Page "Postcodes in the United Kingdom" Paragraph 16

In January 1932 the Postmaster General approved the division of a number of large towns into numbered districts.

In November 1934 the Post Office announced the introduction of the districts in " every provincial town in the United Kingdom large enough to justify it ".

Pamphlets were issued to each householder and business in the ten selected areas notifying them of the number of the district in which their premises lay.

The pamphlets also included a map of the divisions, and copies were made available at local head post offices.

The public were " particularly invited " to include the district number in the address at the head of all private or business letters.

A publicity campaign in the following year was made to encourage the use of the district numbers.

The slogan for the campaign was " For speed and certainty always use a postal district number on your letters and notepaper ".

A poster was fixed to every pillar box in the affected areas bearing the number of the district and appealing for the public's co-operation.

Every post office in the numbered district was also to display this information.

Printers of Christmas cards and stationery were requested to always include district numbers in addresses, and election agents for candidates in the upcoming general election were asked to ensure they correctly addressed the 100 million items of mail they were expected to post.

In addition, businesses were issued with a free booklet containing maps and listings of the correct district number for every street in the ten areas.