Parcel Service Collection

The Old Postman (engraving)
8631966 The Old Postman (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Old Postman. Illustration for England's Pioneers)

Sorting letters at a post office (b/w photo)
8626063 Sorting letters at a post office (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorting letters at a post office)

The Sheldrake, a postal service ship, off Falmouth, England, an important centre for navigation to the west
MMM5466081 The Sheldrake, a postal service ship, off Falmouth, England, an important centre for navigation to the west, surrounds the boats Eclipse and Sandwich ; National Maritime Museum, London

Blitz, 1940-41: Telephonists continuing to work (b/w photo)
8634814 Blitz, 1940-41: Telephonists continuing to work (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Telephonists continuing to work)

Page from New York Album, c.1895 (colour litho)
8640783 Page from New York Album, c.1895 (colour litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Illustration for New York Album (np, c 1895)

Soldiers on foreign service sending money home (litho)
8649490 Soldiers on foreign service sending money home (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Soldiers on foreign service sending money home)

An Old Packet Boat attacked at Sea (colour litho)
8649468 An Old Packet Boat attacked at Sea (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: An Old Packet Boat attacked at Sea)

Dispatching the St Kilda Mail (litho)
8649482 Dispatching the St Kilda Mail (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dispatching the St Kilda Mail)

The Irish Mail at Euston (colour litho)
8649478 The Irish Mail at Euston (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Irish Mail at Euston)

A letter box in the Australian Bush (litho)
8649477 A letter box in the Australian Bush (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: A letter box in the Australian Bush)

Mail Coach snowed up (colour litho)
8649474 Mail Coach snowed up (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mail Coach snowed up)

Philadelphia: US Custom House and Post Office (b/w photo)
8654579 Philadelphia: US Custom House and Post Office (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: US Custom House and Post Office)

Near the Post-Office, early morning (engraving)
8646971 Near the Post-Office, early morning (engraving) by Frost, Arthur Burdett (1851-1928); Private Collection; (add.info.: Near the Post-Office, early morning. Broadway, New York)

New Zealand, 1890s: Invercargill, the Post Office (b/w photo)
8662463 New Zealand, 1890s: Invercargill, the Post Office (b/w photo) by New Zealand Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Invercargill, the Post Office)

Sorting letters at a London post office (b/w photo)
8626062 Sorting letters at a London post office (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorting letters at a London post office)

Lake District: The Old Post Office, Loweswater (colour litho)
8622473 Lake District: The Old Post Office, Loweswater (colour litho) by Cooper, Alfred Heaton (1864-1929); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Old Post Office, Loweswater)

A scene with the Post Office telegraph headquarters, 1850
3478429 A scene with the Post Office telegraph headquarters, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting a scene with the Post Office telegraph headquarters in London)

Royal Post of the Court of Philip II, lithograph, 16th century
AIS5388194 Royal Post of the Court of Philip II, lithograph, 16th century; Museo Postal y Telegrafico, Madrid, Spain; (add.info.: Royal Post of the Court of Philip II)

General Post Office with tram, Bombay, India, 1900s (postcard)
7379792 General Post Office with tram, Bombay, India, 1900s (postcard); Private Collection; © Ajay Goyal/Dinodia Photo

Modern Wonders, 1938: The Speaking Clock (colour photo)
8659931 Modern Wonders, 1938: The Speaking Clock (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Speaking Clock)

Head Office of Savings Bank, West Kensington (litho)
8649498 Head Office of Savings Bank, West Kensington (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Head Office of Savings Bank, West Kensington)

Paying for a letter in olden times (litho)
8649488 Paying for a letter in olden times (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Paying for a letter in olden times)

Stamping the letters (litho)
8649486 Stamping the letters (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Stamping the letters)

Elephant carrying His Majesty's Mails (litho)
8649479 Elephant carrying His Majesty's Mails (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Elephant carrying His Majesty's Mails)

Rural Postman, South Africa (colour litho)
8649464 Rural Postman, South Africa (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Rural Postman, South Africa)

The Post Office, Wickhambreaux, Kent (b/w photo)
8647622 The Post Office, Wickhambreaux, Kent (b/w photo) by Davie, William Galsworthy (1841-1915); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Post Office, Wickhambreaux, Kent)

Post Office, Launceston (engraving)
8648032 Post Office, Launceston (engraving) by Australian School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Post Office, Launceston)

Children paying into the Savings Bank (litho)
8651744 Children paying into the Savings Bank (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Children paying into the Savings Bank)

Sorters at work in Mail Van (litho)
8651460 Sorters at work in Mail Van (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorters at work in Mail Van)

Mr Punch's advice to the British workman at the time of the opening of the Post Office Savings Bank, 1850
3478072 Mr Punch's advice to the British workman at the time of the opening of the Post Office Savings Bank, 1850; (add.info)

Bloemfontein: The Post Office (b/w photo)
8633962 Bloemfontein: The Post Office (b/w photo) by South African Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Post Office. Illustration for Views of Bloemfontein (np, c.1900)

Posting a letter at the Mail Van (litho)
8649504 Posting a letter at the Mail Van (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Posting a letter at the Mail Van)

Motor Mail passing through a village (litho)
8649480 Motor Mail passing through a village (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Motor Mail passing through a village)

Operators at the telephone exchange (litho)
8649475 Operators at the telephone exchange (litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Operators at the telephone exchange)

Sorting parcels, Mount Pleasant (colour litho)
8649469 Sorting parcels, Mount Pleasant (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorting parcels, Mount Pleasant)

The defence of the Telegraph Office (colour litho)
8649467 The defence of the Telegraph Office (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: The defence of the Telegraph Office)

The great ship passing through the Suez Canal (colour litho)
8649466 The great ship passing through the Suez Canal (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: The great ship passing through the Suez Canal)

A Penny Postage Page (litho)
8641665 A Penny Postage Page (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Penny Postage Page)

Laying Submarine Cable (colour litho)
8651457 Laying Submarine Cable (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Laying Submarine Cable)

Saigon Central Post Office, 19th century (photo)
8711393 Saigon Central Post Office, 19th century (photo); (add.info.: Saigon Central Post Office. It was constructed when Vietnam was part of French Indochina in the late 19th century)

A post office, sorting the mail, 1904 (print)
7422839 A post office, sorting the mail, 1904 (print); (add.info.: Science. Communication. A post office, sorting the mail. Calendar, France, 1904.); © Archives Charmet

The Royal Mail steamship Atrato, built of metal by Caird & Co, in Greenock, England, in 1853
MMM5485015 The Royal Mail steamship Atrato, built of metal by Caird & Co, in Greenock, England, in 1853. Painting 1864, watercolor by William Frederick Mitchell (1845-1914)

Advertisement for a wagon and parcels service
5312101 Advertisement for a wagon and parcels service; (add.info.: Advertisement for a wagon and parcels service. Dated 19th century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

A fly van
5312100 A fly van; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a fly van, used to carry parcels from Cheltenham to London in under 24 hours. Dated 19th century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Mr Punch's advice to the British workman at the time of the opening of the Post Office Savings Bank, 1850
3478426 Mr Punch's advice to the British workman at the time of the opening of the Post Office Savings Bank, 1850; (add.info)

Fourth Street, Cincinnati, 2 February 1858 (engraving)
8637317 Fourth Street, Cincinnati, 2 February 1858 (engraving) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fourth Street, Cincinnati, 2 February 1858)

Stamping (colour litho)
8672406 Stamping (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Stamping. Illustration for The Children's Friend (1900).); © Look and Learn

Indian Postal Official attacked by Wild Buffalo (colour litho)
8649473 Indian Postal Official attacked by Wild Buffalo (colour litho) by Somerfield, Thomas (1876-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Indian Postal Official attacked by Wild Buffalo)

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The parcel service has a rich history that dates back to the establishment of the Universal Postal Union Foundation in 1874. This international treaty, known as the Treaty of Berne, laid the foundation for a global postal network that would revolutionize communication and trade. One captivating glimpse into this past is captured in the album "Ypres avant et apres la guerre. " The album showcases a photograph of the Post Office of Ypres before it was devastated by bombing during World War I. This poignant image serves as a reminder of how war can disrupt even the most essential services. Looking towards the future, an intriguing concept called "Pigeon post" is depicted in a colorful lithograph. It envisions using pigeons to deliver mail, highlighting both innovation and whimsy. Lightness of style is demanded here, showcasing creativity and imagination within postal services. In Ladysmith's Main Street, we see a black-and-white photograph capturing an era when mail coaches were still prevalent. Even amidst thunderstorms, these brave couriers ensured that letters reached their destinations despite challenging conditions. Traveling across continents brings us to Trevena's Old Post-Office engraving. This quaint depiction reminds us that postal services have long been at the heart of local communities around the world. Moving on to Adelaide in Australia, we witness its bustling King William Street adorned with both Town Hall and Post Office buildings in vibrant color photography. These landmarks symbolize not only efficient mail delivery but also civic pride. An engraving titled "Open an account with Her Majesty. " emphasizes trustworthiness and reliability associated with postal services throughout history. Such institutions have always played crucial roles in facilitating commerce and connecting people across vast distances. Finally, two photographs from New York provide contrasting views: City Hall Park seen from World Building offers a panoramic black-and-white perspective while another photo captures New York's grand Post Office building against its urban backdrop. Both images showcase how cities have relied on efficient mail services to function and thrive.