed for newspapers and large letters.  The box design of a post box can be lockable, anti arson and made of a number of steel, cast aluminium or plastic, depending on your requirements.

Post boxes which are located on the street or at the end of a drive in remote areas are normally mounted on a post or wall.  Some post boxes are built into a wall and have a letter plate and lockable front panel.  There are models of post boxes which have their own mount and are easily installed.  Free standing post boxes of this type are made of steel or cast aluminium, are weatherproof and durable.

Multi occupancy post boxes are designed for buildings which are occupied by different residents such as an apartment block, or a commercial property which is rented by a number of companies. Individual residents will want to make sure that mail is delivered to the correct address within the building, and the easiest way is to have a multi occupancy post box on the ground floor. Each resident has access to his / her post box and are provided with a key by the management company which looks after the communal areas of the building.

Whatever your requirements for a post box you will be able to find a design, style and colour to suit your purpose.  By shopping around, you will be able to find the best price within your budget.  There are many companies offering post boxes on the internet.

Letter boxes are typically mounted on or near the front door of a property, or are slits in the door into which the postman can put the letters.  For those living in remote areas this may not be an option as gates may be locked while you are out at work and the postman may not be able to get to the front door.  In these circumstances, letter boxes may be mounted on gates or in the walls of gate posts.  Letter boxes can even be built into walls.  It will make it easier for the postman if he does not have to drive up long tracks and driveways to deliver your letters.

With properties in rural areas, security of your mail is a concern as letter boxes located away from the property are vulnerable.  Mail can be stolen or letter boxes vandalised.  If you are concerned about this, you can fit anti arson letter boxes which have in-built systems to put out a fire so that it cannot spread to other areas.  All mail boxes should have a key, and additional protection can be provided by the addition of a CCTV installation. If you are concerned about security, then you may have a CCTV surveillance system in any case, and an additional camera to monitor who comes to the gate and takes an interest in your letter box will cost very little.

Fitting a letter box to your gate or wall is easy. There are several styles available and materials can vary from stainless steel to cast iron in a range of colours.  Large capacity letter box specifically for mounting on gates or railings are available and most are sold with all the fitments you will need.  They are rear retrieval, have fire extinguishers and locks for maximum security.   Cast aluminium letter boxes are very stylish and add a bit of class to your front gate or railings.  Letter boxes built into the wall can have mail shutes to take the contents away from the mail slot.  These are also available with built in fire extinguishers and are available in a variety of colours.

Some householders in remote areas do not use a letter box at all, but the postman just opens the porch door and throws the mail in.  This is fine where there is a further interior door which is locked, but in low crime areas, it is still not unusual to leave doors unlocked. It is much better to have a letter box to receive your mail.  Letter boxes make sure that your letters stay together and prevent them from being damaged.  An internal mail cage on the back of the letter box can catch the mail so it does not fall to the floor.

If you live in a remote area where the letter box is not easily accessible, some thought should be given to installing a letter box on the gate or railings or in the wall.  It will make life easier for the postman delivering your letters.

Despite the use of email for many communications, many companies and organisations still prefer to send paper communications, and this means that there is still a requirement letter boxes. Banks, lawyers, financial services, tax authorities and other public services still prefer to send snail mail and the recipient needs some kind of letter box so that the mail can be delivered.

Domestic letter boxes are generally a box on the wall or a slot in the door designed for a limited amount of mail.  There are large capacity mail boxes available and letter boxes specifically designed for newspapers.  Residential users are typically at work when mail is being delivered, so a letter box is essential or mail will have to be collected from the post office.   With the increase in on line shopping, parcels are often delivered when the addressee is out and a card is left in the letter box advising that a parcel is waiting at the post office.

People who work from home find letter boxes useful for receiving payment for work carried out and contracts for work which it may not be possible to send electronically.   There is a growth in the number of people working from home, and they all need a communications system either with head office or, if they are self employed, with their clients.

Mail order companies rely on goods and services being delivered to homes and businesses and a letter box is essential Multi occupancy letter boxes are usually installed in commercial premises where there are several organisations.  This type of letter box is also used in apartment blocks.

The Royal Mail is responsible for ensuring that correspondence is delivered to the right addressee, and letter boxes must be available for them to place the mail. Letter boxes make the postman’s job much easier as he does not have to wait around for someone to be at home or in the office before he can hand over the mail.

Where confidential information is sent though the post by banks and other financial organisations, letter boxes are essential.  These types of organisations do not correspond by email, often due to technological difficulties with firewalls. Public bodies such as the tax authorities and passport office do not use email either, often for the same reasons.  If they want to ensure that the customers receive their correspondence, the humble letter box plays a great part in the process of mail delivery.  If the mail has been sent by recorded or registered post and must be signed for, again the postman can leave a note in the letter box asking the recipient to collect from the post office.

Letter boxes are, then, still used by a wide range of people for all kinds of reasons.  From multi national organisations in the corporate sector to the individual domestic user, letter boxes essential and are here to stay. There are reasons to have a letter box if you want to remain in contact with the outside world!

Letter boxes are generally sold in hardware stores, but there are specialist shops in some towns. The growth of internet shopping also includes letter boxes for sale on line.  You can see the types and styles of letter boxes on line before visiting your local hardware store, or you can order direct from the internet. Some companies offer next day delivery if you order before noon, which is a quick and efficient way of purchasing a letter box and saves you having to search the high street shops which may not offer you such a wide range of letter boxes. Basic letter boxes are often available in larger supermarkets and stores but may not be such good quality as those sold by specialist retailers.

Do  it yourself and outdoor leisure stores often have letter boxes for sale at very reasonable prices.  It will depend on where you live as to whether there are such outlets in your area.  If you live in a remote area with few shops, it may be easier to go on line to select your new letter box.  On line stores often have special offers and discounts available, giving you even more options for purchasing your new letter box.  You can pay on line through a secure payment site. Most internet stores offer a range of ways to pay such as via Paypal or providing your credit card details.   There are often several delivery options, so if you want to receive your new letter box quickly, you can select a fast delivery service.  If you are not in a hurry, you can choose the standard delivery option.

Prices of letter boxes can range from as little as £17 for a letter plate which fits on your door or gate to over £300 for a top of the range large capacity rear retrieval letter box which can be mounted on a free standing post.  It will depend on your requirements, budget you have available and even how easy it is to fit.

Your mail box is important as it provides one of method of communicating with the outside world.    If you live in a multi occupancy building, you may not have a choice as to the type or colour of letter box you have.  It will already be in situ. However, for individual residences, as with any purchase, you will have certain criteria which your letter box must meet. You may want a certain colour, a style which complements the design of your property, or a large capacity letter box if you receive large quantities of mail or packages. You will certainly want the letter box to be weatherproof so that your letters are not spoiled. There is a wide variety of letter boxes available and it will depend on whether local retailers sell what you need. Alternatively, you may choose to purchase your new letter box on line in any case. Finding a local supplier might prove time consuming if you live in a remote area, and it may be more cost effective to buy over the internet.

Letter boxes are available in many styles and can complement your property.  Cast iron ornamental letter boxes look more attractive in the environment of an old cottage than a modern stainless steel letterbox. The colour of the letter box can also be made to fit with the environment, and ornamental cast iron letter boxes are available in black, white and green.  Cast aluminium letter boxes with rear retrieval can be recessed into a wall or a pillar outside your country cottage and can be embellished with your own design on the front.   Letter boxes which are designed for outside the building should be weather and vandal proof.  Brushed stainless steel post boxes do not corrode and will last for many years.  They may not, however, suit your style of building, so you may decide on a heavy duty cast aluminium letter box which has anti corrosive and rust properties.

Stainless steel letter boxes are better suited to more modern buildings and some styles have newspaper holders which are very useful.  If you have a lot of newspapers delivered, they will often not fit in the standard letter box.

Letter boxes designed for multi occupancy buildings can also complement the style of the building. Large capacity boxes with individual lockable sections and fitted with fire extinguishers are suitable for putting outside apartment or office blocks.  More traditional multi occupancy post boxes for use outside or inside the building can be mounted on a post.  The most common style of letter box used in a multi occupancy premises is a bank of horizontal stainless steel letter boxes inside the foyer of the building.  There are other styles of post boxes designed for use in multi occupancy buildings which look like stackable box files and are vertical with openings at the top or in the front of the box.

The traditional style of letter box in the UK is either a slot in the front door of domestic premises or square boxes located to the side of the door.  If the building is in a remote area, letter boxes may be mounted on a post, but again are generally square.  Letter boxes in the United States are very distinctive in their curved design and often have a lever which is raised when the mail has been delivered.

Whatever the style of letter boxes, whether they are for modern individual buildings, cottages, or for multi occupancy premises, they must be secure.  Security of mail is very important, and some letter boxes have built in fire extinguishers in case someone tries to set fire to the contents.  Most letter boxes are lockable and with the person to whom the mail is addressed being the only key holder.

A letter box which complements the style of your property is a nice finishing touch, and can be unobtrusive to its surroundings, while being obvious to the postman about where to deliver your mail.   Selecting your new letter box from all the styles available can be a lengthy business.   You are spoilt for choice!

Security of your mail is very important, especially when documents containing your personal information are sent through the post and delivered through your letter box. There is a growing number of cases of identity theft when mail has been fished out of letter boxes and information used to access bank accounts, apply for credit cards and even apply for passports. There are anti arson letter boxes available which are designed to extinguish any fire started in the letter box and also prevent the documents from reigniting. Lockable letter boxes may deter all but the most determined criminal, and there are guards available can be installed on the letter box so that the perpetrator cannot see much when they look inside. With a traditional letter box which is a slot in the door, the mail will fall on the floor, so a would-be thief will not be able to retrieve your mail by hand. Use only good quality letter boxes which are not easily removable from their fixings,

There are various other ways to protect your mail, such as ensuring that the incoming mail does not stay in the letter box for very long. This is easy to monitor if you are at home all day, but the postman will inevitably call when you are at work, so the documents will remain in the letter box all day, giving a potential thief an opportunity to steal them.

If you are expecting important documents from the bank, for example, you can arrange to have it delivered by registered post to your place of work. If this is not possible, then you can ask the post office to hold any registered mail so that you can collect it. Having a lockable letter box or an anti arson letter box will go some way to protect mail delivered to your letter box and give you peace of mind that your mail is less likely to be tampered with.

You should report any instances of suspected mail theft, tampering with your letter box, destruction of your mail or attempts at arson to the Royal Mail. If you are going on holiday, you can ask the Royal Mail to hold your letters for a specific period. If you are expecting a bank statement or cheque book and it does not arrive, contact your bank.

The growing trend of identify theft is very worrying and you should take as many precautions as possible to prevent your mail from being stolen from your letter box. In remote areas letter boxes may be situated at the end of long drives and cannot be seen from the house giving a potential thief a further opportunity to steal your mail. Familiarise yourself with the postman’s routine and delivery times and retrieve the mail as soon as possible after delivery so that your mail does not remain in the letter box for long. Make it as difficult as possible for a potential thief to retrieve the mail from your letter box by having a lockable mail box and from being destroyed by fire by having an anti arson letter box.

Letter boxes are part of life, and are often something we take for granted. They are, however, one of the ways we communicate with the outside world, as mail delivered to our property can be important – though a lot of junk mail is delivered as well!

We do not often give a thought about our letter box, what it is made of or what style or colour it is. All we think about is receiving our mail. However, there is a wide range of colours of letter boxes on the market and if the letter box is fixed to your front door, you might want to consider how aesthetically pleasing it is. When developers are building new properties, they will not often consider the style of letter box required, but install a standard front door with a slot design. In new buildings, the letter box will be of a colour to complement the colour of the front door. This can of course be changed at a later date.

There are four basic designs of letter boxes - a simple slot in the door, a box attached directly on to your house, a Post Box on the street and a unit which is designed for multi occupancy buildings which provides letter boxes for individual residents. The letter Boxes can be made from stainless steel, aluminium, cast iron, uPVC and even plastic. Within the basic four designs, there are different styles of letter boxes to suit the style of your home.

The simple slot in the door design of letter box is generally a standard size of 30cm by 5cm (12 inches by 2 inches) to accept the standard A4 envelope. These letter boxes are available in uPVC, steel and aluminium to suit the style of your front door. There are also different colours of letter boxes. A slot design of Letterbox is often pre-fitted into a new door, whether it is uPVC or of timber construction. However, you may at some stage want to change the letter box, due to it becoming damaged or has started to rattle. It is relatively easy to amend the size of a timber door, should the new letter box be slightly larger, but it is not so easy to resize a uPVC door, and you may need to call in a professional to get his advice.

Letter boxes which are attached to the wall beside the door can be of many styles and colours and you will have more choice. There is also a wider range of materials used in constructing the letter box and of course it will be much easier to change. There are letter boxes available with newspaper holders built in, large capacity newspaper letter boxes, letter boxes which are more stylish made from non corrosive plastic, and letter boxes made from decorative cast aluminium which is more suitable for an older style property.

All letter boxes should be weather proof. If you live by the coast you may want to consider a letter box made from non corrosive materials so that your letter box does not rust and allow water in which will damage your mail.