A handy container created using a digital scan of the first Olympics gold postbox. To commemorate British gold medal winners at the 2012 Summer. A classic vintage 1960s 9ct gold charm. A lovely charm of a traditional postbox, or letterbox, from the 1960s. Dimensions - Width - 11.8 mm Height - 16.25 mm Weight - 1.00 grams Hallmark: - 9ct.
As a stamp collector, I cant really work out why pre-emptive troll Pete Baker, over on Slugger O’Toole is getting so concerned about the Great Gold Post Box Non-Controversy.
To commemorate British gold medal winners at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics, various post boxes in the home towns of. Postbox in St Paul's Square Bedford painted gold for Etienne Scott's gold win in the canoe slalom at London 2012. 2020 popular 1 trends in Automobiles & Motorcycles, Car Stickers, Emblems, Home & Garden with Logo and 1. Discover over 305161 of our best selection of 1 on AliExpress.com with top-selling 1 brands.
Stamps have always been used as Propaganda.
The background to this is that athletes from Norn Iron are Irish or British…….and represent the Ireland (official name) team or the Great Britain (official name) team. Despite the best efforts of unionists and lets get alongerists referring to “Team Great Britain and Northern Ireland”….much to their annoyance Norn Iron doesnt actually exist. Which is actually quite ok with nationalists.
As a stamp collector, I am not a big fan of living people appearing on stamps. The first living person to appear on an Irish stamp ws Pope John Paul II, prior to his visit to Ireland in 1979. Since the 1990s it has become quite commonplace…..Seamus Heaney (poet), Brian Friel (dramatist), Joey and Robert Dunlop (motorcyclists), Paul O’Connell (Rugby Player), Van Morrison (singer) are just some examples. I am not at ease with it.
Apart from Royalty….I dont think that any living person appears on British stamps. I dont collect British stamps (so I just dont know) and the only non-Royals…..I can think of are the “Royal Wedding” stamps. In the cases of Sarah Ferguson, Mark Phillips and Diana Spencer…..that worked out really well didnt it?
It is a hostage to Fortune.
I was therefore quite surprised when the British Post Office announced it would issue a Gold Medal Winners stamp just 24 hours after a Gold Medal was won.
It was in fairness a fantastic feat……A compter image/template set up at three or four secure printing works and a fleet of Mail vans to take the newly printed stamps to several hundred post offices across England, Wales, Scotland and Norn Iron. Thats quite a feat……twenty nine times. And it was all done again for the Paralympics.
But like I say putting living people on stamps is a big risk. Witness Sarah Ferguson, Mark Phillips and Diana Spencer. Had Britain issued a set of stamps in 1975 to commemorate Great Glam Rock Superstars, it would have included Gary Glitter. ‘Nuff said………you see my point.
So twenty nine Olympic athletes (indeed more when you add Teams) is a huge hostage to Fortune. Especially when the stamps are produced so quickly. If any athlee had (say) failed a Drugs Test, well the potential for Scandal is just too great. Indeed even the long term potential in respect of non-sporting tabloid headlines is a risk.
So I was surprised that the British chose this route. And each Olympic Gold Medal winner was to get a Postbox painted Gold in their hometown.
As I said there were some Norn Iron athletes on the British team. And a little more on the Irish team.
Although the rowers from Coleraine went close (Silver and Bronze) nobody from Norn Iron won Gold for Britain. So nobody from Norn Iron gets to be on a British stamp. And no Gold post box in Coleraine. The unionists (and lets get alongerists) would have really gone triumphant with that (thru no fault of the athletes themselves). Of course had Paddy Barnes from North Belfast or Michael Conlan from West Belfast actually won a Gold Medal, every postbox in the nationalist parts of North and West Belfast would have been painted Gold…just to annoy the unionists. No permission would have been sought from the Post Office.
And the Belfast boxers went close (two Bronze) but obviously winning Gold for Ireland would not have entitled Belfast boxers to be on a BRITISH stamp.
Which brings us to the Paralympics. Most Norn Iron Paralympians were on the Irish team. Jason Smyth from Eglinton in County Derry won two Golds with two World Records in the 100 and 200 metres for the Visually Impaired. Michael McKillop from Glengormley in County Antrim won two Golds in 800 metres and 1500 metres. Bethany Firth a swimmer from Seaforde in County Down also won a Gold Medal. For Ireland.
Jason Smyth……a little tongue in cheek “tweeted” that he would like a gold Post Box. Many including myself re-tweeted it and the BRITISH Post Office has agreed to three “honoury” gold boxes in Eglinton, Glengormley and Seaforde.
Nationalists will look on this as a major victory. Such is the nature of life in Norn Iron. The principle that there is parity of esteem for people born in Norn Iron to act as Irish or British has been further established.
And Unionists wont really like it. Norn Iron’s three gold boxes are to honour athletes who represented Ireland.
John Gow made this Freedom of Information request to Royal Mail Group Limited
This authority is not subject to FOI law, so is not legally obliged to respond (details).
This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.
- John Gow
- Royal Mail Group Limited
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Gold Postbox Marlow
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Dear Royal Mail Group Limited,
Please could you supply a list of all officially gold painted Royal Mail post boxes relating to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
Please ensure the list distinguishes between Olympic and Paralympic events, preferably with the names of the athletes. Please don't include any boxes that are not officially recognized by Royal Mail, e.g. boxes that were painted by the public. I believe there have been boxes painted by the public that initially were rejected by Royal Mail, but have since been adopted as official boxes; the one's in Larkhill and Lymington spring to mind (please include if true). If the box is no longer officially recognized (Carshalton box), please don't include.
I am aware that there have been several boxes painted that aren't directly related to medals; for example the launch boxes to each event and team recognition boxes e.g. Henley rowing and GB Cycling. There was also a box painted that combines the efforts of Olympian Victoria Pendleton and Paralympian Craig Maclean (SK9 6). Also, please include the three boxes in Northern Ireland for the gold medals won by Team Ireland. All such officially painted boxes like these should be included in the list.
Please provide the numbers and location details from the Final Plate Database. Preferably as an Excel export or any other similar file.
Could you also confirm the boxes that are to get official plaques. Thanks for your assistance in this matter
Yours faithfully,
John Gow
Dear Mr Gow
Thank you for your request for information received on 16 March 2013,
which we are considering under the Freedom of Information Act. Under the
Act you should expect a reply from us to be sent by 16 April 2013, which
is twenty working days from receipt of your request.
If for any reason we are unable to provide you with a full response within
that time, we will contact you explaining the reasons for this and giving
a revised date by which we will reply.
If in the mean time you have any questions or would like to contact us
about your request, please contact us by telephone (0114) 2414215 or
alternatively email us at the address below. Please be assured that we
are giving this our attention and will get back to you shortly.
Yours sincerely
Kate Fearn
Information Rights Team
Company Secretary’s Office
Gold Postbox Locations
Royal Mail Group
Gow 160413.pdf
Gold Post Box locations and Final Plate information.xls
Dear Mr Gow
Please find attached a response to your recent Freedom of Information
Request.
Yours sincerely
Kate Fearn
Company Secretary's Office
Information Rights Team
[1][Royal Mail Group request email]
Gold Postbox Isleworth
Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered in
England and Wales.
Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 100 Victoria Embankment,
LONDON, EC4Y 0HQ
- John Gow
- Royal Mail Group Limited
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