Blists Hill Post Office

Be still my heart. The image above is from the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage site in Shropshire, England. As part of a living history project, the town of Blists Hill consists of original and reconstructed buildings from the Victorian and Edwardian period, set in a street scene. Each building is occupied by a business in keeping with the period, such as a chemist, a bank, a school, and most importantly, a Post Office. The businesses are also reconstructed to appear as they might have done in the late Victorian or Edwardian period, and traditional goods are sold by historically costumed staff.

On 4 April 2009, Canal Street opened to the public at Blists Hill. The entire street has been newly built and includes the Post Office of the period. The British Postal Museum and Archive have worked with the IGMT to develop this Post Office, complete with stationers and post office counter. On the upper floor of the building the BPMA has created an exhibition called The Museum of the Post Office in the Community.

{information and photos from the BPMA website}

So, I could pretty much live here. I would more than happily wear a corset and silly hat if I got to use this Post Office regularly. Unfortunately, I can't get a confirmation anywhere that the Blists Hill office is a working Post Office. There was a special postmark to commemorate the opening, but I cannot find any information regarding other mail operations. Still, I would love to see this for myself {and, of course, hide in the cupboard at closing time so that I never had to leave.}

Comments

[Alyssabeth Guerra]

Donovan, you are too silly :]

-Alyssabeth

[Becky]

Wow, that's amazing. I'd totally live there in an instant (I wouldn't mind wearing a corset or silly hat either!)

[Natalia]

Donovan, we will probably be heading there later in the year (we have been to Ironbridge a few years back, so it would be nice to see the new stuff). Will confirm if it is a working post office.

[Christian]

What a gorgeous, brilliant idea. I was pleased enough to visit a sutler's at our Fort Snelling recreation, but a recreated post office with supplies... dare I dream. This gives me an idea...

[Postalheritage.wordpress.com]

Thanks for mentioning the Blists Hill Post Office on your blog. You can buy stamps, stationery and post cards from the Post Office, and post letters and cards in the post box which is set into the wall of the Post Office (if the policeman and the lady in the hat weren't in the top picture you could see the box).

The stamps on sale are modern stamps, but the stationery is Victorian-style. Unfortunately we haven't been able to organise a special postmark for day to day postal services from Blists Hill, but it's something we hope to do in the future.

[eliteflyers]

I will probably be heading over there later in the year