You never know what will catch your eye or pique your interest when you browse in a charity shop. Two weeks ago, the Badger sheltered from a downpour in one, and the ‘The Post Office went to war’, a 94-page pamphlet published by His Majesty’s (George VI) Stationery Office in 1946, caught his eye. In good condition for its age, it describes how the GPO – the public service providing the UK’s letter, parcel, telegraphy, and phone services during World War II and until the late 1960s – actually worked during wartime. The Badger was drawn to it because, after service in the British Army, a close relative became a GPO postman and delivered letters and parcels to their local community from the late 1940s until the late 1960s. They enjoyed the work, the camaraderie, and interacting with customers while out delivering the mail. They took great pride in wearing their GPO uniform, and in delivering the mail reliably.
The Badger bought the item for 50p and subsequently read it from cover to cover. It was a revelation. Did you know, for example, that during World War II the GPO managed to deliver letters and parcels posted in the UK to recipients in the British Isles in two days, even when sorting offices and infrastructure had been bombed, and even when the location of recipients was transient due to the war effort and housing damage? That’s an achievement, especially when the technology for the handling, distribution, and delivery of the mail at the time bears no comparison with that of today. A little research via the postalmuseum.org reveals that the cost of a stamp as a proportion of the weekly average wage is almost the same today as it was in those times. It also reveals that the number of people actually delivering letters and parcels as a public service is much the same today as it was then. Has today’s modern technology significantly improved the time it takes for a letter to land on your doormat? Hmm, probably not.
A friend living in Northern England phoned last week. They mentioned that they’d posted a Christmas card first-class to the Badger. Our postman delivered the card this morning, a week after it was posted. Draw your own conclusions, especially as the postal public service ecosystem today is markedly different to that when the GPO existed, but surely something’s amiss when today’s tech-rich society cannot match or better the letter delivery of a bygone era with about the same number of employees and stamp price?
Christmas is now just a few days away. Have a happy Christmas however you celebrate the occasion, but please remember that family and friends, especially those who may be vulnerable, should always take priority in your thoughts…not Christmas cards that haven’t arrived due to postal delays!
