About PostboxMap.co.uk

About the project

I started PostboxMap in 2023. The first version was simple and fun, but it did not last. My hosting provider moved servers and we lost data. That was the push I needed to rebuild it properly and protect the data long term.

I also wanted more than a map. I wanted a place where people could contribute, discuss, and care about these objects together. What you are using now is that rebuild. This is PostboxMap v2.

Why I started it

I'm Luke. After the Queen died, I started paying attention to postboxes. I wondered how new ones would appear, and what would change. While thinking about that, I began noticing older postboxes everywhere. Different cyphers. Different eras. All still doing their job.

That curiosity stuck. I wanted a way to document them, see where they were, and let anyone else do the same. I built PostboxMap so people could record what they find and share it openly.

What the project is

Postboxes are part of UK history. Each one marks a place and a moment in time. PostboxMap records them by reign and location so you can explore what exists and spot what is missing. We are inspired by the Letter Box Study Group, the acknowledged authority on the history and development of the British roadside letter box.

You can browse by monarch, search by cypher, and add postboxes you find. The data stays open and structured. A mobile app is on the roadmap to make submissions quicker in the field.

Get involved

There is a real community behind the site. Some people spot postboxes. Others fill gaps in the map. Some build tools using the API.

However you want to take part, you are welcome. Every contribution helps keep these small pieces of history visible for the next generation.

Join the community, explore features, check the leaderboard, or read about scoring. Questions? Get in touch.