Digital Collections Archive

Bath Postal Museum’s archives hold a vast and electronic range of collections which are rarely seen by the public. Included in our archive are many valuable and rare artefacts that provide us with information for the museum, and exhibitions.

Browse one of our collections below or choose from the menu on the left.

Christmas Items

Get into the festive spirit with these stunning Christmas themed items including postcards, stationary and greetings cards.

Frank Staff Postcards

Frank Staff was a prestigious and respected collector and postal historian. This collection of postcards is now available online for the first time.

Frank Staff USA Collection

Frank Staff was a prestigious and respected collector and postal historian. This collection of mail from the USA is now available online for the first time.

Military

A selection of mail and photographs from 1914 onwards.

Postal Workers

A collection of photographs showing the men and women who have delivered our mail throughout the past century.

Song Sheets

Before the television, or even radio, was introduced beautifully illustrated song sheets like these were extremely popular.

Telegrams

For over a century telegrams were the fastest method of sending written information over any kind of distance, and Bath Postal Museum has more than 100 examples of various telegrams, dating from Victorian times, in its collection;

Valentines

Frank Staff was a prestigious and respected collector and postal historian. This collection of early Valentines is now available online for the first time.

World War Two Airgraphs

The airgraph system was inaugurated by the British Post Office in August 1941. Before then, the difficulty of quickly relaying news to and from the serving Forces and their families was great, and there were few transport aircraft and very little space for mail. The feasibility of microphotogaphy was researched, and letters began to be photogrpahed, condensed onto microfilm, flown to their destination and the image enlarged. Each message was numbered and photographed which meant that any mail lost in transit could be quickly reproduced.

Wreck Mail

Salvaged from ship wrecks, these covers on display are part of the Adrian Hopkins collection, on loan to the Museum.