First post

A wonderful thing about blipfoto is how it can take you on fascinating voyages of discovery.

This morning, I took a photo of a postbox that has long intrigued me. It has an unusual design and still has a white flap where you post the letter. The box bears the cipher of Queen Victoria and stands opposite the main entrance to the famous Cheltenham Ladies' College.

I just thought it looked rather attractive. I didn't know it had some historic merit.

It turns out this is known as a Penfold hexagonal postbox, named after its designer JW Penfold.

Only 300 of them were made, half of which survive today. The largest accumulations are in London and, remarkably, Cheltenham, where nine are still in use.

But there are also ones in Ireland, India, British Guyana, Australia and New Zealand.

They were made between 1866 and 1879, in three sizes, and they had a cap decorated with an acanthus bud and leaves.

I remember using this for the first time. The metal flap seemed so delicate you were left wondering whether the postbox was actually a museum piece that you were not meant to use.

But I dropped my letter inside and I know it was delivered!

It's reassuring that the move to homogenise everything has not reached Royal Mail - and that treasures like this are still on street corners.