System for transporting documents and other small packages

concept

A mail-coach, overturned by a locomotive (Stephenson's Rocket). Line engraving, c. 1853 (?).

Three women in a post office, curious about a local resident, surreptitiously read a sealed letter addressed to him. Engraving by F. Bacon after H. Richter.

Scenes inside the General Post Office at St Martin's-le-Grand, London. Wood engraving by J. Bell, 1875.

Quarantine / by V.D. Vandervelde, L. de Zanche.

The disinfected mail of Spain / [Sidney Nathan].

Post Office Glasgow directory for 1864, 1865 : arranged in three divisions, general, street and commercial, accompanied with a map of the city, recently revised; to which is added a suburban directory, with an appendix containing general and local information : thirty-seventh annual publication."

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

Please note, due to essential maintenance work to our systems, you will be unable to request items in our collections; apply for, renew or pre-register for a library membership; or use our computers, laptops and printers from 06:00 on Saturday 12 July until 06:00 on Sunday 13 July. Our library will remain open as usual. Thank you for your understanding.

We're running paid user research studies to improve Wellcome Collection online

Take part in research

Postal service

Images

Catalogue

Quarantine / by V.D. Vandervelde, L. de Zanche.

A mail-coach, overturned by a locomotive (Stephenson's Rocket). Line engraving, c. 1853 (?).

Scenes inside the General Post Office at St Martin's-le-Grand, London. Wood engraving by J. Bell, 1875.

The disinfected mail of Spain / [Sidney Nathan].

Post Office Glasgow directory for 1864, 1865 : arranged in three divisions, general, street and commercial, accompanied with a map of the city, recently revised; to which is added a suburban directory, with an appendix containing general and local information : thirty-seventh annual publication."