OUR POSTAL SERVICES
                      THROUGH THE AGES



  The beautiful old Victorian cast iron collection box set in
  the brick  wall adjacent the church [ VR = Victoria Rex ]
  In 1879 this box was cleared at 4.25pm. By 1908 it was 
  emptied at 6.30am and 4.50pm , with a Sunday collection
  at 11.20am. Compare that with today's service!

    In the early days, the nearest telegraph office was at nearby
    Attlebridge Railway station - an excuse for showing this lovely
    old photograph!

    (kind permission of Katherine Yorke & The Larks Press)

    The Old Post Office which served the village for many years. It is 
    situated just east of the bridge, facing the common, at Alderford.
    The first Postmaster I can trace is Robert Munford who operated 
    from this office in 1879. Mrs Mary Munford (his widow ?) took 
    over in c1908 and remained in office until around 1922. 

    In the 1920's the Post Office moved to 'The Firs' next door to 
    the School. The new Postmaster and Shopkeeper was Arthur Watts
    who continued in that capacity until c1948. His descendants
    still live in the house. 

   
    Lilly Parker took over the post office from Arthur Watts (she
    was also our church  organist!) Her office was in Upgate. Around 
    1968 she moved next door to a purpose built annexe and operated
    from there for about a decade. When she retired her neice took over 
    for a year or so, but it became financially uneconomic and the
    Post Office closed it down.This left our parish without a post
    office for the first time since the postal service started.
    That's what is called progress!
                   [ Upgate photos courtesy of Mrs Eileen Dungar]

    At the end of Clay Lane, just over the Swannington boundary
    with Haveringland is the cross-roads. Until World War2 there 
    was a fifth road leading off from very near this junction. It
    was the main drive down to Haveringland Hall, passing through
    majestic wrought iron gates (now, minus the crest, at Hull 
    University) and by a large lodge. The Lodge housed a post office! 
    (The drive led to the little St Peters church, which accounts
    for its apparent current isolation).  
                                 [The photograph is by courtesy of Mrs Kett.]