Using the Archive for student projects and academic research

Are you a student, lecturer or researcher looking for original source material for a research project, a location for a group archive visit, or inspiration for your creative work?

The Postal Museum is the home of The Royal Mail Archive, which contains a rich and extensive collection of records. Reflecting the significant part the Post Office and Royal Mail have played, and continue to play, in public and private life.

The records cover a vast range of business activities and are a great source of social history. From documents on postal innovations, employment, industrial relations and architecture, to material on transport, broadcasting, uniforms and stamps, to name a few. The records on public relations include a huge collection of posters and original artwork for posters.

The Royal Mail Archive holds the archive of Royal Mail Group Ltd, and Post Office Ltd. It is one of the oldest business archives in the world and continues to collect and care for the records of the two businesses today. The records in the Archive are Designated as being of outstanding national importance by the Arts Council and are on the UNESCO memory of the World UK Register.

Academic projects

Enlivening legal education

We are currently working in partnership with Professor Amanda Perry-Kessaris, University of Kent, and Professor Emily Allbon, City St George’s, to find out how we can use archives to enliven legal education: Enlivening legal education through The Postal Museum – Amanda Perry-Kessaris

Addressing Health: Morbidity, Mortality and Occupational Health in the Victorian and Edwardian Post Office

Principal investigator: Professor David Green, King’s College London.

Website: https://addressinghealth.org.uk/

An Institutional History of Internal Communication in the UK

Principal investigator: Professor Michael Heller, University of Northumbria

Website: https://historyofinternalcomms.org/

PhD topics

Women Workers in the General Post Office, 1939-1945: Gender Conflict, or Political Emancipation

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From the Civil List to Deferred Pay: The British Government, Superannuation and Pensions 1810-1909

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The History of Post Office Relations c 1945 – 1956

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Group visits

Visits from groups of undergraduate and postgraduate students in recent years have covered: historical research using an archive, graphic design communications, public relations and legal education.

Please contact us to discuss the requirements of your group, we will be happy to support you in providing a productive and engaging session.