Bath Postal Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1979 |
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| Location | Bath, Somerset |
The Bath Postal Museum was a special place in Bath, Somerset, England. It was a museum all about the history of mail and how letters and packages have been sent over time. It taught visitors about the journey of mail, from ancient times to modern days.
Contents
Discovering the Bath Postal Museum
The Bath Postal Museum was a unique museum. It focused on the history of sending mail. It also highlighted important people from Bath who helped develop the postal service.
The Museum's Journey
The museum started in 1979. It was founded by Audrey and Harold Swindells. They first opened it in the basement of their home. This was on Great Pulteney Street.
In 1985, the museum moved to a new location. This was a building on Broad Street. This building was very special. It used to be Bath's main Post Office from 1822 to 1854. It was also where the first ever Penny Black stamp was used. This happened on May 2, 1840. The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp. The building itself was very old and important. It was listed as a Grade II building by English Heritage. This means it was protected for its historical value.
What You Could See Inside
The museum had many interesting things. It told the stories of key people. These people helped create the Post Office. Some were connected to Bath. They included Ralph Allen and John Palmer.
The museum also showed the history of mail. It went all the way back to 2000 BC. It also explained the history of the British postbox.
Amazing Artefacts
Visitors could see many different items. There were quills and ink wells. These were used for writing long ago. You could also see stamp boxes and post horns. Post horns were used by mail carriers to announce their arrival.
Other items included clay tablets. These were used for writing in ancient times. There were also old maps and model mail coaches. These coaches carried mail across the country. The museum also displayed old letters and postcards. A popular exhibit was a replica of a Victorian post office. It showed what a post office looked like a long time ago.
The Museum's Final Chapter
The museum faced challenges in 2003. The rent for its Broad Street building increased a lot. Because of this, the museum had to move.
On November 7, 2006, it reopened in a smaller space. This new location was in the basement of the post office building. It was at 27 Northgate Street.
The Bath Postal Museum closed its doors in September 2023. This happened after 44 years of being open. It closed shortly after its founder, Audrey Swindells, passed away. The museum's lease for its space also ended at that time.
