Visiting FAQs

If you are planning to visit us or have questions about our services, you will find some of the most frequently asked questions answered here.

1) Where is the Royal Mail Archive?

The Royal Mail Archive (and the main BPMA office) is part of the large Mount Pleasant Sorting Office complex. If you get lost, ask for directions to Mount Pleasant. Our entrance is on the west side of the complex, on Phoenix Place.

We are approximately 10-15 minutes walk from Kings Cross, Russell Square, Chancery Lane and Farringdon underground stations. Buses number 17, 38, 341, and 19 all stop close by.

If you use our postcode WC1X 0DL in the Transport of London Journey Planner, you can work out your best route.

We are located close to London Metropolitan Archives and the Family Records Centre.

Please see Visit the Archive to find out more about getting here, opening times and our facilities.

2) This will be my first visit - what do I need to bring?

We operate a user card system which you can get on your first visit. This is a checklist of things to do before you visit:

For the user card, bring some form of identification, plus proof of address. You can even download the User Card application form and fill it out before you come along.
We ask visitors put their coats and bags in lockers for security. But you may want to bring a jumper for protection against the air conditioning!
Do you know if we have records that will help with your research? Use our online catalogue, read the Guides to the Archive, or just contact us before your visit.
If you are doing family history research, bring with you as much information you have about your postal ancestor e.g. date of birth, possible place of work and so on. It may not seem like much, but it can help.
And please bring a pencil to take notes... no pens allowed!

3) Do you have a cafe?

No, but there are lots nearby - try Exmouth Market or Grays Inn Road. We do provide a water cooler and you can eat your own lunch in our reception area.

4) Can I apply for an Archive User Card in advance?

No, but you can speed up the process of getting one by downloading a User Card application form and filling it out before your visit.

5) Can I bring a laptop?

Yes you can. We have power points available for personal computers. Please make sure that you turn the sound off so our other researchers will not be disturbed.

6) Can I use my digital camera in the Archive?

Yes you can, although flash photography is not allowed. However, you will need to register your digital camera for use when you arrive. This involves a basis check by our staff to ensure that the flash has been turned off and you will be asked to turn off any audible beeps.

No photography is allowed in the exhibition area - this is to prevent damage from the bright light to sensitive exhibition material.

7) I want to find out more about a relative who worked for the Post Office - how do I start?

If you want to find out more about a relative who was a postal worker, you have come to the right place! Our Post Office staff records include pensions and gratuities, appointments, staff magazines and much more.

We also have records on other aspects of the Post Office, including photographs of uniforms and vehicles, which can add richness to understanding your ancestors' lives.

Start by looking at the Family History section of the website to find out more about the types of records we have. While you are there, have a look at our Case Studies to see postal family history, step-by-step.

Remember, you can contact us if you have any questions.

8) What stamps do you have?

The Royal Mail Archive contains the world's greatest collection of British stamps. Not only do we hold copies of every stamp issued by Royal Mail, we also hold artwork for designs that were never issued to the public ('unadopted' designs).

Our philatelic records include:

Correspondence volumes and private day books from the printers, De La Rue
The R M Phillips Collection (now available online)
The Dendy Marshall Collection... and much more

Please see Philatelic Research to find out how to access our philatelic holdings.

9) Can I access your catalogues online?

Yes you can - search our online catalogue for details of over 60,000 (October 2007). The majority of our records are now on our online catalogue and we are adding more all the time.

Please remember that this is only a catalogue, not a digital archive - you will only be able to obtain details of files and their POST reference number. To see the actual files, you will still need to visit us. We intend to digitise more of our collections, but this is a long, complex and expensive job.

10) Can I get copies of documents during my visit?

Yes, you can order photocopies of e.g. a pension record during your visit. We will ask you to fill in a reprographic form first and photocopy material while you wait (unless the amount to be copied is very large).

Our microfilm readers come equipped with printers and you can make microfilm printouts yourself.

For information on prices, and restrictions on copying certain records, please go to Copying Services.

11) Does the Archive have records of Irish postal workers?

Yes, we hold records relating to the Post Office in Ireland until 1920, when the British government handed over control of the postal system to the provisional Irish government, including staff records. Records relating to the postal system in the Irish Republic after 1920 are held at the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin.

After 1920, we only hold records relating to Northern Ireland up to the 1970s, although some records are held at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Search our online catalogue to find out what we hold.

12) What telecommunications records are available?

In 1870, the monopoly of running the telegraph service was given to the Post Office. Telegraph offices was set up at post offices all over the country so people could send and receive telegrams.

However, the majority of records on the subject of telecommunications were transferred over to BT Archives some years ago and this is the best place to begin specific telecommunications research.

Some high-level records could not be transferred, and remain at The Royal Mail Archive. Our online catalogue will show if a record is held here or at BT Archives.

13) I want to visit the Museum - can I?

The BPMA is not a 'traditional' museum with our collections displayed in large galleries. The Royal Mail Archive is available to visit and use five days a week, and we have a small philatelic display which you can see for free.

However, our large museum collection is currently in storage, and it can be seen by the public on special open days, afternoons and evenings at our Museum Store. See What's On for the latest dates.

14) Wasn't there a postal museum near St Paul's Cathedral?

Yes, there was. This was the old National Postal Museum (NPM) which closed in 1998 and the object collection went into storage. The BPMA was formed in 2004 as a successor to the NPM to manage both the object collection and The Royal Mail Archive. Find out more about our organisation.

The BPMA has a long-term plan to find and develop a new site where the objects and archives can both be enjoyed. In the meantime, the Archive is open for business, and we are working in partnership with other venues - and at our Museum Store - to show off our object collection as much as possible.

15) Can you do my research for me?

We cannot undertake academic research, but we do offer a Family History Research Service for those researching former Post Office employees. For a charge of £30 per ancestor, our researcher will search the Pensions & Gratuities records and the Appointment records.

Please contact us for more information and an order form.

16) What about disabled access?

The Royal Mail Archive is wheelchair accessible. A hearing loop is provided for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Large print information can be made available on request. You can change the text size on this website by using your browser's 'View' settings.

The Museum Store is also wheelchair accessible.

To find out more, please see Access for all or contact us before you visit and we will do our best to meet your needs.

17) When is National Stamp Day?

National Stamp Day is marked on 6 May each year. This is the anniversary of the Penny Black - the world's first postage stamp - becoming valid for issue. In a remarkable coincidence, it was also the date that keen royal philatelist George, Duke of York, acceded to the throne as King George V. The 'Philatelist King' is the subject of our major summer exhibition due in 2010.

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