In 1933, when Stephen Tallents moved from the defunct Empire Marketing Board to the General Post Office, he brought a group of filmmakers with him. The filmmakers made up the GPO Film Unit. The department was set up to produce sponsored documentary films about the GPO and its everyday activities.
The GPO film unit’s most famous work is the documentary, Night Mail which was released in 1936. The team also delivered works such as The Saving of Bill Blewitt (1937) – seen as the first ‘story’ documentary – Men of the Lightship (1940) and London Can Take It! (1940), produced to secure American popular opinion for Britain’s war effort.
In 1940, the GPO Film Unit became the Crown Film Unit, under the control of the Ministry of Information.
1500s Master of the Posts
1800s The first postage stamp; Queen Victoria 1d black – the Penny Black (1840)
1900s ‘Send your good wishes by greetings telegram’ by Abram Games (c.1938)
1800s Postboxes: the start of the legend
1900s Organised labour - Association of Post Office Women Clerks
1800s Royal Mail Steam Packet (RMSP) Company