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The sea as a letter box, posting letters in St Kilda
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The sea as a letter box, posting letters in St Kilda
The sea as a letter box: missives cast upon the waters. Posting letters at St Kilda, 1910. During those months in which vessels do not call at the island of St Kilda, in the Outer Hebrides, letters are dispatched by being placed in a waterproof, buoyant case and cast upon the waters. Usually this mail packet is picked up on the coast of Norway to be forwarded to the Foreign Office. Four packages out of six reach their destination. Date: 1910
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Media ID 23056846
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Cast Hebrides Isles Kilda Letter Letters Outer Postal Posting Setting Waters
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this evocative photograph from 1910, a postal worker prepares to cast a letter into the vast expanse of the sea off the coast of St Kilda, an isolated island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. During those months when no ships called at the island, mail was sent by an unconventional method - by casting it into the sea in a waterproof, buoyant case. The packages, known as "sea-post," were picked up by passing vessels and eventually reached their destination, usually on the coast of Norway, to be forwarded to the Foreign Office. The image captures the rugged beauty and isolation of St Kilda, with its dramatic cliffs and crashing waves. The postal worker, dressed in a heavy coat and hat, braves the elements to ensure that the missives are delivered. The sea serves as a letter box, its vastness both a challenge and a means of communication in this remote and unforgiving setting. This photograph offers a glimpse into the past, when the postal service was a vital lifeline for communities in the Scottish islands. It also speaks to the resilience and resourcefulness of those who lived in such isolated conditions, relying on the natural elements to connect them to the wider world. The photograph, taken in 1910, is a testament to the power of human ingenuity and the enduring allure of the sea. It is a poignant reminder of a time when the simple act of sending a letter was an adventure in itself.
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