Now that’s a “hand”le.
This quaint little helping hand has been making a fist of it on Acland St (next to Fitzroy St), unnoticed for nearly 150 years. At least that’s pretty much how long I think the Victorian-era letterbox it’s fixed to has probably been standing there.
The postal system back then was an incredible service – the 19th century equivalent of our internet, before even electricity was invented. Each red pillarbox on its street corner was the communal portal to the world, local and global. For those of us who’ve never posted a letter, you popped your envelope through the slot at the top, and the posties would pick them up from that door at the bottom, with that handle on it.
About 20 years ago, as local Councillor, I stopped them removing this pillarbox when a new one was being installed. Better to keep these old relics than to just let them just vanish.
A quick Google search suggests this 1870s model might now be quite a rare specimen. With its square base and tapered top, I can only find one in Melbourne (in Fitzroy) and three in regional gold towns.
Fitzroy St – our free museum.
