Location: Immediately Opposite 2 Westfield Road, Sutton, London SM1 2LB – adjacent to St Dunstan’s Hill
Coordinates 51.3678703,-0.2126415 (West Sutton-Cheam)
Also known as a ‘Pillar Box’
George Regina (GR): King George V (1865-1936) – Reigned 1910-1936
Base Reads: Carron Company Stirlingshire
My family used to live next to this Postbox – the monarchal designation of which was NOT changed since its probable instillation in 1910 – when King George V ascended to the British Throne. When Postboxes were ‘new’ (beginning to be used around 1853 on British streets during the reign of Queen Victoria – ‘VR’) – it was not thought necessary to include the reign number of the British monarch concerned. In more modern times, Queen Elizabeth II was proclaimed Monarch in 1952 – and formally ‘Crowned’ in 1953. At that time, many of the existing British Postboxes were modified to include the now familiar designation of ‘ER II’. Indeed, the vast majority of ‘Red’ Postboxes in the contemporary UK carry the designation ‘ER II’ – but this will slowly change to ‘CR III’ – in recognition of the Crowning of King Charles III.
However, some Postboxes are always permitted to keep the designation of older (Constitutional) Monarchs. Within the grounds of Windsor Castle, for instance, we have observed a Postbox dedicated to King Edward VII (reigned 1901-1910) – with another Postbox in Oxford dedicated to the same monarch. Perhaps the above Postbox was constructed as early as 1910 – meaning it is currently 113-years old! Without knowing it – when this Postbox turned ‘100’ in 2010 – my family lived right next door to it!
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 