The General Post Office (GPO) in London at closing time, at 6.00 pm sharp, in the 19th century. This historic woodcut captures the daily, chaotic rush of Londoners trying at the last minute to post their letters in front of the post office counters close. The main building of the General Post Office at St Martin's Le Grand (opened in 1829) was famous for this nightly commotion, as additional charges were levied after 6.00 pm or letters were not transported until the following day. An authentic, high-resolution reproduction of a 19th-century original, the exact date of the scene is unknown. Historical
Caption

The General Post Office (GPO) in London at closing time, at 6.00 pm sharp, in the 19th century. This historic woodcut captures the daily, chaotic rush of Londoners trying at the last minute to post their letters in front of the post office counters close. The main building of the General Post Office at St Martin's Le Grand (opened in 1829) was famous for this nightly commotion, as additional charges were levied after 6.00 pm or letters were not transported until the following day. An authentic, high-resolution reproduction of a 19th-century original, the exact date of the scene is unknown. Historical

Date

Aug 05, 2026

Credit line

Photo12/ImageBROKER/Sunny Celeste

Reference

BRK26H78_340

Model release

No

Property release

No

License type

Royalty free

Available size

91.1Mb (30.4Mb) / 18.4in x 19.2in / 5520 x 5768 (300dpi)

Keywords

no people black old-fashioned obsolete date building tower history drawing transport logistics accurate letter post London main building classic Europe illustration depiction post office stationary office supply antiquity historic British military famous England Northern Europe contemporary nostalgia drawn retro european fee Writing paper document authentic woodcut former nostalgic general vintage close sketch untidy printing method travel photography replication 19th century Historic illustration United Kingdom Wood engraving Post Office St Martin Writing utensils deserted oldfashioned outdated structure transportation precise postal service Centrale classical representation post office building ancient times historical renowned North Europe Retro style charge stationery real xylograph shut messy nineteenth century Historical illustration UK Writing supplies nobody old fashioned antiquated construction exact famed realistic woodprint chaotic reproduction 1900s Great Britain Desk Utensils outmoded out of date genuine cluttered replica Britain copy dates buildings towers drawings transports letters main buildings illustrations depictions post offices stationaries office supplies Altertum fees documents woodcuts formerly generals closing printing methods 19th-century Historic illustrations classically historically shutting Historical illustrations constructions replicas no one on black Logistik Europe's depicting Postamt historical image history image history images vintage-styled closes closed St Martin's representing shuts

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