post box

Freestanding cast-iron postbox, erected c. 1905. Cylindrical shaft with shallow domed cap, moulded corona, neck moulding with letter aperture flanked by lettering 'Post Office', moulded plinth base with raised lettering 'Handyside, Derby & London'. Curved hinged door, incorporating raised frame, lock-plate and royal insignia 'ER VII' with crown motif. Painted green. Located at east side of Kildare Street at junction with Kildare Place.

This is a good example of an Edwardian cast-iron postbox and is located on a prominent site, next to the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street. The box was installed between 1901 and 1905, after which the design was altered to feature the letter aperture as part of the door, rather than the body. The postbox is of historical and social importance, as a remnant of the final decades of British rule in Ireland. Still in use, the postbox is a well-made and artistic piece of mass-produced street furniture that enhances the streetscape.