Overview

For generations the local post office has been integral to life in Britain. Post Offices, by BPMA assistant curator Julian Stray, provides an historical overview of the development of this public institution, from the 'letter receiving house' to a familiar presence on the high street. It outlines the range of services post offices have provided over time - from stamps, pensions and postal orders, to savings certificates, dog and TV licences.

Highlighting the 'heyday of the GPO' during the 1930s, '40s and '50s, the book recalls childhood memories of post office counters selling stamps and sweets, the weekly pension queue, and the friendly local post master. It celebrates the role of the post office at the heart of the community and the changing nature of the service over time to the present day.