This Is My Glasgow

I noticed this curious little ghost sign on a VR post box on Crow Road in the Broomhill area of Glasgow a few months back, but only got round to photographing it today. It's made of enamel and its message (Await Delivery of Stamp Before Inserting Further Coin) seems rather odd, until you realise it's all that's left of a stamp vending machine which used to be attached to the post box.

Cont./

#glasgow #postbox #broomhill #streethistorian #ghostsign

8:17pmWeb
Show threadThis Is My Glasgow16h ago

Stamp vending machines were first introduced in the UK in 1907 (during the reign of Edward VII), so it must have been a later addition to this particular box, but I've no idea when. However, my best guess is sometime pre-WWII as the wording suggests a single stamp was issued for a single coin (probably a pre-decimal penny coin).

#glasgow #postbox #broomhill #streethistorian #ghostsign

Show threadcobalt16h ago
@thisismyglasgow oh wow, I remember those at post office lobbies after hours. I always held my breath if the small stamp would very slowly creak out of the small vending box. They were coin-only and seemed mechanical to the point I wondered if it was a wind-up mechanism inside. I mean to say the stamps were literally squeezed out!
Show threadThis Is My Glasgow15h ago
@cobalt123 Apparently, they were driven by the force of pushing the coin into the slot, so not quite wind-up, but close to it (I've just been reading up about their history!).
Show threadStewart Russell15h ago

@cobalt123 @thisismyglasgow I tool remember these (just). Possibly even ones attached to pillar boxes.

Some of the closes on Edgehill Road have amazing stained glass interior windows over the doors. My partner lived in one while she was doing her PhD at Glasgow.