It's the last post for this Penfold
JARED SMITH
JARED SMITH
BOXING ON: NZ Post Hawera postie Mia Aarts and South Taranaki District Council's John Sargeant with the Penfold hexagonal letterbox that is being retired.
It has stood tall since the late 1800s and now one of Hawera's landmarks is going into well-earned retirement.
The Penfold hexagonal letterbox was installed on the corner of High and Victoria streets in 1898 and has served the town for 112 years. As alternative postboxes have long since been installed, NZ Post is retiring "the Penfold," which will accept its last letters on June 30.
But rather than be removed, the letterbox has been given to the South Taranaki District Council and will remain on the street as a historical landmark.
The council's property and facilities manager, John Sargeant, said it would sand-blast and clear away the rust, before repainting the box in its original "royal red" colour.
An information plaque will also be placed on the side.
"One-hundred-and-twelve years and it's never failed," Mr Sargeant said.
NZ Post Hawera mail officer Mia Aarts, who has worked as a postie for 36 years, said it was "awesome" the box would now be a landmark. "I was collecting from it for eight or nine of those years, twice every day."
The Penfold was designed in 1879 by Cochrane Grove and Company in Britain from an original design by JW Penfold, and was cast in Dunedin by F&D Duncan Ltd.
5 comments:
It is nice they are saving it. Good for them.
I am glad it's being kept even though retired. Yea for the powers that be!
Love those old mail boxes Good they keep it
«Louis» thanks you for your visit and your comment on his Memorial Day post. When is ANZAC Day?
I'm glad it will be rejuvenated and live on as a historical landmark.
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