London’s New Postal Museum: Secret Tunnels, Train Rides and Victorian Trolls

Anyone remember the pre-tech days of post? I mean, sure, your parents still insist on occasion cards and the bank determinedly sends you dread-filled envelopes no matter how many times you click ‘paperless’. Other than that, the age of post is past us. London’s newest museum, however, is giving it a whole new history.

Welcome to the Postal Museum, opening summer 2017. Claiming the crown of ‘first social network’, this new kid on the block is taking a look at London’s original way of keeping in touch. It has varying exhibits that show the history and the changing face of the British postal system. There are plenty of interesting little tit-bits, including the odd realisation that our pillar boxes were once forest green.

Then there’s the look into old London life the museum affords. Some were so poor and postage so dear that letters would be cross-written: writing horizontally, vertically and diagonally across a page to save pennies. Post used to be paid for by the recipient, so you’d appreciate the impossible to decipher efforts.

The Postal Museum also reveals that Victorians were the original trolls when it came to Valentines. They had ‘Vinegar Valentines’, which were cheap bits of paper with offensive rhymes on, mocking whomever received it. These weren’t just sent to exes – business rivals, in-laws, ex-besties all got the vitriol of the Victorian troll. Of course, to add injury to insult, the poor bastard being bullied had to pay for the privilege.

Of course we didn’t just bring you here to talk about postal exhibits. We’re not that cruel. There’s only so far a museum about letters can interest you. We’ve saved their best till last: the ride into the subterranean post tunnels.

Londoners are used to stuff going on under our feet. The tube is the most famous underground around the world. But we really haven’t grasped the extent of our subterranean city. The Postal Museum is about to enlighten us, opening to the public the underground rail network that carried letters round London.

It’s not just a glimpse either – you can get on the carts and go for a spin. Think Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but hopefully without the loud, annoying child screaming just behind you. Or the ritual sacrifice. The forgotten tunnels begin at Paddington, and now you can have a go at being crucial correspondence whizzing its way to Whitechapel. Finally, there’s a legal, accessible way of seeing some of subterranean London.

The Postal Museum is a new London landmark for those craving a unique view of our capital, and fab for family days out. They’ve made the mail’s history full of swashbuckling stories, highwaymen and Victorian dress up. The mid-2017 opening in Clerkenwell is looming closer and tickets are going on sale soon, so snap them up. We can’t wait for it to make its stamp on London’s museum map.

 

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