I remembered these postcards and thought maybe they had special stamps on the back. They don't, though they do feature cancellations. So, I'm cheating a bit by linking this to Sunday Stamps, but there you go. This just proves you can be as free with the theme as you wish (or need to be!). Besides, it took the good part of the morning to find them, so I'm sharing......
on the back of the card (above) it reads:
OUR SERVICE TO YOU: SUB POST OFFICES
Sub Post Offices fulfil an indispensable role in the Post Office counter network. Four of the NWPBs sub post offices are shown on this card. Far Sawrey, AMBLESIDE, Cumbria; Roby Mill, SKELMERSDALE, Lancashire; LYMM, Cheshire; Barley, BURNLEY, Lancashire. Superimposed on the cards are the counter datestamp impression of each office.
and the back of the card below:
OUR SERVICE TO YOU: RURAL POSTMEN
This card shows four of NWPBs Rural Postmen on their daily round at Pendle; Broadbottom, Hyde; Surprise View, Derwentwater; and Northwich. Superimposed on the cards are the datestamp cancellation of the offices from which the postmen work.
Do these towns mean anything to some of you from England?
And do you know what NWPB stands for?
Below is another card from the same series, this one of the 'Post Office Tram that was first used during the Blackpool Illuminations in 1981. Hired from Blackpool Transport Dept to promote the use of holiday postcards, the tram was adapted to accommodate a full time philatelic sales point. The tram will again be in use for the 1982 summer season.'
Most enjoyable post!
ReplyDeleteALOHA
ComfortSpiral
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Thank you.
DeleteI love these old cards. It feels like I am getting a glimpse of a world that doesn't exist anymore.
ReplyDeleteI think you definitely are - from what I understand, many of these substations are being closed to cut costs.
DeleteNWPB = North West Post Boxes (from where they are located) 49 years after these cards a lot of sub- post offices have been closed. These cards will become an historic record.
ReplyDeleteOf course... so obvious once you know!
DeleteApparently the Post Office has decided they are dispensable after all. Decisions made by people nowhere near small towns, I guess.
Beatrix Potter lived at Sawrey, so you can imagine Peter Rabbit peeking round the corner - though her cottage isn't in the village.
ReplyDeleteI obviously haven't been paying attention to the little details of Beatrix Potter's life. She may have used this post office to send out her stories?
DeleteWow, that post office tram is amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt was an interesting idea. I couldn't find out long it was actually in service.
DeleteI lived in Cheshire for a time and my parents lived near Blackpool. When we we students in Liverpool one of our group lived in Skelmersdale. We used to tease her about her accent.
ReplyDeleteBlackpool is the only one I'd heard of. I've never been there, but I think I'd like to see it (even if the PO Tram is no longer in service to collect my post cards)
DeleteI love these cards and their counter stamps; it was worth choosing the theme just to see them! Beatrix Potter as well as living at Hill Top at Far Sawrey owned many other properties in the area which she rented out, including the post office. Despite this being the nearest place to me I have no idea if it is still there as it is a nightmare trying to park in such a small place which is a popular place for visitors to the area. Surprisingly a lot of the small sub post offices survive in the Lake District possibly thanks to all those tourists and usually operate as a general store and post office.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like them! Tourists can make a place almost hellish for the locals.
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