The Old Postmen

Boston's oldest Post Box? It has an Edward VII (reigned from 1901 to 1910) crest.

The old postmen of Boston wore a navy blue uniform with red piping and a flat topped hat which had a peak both back and front to shield off the rain. In bad weather they had large and heavy oilskin capes to protect themselves and the mail they carried. The mail was carried in large, heavy canvas haversacks and in the dark they also had a small oil lamp hanging on their tunics. In the years of long ago the Postmen always rang the doorbell or rapped on the knocker when they put letters through the letterbox. There were three deliveries each day, early morning, around mid-day and at about seven in the evening. On Sundays there was only one delivery around nine o'clock.

The parcel post was carried around in large basket-work trucks with lids covered with oilskin to keep of the rain. These trucks were also used to convey mail to the Railway Station to connect to certain trains. Later on three-wheel basket cycles were brought into use both for the parcel delivery and for the station work.