A total of 27 heritage plates are being installed on post boxes that were taken out of service last year, but remain an important part of the island’s everyday surroundings and shared stories.
While the iconic post boxes themselves will remain blue, reflecting their historic appearance, the new heritage plates are brown, clearly identifying them as part of a growing heritage trail.Installations are now under way. Several plates are being fitted this week and the remainder are due to be completed in early June.
Each plate features a QR code, allowing residents and visitors to access a dedicated webpage with further historical detail about each box, as well as a guide to other heritage post box locations.
‘We understand that post boxes are far more than a practical service, they hold real cultural significance and emotional value for islanders,’ said Steve Sheridan, chief executive of Guernsey Post.
‘They are part of the fabric of everyday life and have quietly witnessed generations of history.
‘By introducing these heritage plates, we are ensuring those stories continue to be recognised, while keeping the iconic blue post boxes in place as valued features of our island.’
Guernsey Post said it was committed to keeping the island’s iconic blue post boxes in place, recognising the important role they continue to play as familiar and valued features of island life. Sharing the stories connected to these locations would ensure that their historical and cultural significance was not lost.
The initiative coincides with the launch of a new Guernsey stamp issue this week celebrating the island’s post box heritage. The set features the Fort Road post box alongside others still in use, linking past and present through design.
Research into the heritage post boxes has been carried out by Guernsey Post employee and gold-accredited tour guide Rosalyne Le Huray, whose work has helped to uncover and bring these stories to life.
The Post Office also received help from the Priaulx Library, Nick Le Huray, the Guernsey Society and La Societe Guernesiaise.
The stamp issue features six post boxes reflecting key moments in Guernsey’s postal history, including a rare 1887 Jubilee pillar box at Trinity Square.
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