The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers

WCoTA Visit to the Postal Museum – 21 February 2025

The events committee organised a tour of the Postal Museum in Clerkenwell, London. Even though we were inside the day was a pleasant sunny day. The museum was on the site of the once huge Mount Pleasant sorting office. What is unknown to many was that Mount Pleasant was also once the centre of the Post Office’s own underground railway system. A system that once stretched from Paddington station in the west to Whitechapel in the east. Built in the 1920’s it was fully automated with no drivers. Part of the system around Mount Pleasant is now available to rides for the public. It was here that we started our tour with a 20 minute train ride in special carriages through these narrow tunnels.

From the rail part of the museum, we crossed the road to the other part of the museum. We had a guided tour of the many exhibits. These included an original mail coach, firearms of the coachmen, the first post box in the country and a full sheet of penny black stamps. There was also a special exhibition of uniforms use by the Post Office from early times to the current day.

From there we walked to a nearby Sicilian restaurant for an evening meal. The food was excellent and everyone enjoyed their day.

Contribution: Peter Allen