The Social History of The Postman

On this episode, I speak to Alan Cleaver, a retired journalist turned author who lives next to one of England’s most beautiful spots, The Lake District. 

Alan’s latest project charts the rise and fall of the rural postman and the shortcuts they made across the British countryside as they delivered the post in all weathers.

These so-called Postal Paths were the work of Royal Mail workers from the Victorian Era onwards. 

The bike and then the car would ultimately change the postie’s relationship with the countryside – and their customers – but Alan has been able to retrace many of these once important routes in his latest book. 

Sometimes approaching with a bugle call, the rural postie often carried gossip with them as well as a bag full of letters. They were an important part of rural social life in Britain, something Alan explains and explores during our own conversation.

The Postal Paths: Rediscovering Britain’s Forgotten Trails And The People Who Walked Them will be out later this month.

Produced by Ian Silvera, editor of Tech, Power & Media.