Photographs

The BPMA photographic collection spans the twentieth century. It includes both black-and-white and colour photographs.

All photographs are classed as Public Records (often carrying an offcial stamp to prove it). The photographs were mostly created by the Post Office public relations department, although some have come from other sources. The collection includes over 2000 glass-plate negatives, and there is an ongoing project to re-house the negatives and prints, catalogue the images, and produce thumbnail images for our online catalogue.

The photographs depict all aspects of Post Office activity in the United Kingdom. Typical subjects include transport (vans, bicycles, aeroplanes), uniforms (and the staff wearing them!), buildings (maybe your local post office?) and postal equipment. There are photographs of key events, such as the first Air Mail service between Hendon and Windsor in 1911.

Many of the photographs are available to view without appointment in folders in our Search Room.