The Tale of three pillar boxes

The Tale of three pillar boxes Written by Pam Preedy. Sometimes big changes to our lives come from solving simple problems. Letters were at the heart of a revolution in communications. In 1840, Sir Rowland Hill proposed an adhesive stamp indicating the pre-payment of postage – the Penny Black. He thought this would double the number of letters sent – which it did. At first correspondents had to take their stamped letters to the Post Office or collection point. The next change was to introduce post boxes or pillar boxes.…

Handling the Volume of Mail – 1914-1918

Handling the Volume of Mail – 1914-1918 Written by Pam Preedy. In the first half of the 20th century the Royal Mail and the Post Office counter service, which provided essential services such as dealing with stamps, and paying the old age pensions, were all incorporated and came under the title of the General Post Office. Even before the First World War, the Post Office employed over 250,000 people, handling 5.9 billion items of post. At that time there were up to four deliveries a day. A letter posted in…

Complaints about Food Waste, 1941

Looks like complaints about food waste is not a new phenomenon.  Although it seems comical now, this complaint printed in the Bromley & District newspaper in February 1941 shows a real disgust at the thought of people wasting their unwanted sandwiches! Coats Off I dunno. Some people don’t realise there is a war on. Three times a week somebody leaves a packet of fresh sandwiches in a public convenience in Sidcup.  On the floor, too – so they are to all intents spoiled. We journalists (hum!) like to weave stories…

TRIBUTE TO CIVIL DEFENCE SERVICES

To the Editor Sir,- I should much like to express through the medium of your paper, our deep appreciation of the great work being done by all the Civil Defence Services. The tireless devotion to duty and the splendid courage of the men and women in all branches of the Home Defence organisations can never be adequately expressed in words, and this fine spirit is an inspiration to all who have the honour to know them and benefit by their splendid and gallant efforts in the cause of humanity. God…

Tea-Time Gossip

As written in the Bromley & District News on 27th September, 1940 (page 2) Under the Bed A near-by A.A. gun of terrific calibre has brought down a large piece out of one of our ceilings.  Someone said to me, “I do think they ought to warn us” I replied, “Don’t be such a fool.  Do you expect them to knock on the door and say ‘Please we are about to let off a gun,’ as if they just wanted to turn off the water?”  However, one piece of ceiling…

A Trench View of Air Raids & Reprisals

20th July 1917, page 5 A TRENCH VIEW OF AIR RAIDS AND REPRISALS Sergeant J Gutteridge, of Bromley, was never a pessimist, as our readers have had a number of occasions to know – the men give a lead in cheerfulness and solid confidence which could well be followed by a great many at home – and his view on the subject of air raids and reprisals which is occupying so much civilian attention is worth reading. We are sorry he is wounded, and glad it is only slightly. We…

I came to think of him as a ‘friend’ – Letters of Gutteridge

From the beginning of 1917, letters from John Gutteridge rarely appear in the paper. Whether this was because there were more pressing matters report such as problems on the Home Front, as food prices and availability became more difficult and there was a growing number of regulations regarding food production and distribution (although rationing was not introduced, though frequently threatened, until 1918) and there was a lack of space. Or whether John Gutteridge was just not having the time or inclination to write, we shall never know. In 1917, there was…

The boys did justice to the food provided by the Colonel

26th January 1918, page 2 STILL CHEERY AND BRIGHT Sergeant Gutteridge, of the West Kents, writes home another of his cheerful letters , in which he says they are all merry and bright. “Had a great time yesterday. The company had a dinner and concert. The boys did justice to the food provided by the Colonel of the regiment, and the concert was a great success, the chief item being an original chorus by the sergeants of ‘B’ Company, entitled, ‘ The Nine Point Two,’ which caused some fun. Today…

Another Christmas out here, but we live in hopes of Frits giving in before long

20th October 1916, page 3 SERGEANT GUTTERIDGE STILL GOING STRONG ON CHEERFULNESS Look like having another Christmas out here, but we live in hopes of Frits giving in before long. Dear Sir, _  Still we live, and no complaints.  More work than worry at present. We have been having a fairly good time these last (few) weeks, football, boxing &c., being our chief items with the regiment.  We have now turned our attention to the more serious part of the programme, and are now leaving Frits with a decent few…