Royal Gibraltar Post Office

Coordinates: 36°08′31″N 5°21′12″W / 36.141909°N 5.353397°W / 36.141909; -5.353397

Royal Gibraltar Post Office
Industry Postal Service
Founded 1886
Headquarters Main Street, Gibraltar
Area served
 Gibraltar
Key people

David Ledger CEO

John Robba Director

Frank Bado Director
Owner Government of Gibraltar
Website www.royalgibraltar.post

The Royal Gibraltar Post Office is the postal services in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It is currently a department within the Government of Gibraltar.

History

1879 view of the main Post Office in Main Street

The Gibraltar Post Office has been running for over 150 years, as in 1857 the Overland Post Office (based in the colonial authorities' premises at Secretary's Lane) merged with the Packet Agency (which had office's in Turnbull's Lane). The first stamps went on sale in September and a year later a new building was completed and opened at 104 Main Street. This remains the main post office in Gibraltar today.[1]

An early 20th century George V pillar box in Gibraltar.

In 1886 the local colonial authorities took over control of the Gibraltar Post Office and was able to issue their own stamps.[2] Initially they overprinted Bermuda stamps but by December they had their own design. However they still sold Spanish stamps if required and between 1889 and 1898 the post office sold Gibraltar stamps valued in pesetas as this was the currency in circulation.[3]

For the first fifty years the Gibraltar Post Office had responsibility for the post office not only in Gibraltar but also for the British postal service in Morocco. This ended in 1907.[1]

In 2005 the Gibraltar Post Office was granted the title of "Royal" by Her Majesty the Queen. Gibraltar is the only Commonwealth or British Overseas Territory post office outside the United Kingdom that bears this title.[2] Gibraltar has traditional red pillar boxes and the tops are also frequently painted black.

The Post Office continues to provide some traditional services and was still using benefit books after they were abandoned in the United Kingdom, while there is also a special philatelic counter to sell the commemorative stamps.[4]

Despite the small size of the territory, delays in the sorting and delivery of local items of mail have resulted in letters taking up to a week to be delivered.[5]

Services

The Royal Gibraltar Post Office provides the following services:[2]

Banking facilities are provided through the Gibraltar Savings Bank, which is part of the Gibraltar Government services.[4]

Office locations

The North District Office

The Royal Gibraltar Post Office has a number of offices around Gibraltar:[2]

The North District Post Office in Glacis Road and the South District Post Office in Scud Hill were closed in late 2014 for refurbishment, but in February 2016 had still not reopened.[6] In September of that year, the Government stated that there were no plans to reopen either Post Office; Minister Joe Bossano explained there had been a proposal to house Savings Bank outlets in the premises but that when the money generated was considered, it was found not to be financially viable.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Gibraltar Postal Anniversaries". Gibraltar Stamps. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 RGPO | About Us
  3. ↑ "Queen Victoria Stamps". Gibraltar Stamps. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Post Office where service comes first, Toby Walne, This is Money, 3 July 2007
  5. ↑ The letters in the post, Panorama, 29 November, 2013
  6. ↑ District Post Offices closed for 'refurbishment' since 2014, Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation, 19th February 2016
  7. ↑ No plans to re-open South and North District Post Offices, Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation, 30th September 2016
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