Guernsey Post introduces heritage plates to celebrate island post box stories
- Guernsey Post is installing heritage plates on 27 decommissioned post boxes across the island to preserve their historical stories
- The post boxes will remain blue, whilst brown heritage plates will identify them as part of a heritage trail
- Each plate features a QR code linking to webpages with historical details about each box and other heritage locations
- Box 89 on Fort Road still shows visible damage from a 1944 RAF raid on Fort George during the Occupation
- The initiative coincides with a new stamp issue launching on 27 May celebrating the island's post box heritage
Guernsey Post is installing heritage plates on 27 decommissioned post boxes across the island to preserve their historical significance and share the stories connected to them.
The post boxes, which are no longer in service but remain standing as familiar features of the island's landscape, will retain their iconic blue appearance. The newly installed heritage plates are brown, clearly identifying them as part of a growing heritage trail.
Installations began this week, with several plates already fitted and the remainder scheduled for completion in early June. Each plate features a QR code that allows residents and visitors to access a dedicated webpage containing historical details about each box and a guide to other heritage post box locations across the island.
Guernsey Post has stated its commitment to keeping the island's blue post boxes in place, recognising their continuing role as valued features of island life. The initiative aims to ensure that the historical and cultural significance of these locations is preserved.
Among the locations receiving heritage plates is Box 89 on Fort Road, St Peter Port, a 1934 George V post box with a wartime story. The box was damaged during an RAF raid on Fort George between 3-5 June 1944, and the impact damage remains visible today. The wartime scars serve as a reminder of this period in Guernsey's history.
Another location is Box 85 at Les Bailleuls, Rue des Bailleuls, St Andrews, also a George V post box linked to life during the Occupation. A mark still visible inside a nearby home tells the story of a tragic accidental shooting of the homeowner by a German soldier cleaning his gun, leaving a mark that remains visible on the ground floor.
The heritage plate initiative coincides with the launch of a new Guernsey stamp issue on 27 May, celebrating the island's post box heritage. The set features the Fort Road post box alongside others still in use, linking past and present through design.
"We understand that post boxes are far more than a practical service, they hold real cultural significance and emotional value for islanders," said Steve Sheridan, Chief Executive of Guernsey Post.
"They are part of the fabric of everyday life and have quietly witnessed generations of history. By introducing these heritage plates, we are ensuring those stories continue to be recognised, while keeping the iconic blue post boxes in place as valued features of our Island."
Research into the heritage post boxes has been carried out by Guernsey Post employee and gold-accredited tour guide Rosalyne Le Huray, whose work has helped to uncover and bring these stories to life.
Guernsey Post has acknowledged the support of The Priaulx Library, Nick Le Huray, The Guernsey Society and La Société Guernesiaise in the project.
Q&A
Q: How many heritage plates are being installed?
A: A total of 27 heritage plates are being installed on post boxes that are no longer in service but remain in place across the island.
Q: What colour are the heritage plates and why?
A: The heritage plates are brown, clearly identifying the post boxes as part of a heritage trail, whilst the post boxes themselves remain blue to reflect their historic appearance.
Q: What happened to the post box on Fort Road?
A: Box 89 on Fort Road was damaged during an RAF raid on Fort George between 3-5 June 1944, and the impact damage remains visible today as a reminder of the wartime period.
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