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Infrastructure - Communication
 
Belton Village, Post Office & Smithy
Belton Village, Post Office & Smithy
Belton Village, Post Office & Smithy

"Estate cottage, now a house, post office and smithy. Cottage C17, remodelled 1838; smithy 1838. Both by Anthony Salvin"

"One of several estate buildings by Salvin for John, first Earl Brownlow, of Belton House"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1298453 

Georgian "GR" post box still in use.

DB 25 April 2018 

Belton Kesteven, Post Office, Smithy, Forge, Anthony Salvin, Earl Brownlow, Belton House
Blankney, Post Office
Blankney, Post Office
Blankney, Post Office

"Post Office and estate cottage. c1835 by W A Nicholson ...

 This building is part of the complete estate village erected for the Chaplin family of Blankney Hall"

DB 2020

Blankney, Post Office, Chaplin
Boston, Central Post Office, Wide Bargate
Boston, Central Post Office, Wide Bargate
Boston, Central Post Office, Wide Bargate

The main Post Office in Wide Bargate, Boston, was opened on 12 December 1907 by the Postmaster General.

The public counter now fills most of the ground floor but the original sorting office and telephone have been moved elsewhere.

Undated postcard
Boston, post office,
Boston, Central Post Office, Wide Bargate
Boston, Central Post Office, Wide Bargate
Boston, Central Post Office, Wide Bargate

"General post office. 1935. In Queen Anne style"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1389042 

Closed as a post office in February 2014.

DB 21 May 2019

Boston, Post Office
Brigg, Post Office
Brigg, Post Office
Brigg, Post Office

Post Office which opened in the 1930s.

https://nigelfishersbriggblog.blogspot.com/2018/01/brigg-heritage-centre-opens-new.html 

DB 10 December 2023

Brigg, Post Office
Butterwick, Post Office
Butterwick, Post Office
Butterwick, Post Office

"The post office "first started at a large house in a farmyard in Benington Road, (only outbuildings remain) before moving to a cottage at 9 Old Post Office Lane, for many years (now a private house).

Eventually the Post Office moved to the Village Shop in Brand End Road next door to what is now the Fish Shop"

http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Butterwick/section.asp?catId=14851 

DB 9 June 2018 

Butterwick, Post Office, Fish Shop
Carlton Scroop, Repeater Station
Carlton Scroop, Repeater Station
Carlton Scroop, Repeater Station

"BT Archives has a reference to the foundations being excavated in October 1965"

http://www.dgsys.co.uk/btmicrowave/sites/150.php 

"part of a cold war emergency microwave communications system, 'Backbone'"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlton_Scroop 

Tower is still in active use.

DB 16 April 2018

Carlton Scroop, Repeater Station, microwave, Backbone, Cold War, BT, Tower
Claypole, Post Boxes
Claypole, Post Boxes
Claypole, Post Boxes

Both Victoria & George V post boxes at separate points along Main Street.

DB 24 September 2018

Claypole, Post Box
Claypole, Telephone Kiosk, Type KX100
Claypole, Telephone Kiosk, Type KX100
Claypole, Telephone Kiosk, Type KX100

Located on Main Street near the village hall.

Telephone removed prior to the kiosk itself being removed. A notice inside stated that the kiosk had received insufficient use.

The BBC reported in 2017 that 

"BT is to scrap half of the UK's remaining 40,000 telephone boxes and focus on the ones in locations where people are more likely to use them.

In 1992 at their peak before mobile phones became popular, there were 92,000 phone boxes in the UK"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40934210 

DB 24 September 2018

Claypole, Telephone Kiosk, KX100
Donington on Bain, Belmont Transmitting Station
Donington on Bain, Belmont Transmitting Station
Donington on Bain, Belmont Transmitting Station

Belmont transmitting station viewed from Donington On Bain.

"From its location, high in the Lincolnshire Wolds, it broadcasts digital television and both analogue and digital radio to Lincolnshire, eastern Yorkshire, northern parts of Norfolk and some parts of Nottinghamshire"

"The mast was constructed in 1965 and it came into service on 20 December of that year. As built it was a tubular pipe 900 feet (274.3 m) long by 9 feet (2.7 m) in diameter, surmounted by a 365 feet (111.3 m) lattice upper section"

"In September 1967 meteorological equipment was added to the 1,265 feet (385.6 m) mast extending its height to 1,272 feet (387.7 m)"

"Between October 2009 and April 2010 the mast was shortened as part of the Digital Switchover works, most of the top section above the fifth stay level was removed (along with the sixth stay level) and the mast now stands 1,154 feet (351.7 m) high"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_transmitting_station 

DB 9 September 2018

Donington On Bain, Belmont transmitting station
Dry Doddington, Telephone Kiosk, Type KX300
Dry Doddington, Telephone Kiosk, Type KX300
Dry Doddington, Telephone Kiosk, Type KX300

Former telephone kiosk next to the Wheatsheaf Inn.

Now used to house defibrillator.

DB 5 September 2018

Dry Doddington, Telephone Kiosk, KX300, defibrillator
Epworth, Post Office
Epworth, Post Office
Epworth, Post Office

"House, now Post Office.

Probably C17 origins, with C18 and later brick encasing and infilling, mid-late C19 rebuilt south gable with shop front; late C18 - early C19 addition to rear.

Timber framing with mud-and-stud infill (pair of wall posts and mid-rail with small section of original infill visible on west side), largely encased and rebuilt with brick; north extension in brick. Pantile roofs throughout"

"One of the earliest surviving vernacular buildings in the Isle of Axholme"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1068747 

DB 9 August 2019

Epworth, Post Office, mud-and-stud
Epworth, Post Office
Epworth, Post Office
Epworth, Post Office

Letter box in the side of "one of the earliest surviving vernacular buildings in the Isle of Axholme".

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1068747 

Was this the building referred to in White's Directory of Lincolnshire 1872 which states :-

"The POST and MONEY ORDER OFFICE, and TELEGRAPH STATION, are at Mr. Thomas Hawksley Capes', at which the Savings' Bank Annuity and Insurance business is transacted during the usual hours.

Letters are received at 8.45 a.m., and despatched at 5.10 p.m., via Bawtry"?

DB 9 August 2019

Epworth, Post Office
Gainsborough, Market Place, Post Boxes
Gainsborough, Market Place, Post Boxes
Gainsborough, Market Place, Post Boxes

Elizabeth II and Edward VII pillar post boxes in Market Place, Gainsborough.

Very few Edward VII post boxes still remaining in Lincolnshire.

DB 29 December 2018 

Gainsborough, Market Place, post box
Grantham, Grantham Journal
Grantham, Grantham Journal
Grantham, Grantham Journal

"Grantham's local newspaper, the Grantham Journal, first went on sale in 1854 as The Grantham Journal of Useful, Instructive and Entertaining Knowledge and Monthly Advertiser, which was shortened to its current name a few years later.

It was founded by Henry Escritt, a Yorkshire man by birth who moved to the area in 1861 ...

David Wood CBE (1914-1990), former political editor of The Times (working under Sir William Haley), started out at the Grantham Journal"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantham#Grantham_Journal 

DB 9 March 2019

Grantham, Journal, newspaper, Henry Escritt, David Wood
Great Ponton, Post Office
Great Ponton, Post Office
Great Ponton, Post Office

Former village post office.

An entry in Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 reads " Post & Telegraph Office - George Edward Parker, subpostmaster. Letters through Grantham. The nearest money order office is at London road, Grantham"

An earlier entry in White's Directory 1872 has "POST OFFICE at Mr. John Brewin's, where letters arrive at 6.30 a.m., and are despatched at 6.15 p.m., via Grantham, which is the nearest Money Order Office"

DB 19 September 2020

Great Ponton, Post Office, image
Heckington, Telephone Kiosk Type K6, Village Green
Heckington, Telephone Kiosk Type K6, Village Green
Heckington, Telephone Kiosk Type K6, Village Green

Located next to Henry Godson's Almshouses.

"Telephone kiosk. Type K6. Designed 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1169043

Now used to house a defibrillator. 

DB 28 July 2018

Heckington, K6, Telephone Kiosk, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
Helpringham, Post Office & Church
Helpringham, Post Office & Church
Helpringham, Post Office & Church

Post Office on the left "P.Bird" with St Andrew's Church in the center.

Kelly's Directory 1930 lists "Bird Percy, grocer, Post office" 

Also "Post, M. 0. & T. Office (to which messages may be sent for treatment as express letters). Letters arrive from Sleaford"

Undated Postcard

Helpringham, Saint Andrew, Church, Image, Post office
Horncastle, Post Office, Market Place
Horncastle, Post Office, Market Place
Horncastle, Post Office, Market Place

"Post office. 1929-30 by H T Rees for the GPO ...

original plasterwork in the main sales hall with original wooden counters doors and doorways"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1387723 

DB 18 July 2019 

Horncastle, Post Office, Market Place
Hough on the Hill, Post Office
Hough on the Hill, Post Office
Hough on the Hill, Post Office

"Shop with house attached to east. C17, late C18".

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1146610 

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1905 states "Post Office - Leonard Rosling, sub-postmaster. Letters from Grantham; delivery commences at 8.5 a. m.; dispatched at 4.50 p. m. No delivery on sundays. Postal Orders are issued & paid here. Caythorpe is the nearest money order & telegraph office"

DB 26 June 2018

Hough on the Hill, Post Office
Hougham, Telephone Kiosk, Type K6
Hougham, Telephone Kiosk, Type K6
Hougham, Telephone Kiosk, Type K6

Telephone kiosk on Main Street now converted for use as a community library.

"In 1935 the K6 (kiosk number six) was designed to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V.

It was consequently sometimes known as the "Jubilee" kiosk. It went into production in 1936.

The K6 was the first red telephone kiosk to be extensively used outside London, and many thousands were deployed in virtually every town and city, replacing most of the existing kiosks and establishing thousands of new sites.

In 1935 there had been 19,000 public telephones in the UK: by 1940, thanks to the K6, there were 35,000"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_telephone_box

DB 28 August 2018

Hougham, Telephone Kiosk, K6, library
Laceby, Post Office
Laceby, Post Office
Laceby, Post Office

A plaque attached to the building states :-

"TO CELEBRATE 150 YEARS LACEBY POST OFFICE 1849-1999 IN THIS BUILDING"

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 states :-

"Post, M. 0., T. & Telephonic Express Delivery Office - William H.Haines, sub-postmaster. Letters though Grimsby. Wall Letter Box, Cross roads"

Unfortunately the post office has now closed. 

DB 8 February 2020

Laceby, Post Office
Lenton, K6 Telephone Box
Lenton, K6 Telephone Box
Lenton, K6 Telephone Box

"Telephone kiosk of the K6 type designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Cast iron. Square kiosk with domed roof, unperforated crowns to top panels and margin glazing to windows and door"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1391397?section=official-list-entry 

Located next St Peter's  churchyard - still functional.

DB 21 June 2023 

Lenton, K6 Telephone Box kiosk, image
Lincoln, Exchequer Gate, Sophie Wells&nbspGold Post Box
Lincoln, Exchequer Gate, Sophie Wells Gold Post Box
Lincoln, Exchequer Gate, Sophie Wells Gold Post Box

The plaque reads "This post box has been painted gold by Royal Mail to celebrate Sophie Wells Gold Medal winner London 2012 Olympic Games Equestrian: Team, Open".

Over 100 post boxes, throughout the country, were painted gold by Royal Mail to celebrate every Team GB and Paralympics GB gold medal won during the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Sophie Wells from Lincoln won a team gold and two individual silver medals at the Paralympic Games.

DB 27 February 2018 

Lincoln, Exchequer Gate, Gold, Post Box, Sophie Wells
Lincoln, Lee Road, Edward VII Pillar Post Box
Lincoln, Lee Road, Edward VII Pillar Post Box
Lincoln, Lee Road, Edward VII Pillar Post Box

Lincoln has a good selection of Victorian, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II post boxes however only a few from the reign of Edward VII (1901-1910).

No known Edward VIII (1936) boxes in Lincolnshire? 

DB 8 November 2018

Lincoln, Lee Road, Edward IV, Pillar Post Box
Lincoln, Minster Yard, Victorian Pillar Post Box
Lincoln, Minster Yard, Victorian Pillar Post Box
Lincoln, Minster Yard, Victorian Pillar Post Box

Situated next to The Chancery and opposite the east end of the Cathedral.

"In 1853 the first pillar box in the United Kingdom was installed at Botchergate, Carlisle"

"Green was adopted as the standard colour for the early Victorian post boxes"

"The first boxes to be painted red were in London in July 1874"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_box 

DB 27 September 2018

Lincoln, Minster Yard, Pillar Post Box
Lincoln, Post Office (Mailbox Public House)
Lincoln, Post Office (Mailbox Public House)
Lincoln, Post Office (Mailbox Public House)

The city's former Main Post Office in Guildhall Street.

"Post office. 1906. By WT Oldrieve for HM Office of Works"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1388563 

Now the Mailbox public house.

DB 29 July 2019

Lincoln, Post Office, Mailbox public house, WT Oldrieve
Lincoln, Post Office Workers
Lincoln, Post Office Workers
Lincoln, Post Office Workers
Post Office workers from the Lincoln office wearing gas masks in 1937.
Commercial, Lincoln Post Office Worlers
Lincoln, Royal Mail Sorting Office / Delivery Office
Lincoln, Royal Mail Sorting Office / Delivery Office
Lincoln, Royal Mail Sorting Office / Delivery Office

Royal Mail Sorting Office / Delivery Office dated 1964. Located on the site of a former tannery.

The previous sorting office was just a little to the east along Firth Road. 

DB 18 September 2019 

Lincoln, Royal mail sorting office post
Nocton, Post Office
Nocton, Post Office
Nocton, Post Office

Built as a poor house in 1833 by the first Earl of Rippon, before becoming the village Post Office in the early 1900's.

Now a private house.

http://www.artsnk.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nocton-Village-Trail-Guide.pdf 

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 states :-

"Post Office - Mrs, Mary Elizabeth Smith, sup-post-mistress. Letters received through Lincoln. Metheringham is the nearest money order office & Potter Hanworth the nearest telegraph office for delivery, 1.5 miles distant, & Nocton railway station the nearest for collection of telegrams, on week days only" 

 DB 7 December 2019

Nocton, Post Office, poor house
Old Somerby, Post Office
Old Somerby, Post Office
Old Somerby, Post Office

Former post office and smithy now a private house.

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 has a listing :-

"Post Office - John Ayre, sub-postmaster. Ropsley, 3 miles distant, is the nearest money order office & Boothby the nearest telegraph office"

Also

"Ayre John. blacksmith, Post office"

Post office and Smithy shown in this position on 25" Ordnance Survey Map published 1904. 

DB 2 March 2020

Old Somerby, Post Office, smithy
Rowston, Old School, Post Box
Rowston, Old School, Post Box
Rowston, Old School, Post Box

Victorian post box set into wall of the Old School

DB 19 March 2020

Rowston, School, Post Box
Sibsey, Post Office, Main Road
Sibsey, Post Office, Main Road
Sibsey, Post Office, Main Road

Post Office shown here OS 25 inch map published 1888.

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 states :-

"Post, M. 0. & T. Office. J. N. W. Seaman, sub-postmaster. Letters through Boston"

DB 3 August 2019

Sibsey, post office
Skegness, Post Office / Telephone exchange
Skegness, Post Office / Telephone exchange
Skegness, Post Office / Telephone exchange

Architect Henry Rees 1929.

http://britishpostofficearchitects.weebly.com/skegness.html 

DB 30 October 2019

Skegness, Post Office, telephone exchange.
South Willingham, Belmont Transmitting Station
South Willingham, Belmont Transmitting Station
South Willingham, Belmont Transmitting Station

"The Belmont transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility next to the B1225, one mile west of the village of Donington on Bain in the civil parish of South Willingham"

"It has a guyed tubular steel mast, with a lattice upper section.

The mast was shortened in April 2010 and is now 1,154 feet (351.7 m) in height.

Before this it was 1,272 feet (387.7 m) high and was considered to be the tallest structure of its kind in the world"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_transmitting_station

DB 9 September 2018

South Willingham, Belmont transmitting station
Spilsby, Post Office, Post Office Lane
Spilsby, Post Office, Post Office Lane
Spilsby, Post Office, Post Office Lane

Former Post Office, on the corner of Queen Street and Post Office Lane, which closed on 17 May 2016.

DB 22 June 2019 

Spilsby, Post Office
Spilsby, Post Office, Post Office Lane
Spilsby, Post Office, Post Office Lane
Spilsby, Post Office, Post Office Lane

Stamp vending machines in the wall of the former post office.

DB 22 June 2019

Spilsby, Post Office
Spilsby, White Hart Hotel, Letter Box
Spilsby, White Hart Hotel, Letter Box
Spilsby, White Hart Hotel, Letter Box

Letter Box in the wall of the White Hart Hotel.

Plaque beneath reads :-

"SPILSBY LETTER-BOX 1842-1988

unveiled by Councillor Gerald Rose" 

DB 15 November 2019

Spilsby, White Hart, Cornhill, Post Box
Stainton le Vale, Phonebox
Stainton le Vale, Phonebox
Stainton le Vale, Phonebox

Surely a rare survival in 2022 - a newly painted phone box with a working telephone. The village is, as its name suggests, in a deep valley with limited mobile phone reception. 
 
Jean Howard, 12 March 2022

Stainton le Vale, phonebox
Swinderby, Telephone Kiosk & Village Notice Board, High Street
Swinderby, Telephone Kiosk & Village Notice Board, High Street
Swinderby, Telephone Kiosk & Village Notice Board, High Street

K6 type telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935.

"This phone box was manufactured by W. Macfarlane and Co., Saracen Faundry, Glasgow between 1945 and 1953"

Kiosk taken out of use by BT, but has now been adopted by Swinderby Parish Council, and is being used to house a display of post cards.

DB 10 September 2018 

Swinderby, K6, Telephone Kiosk, Village Notice Board
Thurlby by Lincoln, Post Box
Thurlby by Lincoln, Post Box
Thurlby by Lincoln, Post Box

Victorian post box still in use near the junction of Bassingham Road and Haddington Lane.

DB 17 July 2018

Thurlby by Lincoln, Post Box, Victorian
Woodhall Spa, Post Office
Woodhall Spa, Post Office
Woodhall Spa, Post Office

Inscription at top of building states

"WOODHALL SPA

VR

POST OFFICE"

Three Royal Mail vans waiting outside. 

DB 18 April 2018

Woodhall Spa, Post Office, Royal Mail