Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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I have visited Bletchley Park, which is now a museum ( or rather part of it is ). The Post Office in modern times was actually a "proper" post office and the postmaster had a little exhibition of actual mail used during the war. He also sponsored a handstamp which he used on mail posted at his office which used the (disguised) post office box number used and had suitable postcards etc to send.
I suspect that the gentleman has either passed on or retired, and no one else was interested in taking over what must have been a fairly unremunerative business.
Incidentally the place itself is very interesting, especially for anyone with more than a passing interest in computers - and well worth a visit. It is amazing that so long ago the theory of computing was so far advanced, that the engineering took a time to catch up, and the Math required was mind-blowing.
There is a mock up of the computer which "works" quite convincingly until you realise that it has no "innards". At the end of the war the machine was dismantled and no one quite knows how exactly it worked !
Hundreds of people worked there, both military and civilian and no-one ever spoke about it even to their families. It was only comparatively recently that the information became available to the public, and I am sure that quite a lot of the history is still secret.
For more visit www.bletchleypark.org.uk
Malcolm
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06:28:22am
About three years ago there was a neat three episode docu-drama about the ladies of Bletchley Park, produced for UK distribution that was shown on PBS, I think, well worth watching both for the BP story and the effort exerted in dramatizing the customs, settings and mores of the early forties.
What I realized from watching is that it dramatized a recent period of history and I lived in such an era.
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I have been wasting some time recently perusing the Bletchley Park website.
I was completely wrong about the post office.... apologies.
The Post Office was actually part of the museum, manned by voluntary members of the support society, and not by a "proper" postmaster.
Apparently when the management of the museum changed, the new blood decided that the post office was not part of their "core activities". I find it rather difficult to understand. As well as it being succesful fund-raiser, it was actually a useful illustration of the secrecy around the establishment, and the consientious application by the staff.
It seems that the museum is concentrating on the science and mathematical history of code breaking at the expense of the human story. As an unashamed technophobe I feel that this line may put off those who are not computer -savvy.
Malcolm
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Perhaps the (fun) BBC mini-series and proliferating press coverage raised the profile of Bletchley Park a little too high too allow for a quirky volunteer post office.
More's the pity.
/s/ ikeyPikey
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08:17:49pm
Stumbled upon this unique post office as the result of my Pigeon Post question posted on Stamporama My husband was watching the Remembrance Day war stories and the importance of Bletchley Park was featured in one of the films I decided to research a bit more of the PO since war time. Covers and stamps were sold to maintain the PO which was run by many volunteers Alas the PO closed in Jan 2017 As a result the FDC produced have increased in value. I`m wondering if any members collect the stamps or covers I am also wondering if there is a published list or catalog of the issues produced. Any info out there in our membership?
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11:47:33am
re: Bletchley Park codebreaker`s post office
I have visited Bletchley Park, which is now a museum ( or rather part of it is ). The Post Office in modern times was actually a "proper" post office and the postmaster had a little exhibition of actual mail used during the war. He also sponsored a handstamp which he used on mail posted at his office which used the (disguised) post office box number used and had suitable postcards etc to send.
I suspect that the gentleman has either passed on or retired, and no one else was interested in taking over what must have been a fairly unremunerative business.
Incidentally the place itself is very interesting, especially for anyone with more than a passing interest in computers - and well worth a visit. It is amazing that so long ago the theory of computing was so far advanced, that the engineering took a time to catch up, and the Math required was mind-blowing.
There is a mock up of the computer which "works" quite convincingly until you realise that it has no "innards". At the end of the war the machine was dismantled and no one quite knows how exactly it worked !
Hundreds of people worked there, both military and civilian and no-one ever spoke about it even to their families. It was only comparatively recently that the information became available to the public, and I am sure that quite a lot of the history is still secret.
For more visit www.bletchleypark.org.uk
Malcolm
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
24 Nov 2017
06:28:22am
re: Bletchley Park codebreaker`s post office
About three years ago there was a neat three episode docu-drama about the ladies of Bletchley Park, produced for UK distribution that was shown on PBS, I think, well worth watching both for the BP story and the effort exerted in dramatizing the customs, settings and mores of the early forties.
What I realized from watching is that it dramatized a recent period of history and I lived in such an era.
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08:07:04am
re: Bletchley Park codebreaker`s post office
I have been wasting some time recently perusing the Bletchley Park website.
I was completely wrong about the post office.... apologies.
The Post Office was actually part of the museum, manned by voluntary members of the support society, and not by a "proper" postmaster.
Apparently when the management of the museum changed, the new blood decided that the post office was not part of their "core activities". I find it rather difficult to understand. As well as it being succesful fund-raiser, it was actually a useful illustration of the secrecy around the establishment, and the consientious application by the staff.
It seems that the museum is concentrating on the science and mathematical history of code breaking at the expense of the human story. As an unashamed technophobe I feel that this line may put off those who are not computer -savvy.
Malcolm
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re: Bletchley Park codebreaker`s post office
Perhaps the (fun) BBC mini-series and proliferating press coverage raised the profile of Bletchley Park a little too high too allow for a quirky volunteer post office.
More's the pity.
/s/ ikeyPikey
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