Post box:

A post box (British English and others, also written postbox), (in the U.S. and Canada, collection box, mailbox, or drop box) is a physical box intended for use by the general public in order to collect outgoing mail (mail sent to a destination). The term Post box can also refer to a private letter box for incoming mail.

History of post boxes

Europe

In 1653, the first post boxes are believed to have been installed in Paris, France.^[1] By 1829, post boxes were in use throughout France.^[2]

In Britain the first pillar post boxes were erected in Jersey in 1852. Roadside wall boxes first appeared in 1857 as a cheaper alternative to pillar boxes, especially in rural districts. In 1853 the first pillar box on the British mainland was erected at Botchergate, Carlisle. In 1856 Richard Redgrave of the Department of Science and Art designed an ornate pillar box for use in London and other large cities. In 1859 the design was improved, and this became the first National Standard pillar box. Green was adopted as the standard colour for the early Victorian post boxes. Between 1866 and 1879 the hexagonal Penfold post box became the standard design for pillar boxes and it was during this period that red was first adopted as the standard colour. The first boxes to be painted red were in London in July 1874, although it would be nearly 10 years before all the boxes had been repainted.^[3]

The first public letter boxes (post boxes) in Russia appeared in 1848 in St. Petersburg.^{[citation needed]} They were made of wood and iron. Because these boxes were lightweight and easy to steal, they disappeared frequently; later boxes were made of cast iron and could weigh up to 45 kilograms.^{[citation needed]}

North America

The United States Post Office Department began installing public mail collection boxes in the 1850s outside post offices and on street corners in large cities. Collection boxes were initially mounted on lamp-posts.^[4] As mail volume grew, the Post Office Department gradually replaced these small boxes with larger models. The four-footed, free-standing U.S. Mail collection box was first suggested in 1894, following the successful use of such designs in Canada, and quickly became a fixture on U.S. city street corners.^[4]^[5] Unlike Canadian mailboxes, which were painted red^[6], U.S. mail collection boxes were originally painted a dark green to avoid confusion with emergency and fire equipment, then to red and blue in the 1950s, and finally, all-blue with contrasting lettering.^[5]^[7] The coming of the automobile also influenced U.S. mailbox design, and in the late 1930s, an extension chute or 'snorkel' to drive-up curbside collection boxes was adopted.^[4]

Types of post boxes

Some countries have different coloured postboxes; in countries such as Australia, Portugal, and Russia, the colour indicates which type of mail a box is to be used for, such as 1st and 2nd class post. However, in Germany and parts of Sweden, because of postal deregulation, the different colours are for the different postal services. For example, in Germany, yellow is for Deutsche Post (the incumbent) and blue for the private companies, such as, Morgenpost Briefservice in Germany.^[8] Other nations use a particular colour to indicate common political or historical ties.^[9]

Post boxes or mailboxes located outdoors are designed to keep mail secure and protected from weather. Some boxes have a rounded or slanted top or a downturned entry slot to protect mail from rain or snow.^[10]^[5] Locks are fitted for security, so mail can be retrieved only by official postal employees, and the box will ordinarily be constructed so as to resist damage from vandalism, forcible entry, or other causes.^[11]^[10]^[5] Bright colours are often used to increase visibility and prevent accidents and injuries.^[12]^[13] Entry openings are designed to allow the free deposit of mail, yet prevent retrieval via the access slot by unauthorised persons.^[5]^[14]

Clearance

Post boxes are emptied ("cleared") at times usually listed on the box in a TOC, Times of Collection, plate affixed to the box. In metropolitan areas, this might be once or twice a day. Busy boxes might be cleared at other times to avoid overflowing, and also to spread the work for the sorters. Extra clearances are made in the period leading up to Christmas, to prevent boxes becoming clogged with mail.^{[citation needed]}

Since 2005, most Royal Mail post boxes have had the time of only the last collection of the day listed on the box, with no indication of whether the box is cleared at other times earlier in the day. The reason given for this by the Royal Mail is that they needed to increase the font size of the wording on the "plate" listing the collection times to improve legibility for those with poor sight and that consequently there was insufficient room for listing all collection times throughout the day. Some post boxes may indicate the next collection time by a metal 'tab'^[15] or dial that can be changed while the box is open. The tab displays a day or number, each number corresponding to a different time shown on the plate.

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