Edward VIII Post Box in east gable wall of Forgandenny Post Office

A 1936 wall mounted Ludlow-style cast iron post box, probably made by James Ludlow and Son of Birmingham. It is encased within a white painted timber frame built into a former window opening in the east gable elevation of Forgandenny Post Office.

The red painted rectangular box is 29 inches high and has a letter box slot with the 'E R' cipher and a crown in its upper third. The lower two thirds consist of a right hinged access door with a lock and an integral white enamelled sign below. The enamel sign also has the 'E R' cipher and a crown and reads 'POST OFFICE LETTER BOX, Notice: Letters containing coin, paper money or jewellery should not be posted in this box, but should be registered.' There is a separate small frame with collection times to the upper right.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: the Forgandenny Post Office, Post Office House and Forgandenny Garage.

Historical development

Edward VIII came to the throne on 20th January 1936. He reigned for less than a year before his abdication on 10th December 1936.

The Ludlow-style of wall post boxes are so called because they were made by James Ludlow and Son of Birmingham (1885-1965). They were more economical than the large pillar boxes and were primarily installed at sub post offices. Many have been lost through the closure of the sub post office buildings which they served.

The Ludlow-style boxes did not carry the royal cyphers for Edward VII or Edward VIII, however, the two types are discernible from each other by different design details. The Edward VII boxes are 27 inches tall and the Edward VIII boxes are 2 inches taller at 29 inches. The Edward VIII boxes also had the double line warning notice added to the enamelled sign which reads 'Notice: Letters containing coin, paper money or jewellery should not be posted in this box, but should be registered.'