Post always key at Christmas time

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YEARS may go bye, times may change but one thing that remains constant is that we all still like to receive a card at Christmas.
It was estimated that in 1961 close to 1.25 million letters were dealt with and delivered by staff at Burton General Post Office in the week leading up to Christmas.

A total of 180 extra staff were taken on in addition to normal workers in a bid to try and cope with the massive increase in demand.
CRR Rollings, assistant head postmaster at the time in Burton, gave a fascinating insight into his work during an interview with the Burton Observer and Chronicle.

He revealed how the vast building of letters and cards were speedily and unerringly sent out to far destinations not just to the town and surrounding areas such as Tutbury, Swadlincote and Ashby.

On the wall of the sorting office was a large scale map which showed the mail trunk services by plane, rail and road.

The districts of England, Scotland and Wales were indicated by code letters, which were there to be consulted by workers if they hit a snag or a problem.
In one corner, lay a forlorn heap of unstamped letters and half open parcels, which had been inadequately wrapped.

Eventually most of them will reach their destinations after, perhaps, a small delay.

Many people would quite rightly ask what sort of people work in the post office during the Christmas rush, and what made them do it?

There was 18-year-old Irene Smith, then a student at Bristol University.

Friendly and smiling, she declared she loved the work.

She was studying modern languages and hoped to become a teacher.

She lived in Uxbridge Street.

Mrs B Gibbs, 40, of Duke Street, was married and a former member of the post office staff.

She had a little boy, aged nine, and assisted at the post office every year for a little extra cash.

Roase Wood, of Canal Street, or ‘Rosie’ to her colleagues was a 64-year-old pensioner who was full of ‘vim and vigour’.

She was a postwomen for 15 years, but came back every year ‘to help out the girls and boys’.

There were some of the people who ensure that people got their Christmas cards, letters and parcels, in time for the festive break.

[krussel]

Amen to that