scottish pillar box blown up

In the early 1950's just before the Queen Elizabeth's coronation, the Post Office in their haste to keep ahead of the game and following tradition, set about erecting new pillar (post) boxes throughout the United Kingdom. They decided to erect the first of these iconic bright red post boxes at a place called the Inch in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city. It bore Her Majesty’s royal cypher: E II R, standing for Elizabeth II Regina.

Red Royal Mail Pillar box complete with E11R logo

28 November 1952, a group of officials and other dignitaries unveiled the 'E ll R', post box at the Inch, Edinburgh. My goodness what a national stooshie then developed. To some it seemed reasonable that Royal Mail should recognise the new head of state in this fashion.However not everyone agreed and the situation quickly descended into national outrage with wide scale media coverage, debates in the House of Commons and intense police surveillance.

To the uninitiated, Elizabeth may well be England's second ruler bearing that name, however she was only the first to so do in Scotland and therefore any reference to Elizabeth in Scotland should reflect that fact and to do otherwise would be disrespectful to the Scottish nation by taking it for granted.

In fact, so enraged were some Scots that the Pillar box with the offending insignia was blown up and had to be replaced. The manager of the iron foundry where the post boxes were made was warned, under pain of death, that all boxes manufactured forthwith and destined for a Scottish location had to be innocent of the number ll (two). Yes, he received death threats.

So, why do I recall this piece of Scottish history so vividly? My first job after leaving school in 1961 was as on officer junior at Carron Ironworks in Falkirk, to be more precise, Mungal Foundry, which was part of the foundry complex and had once been a separate foundry. The main items manufactured in Mungal Foundry were, Telephone Kiosks, Lamp Letter Boxes and the free standing Pillar Boxes, the subject of this tail. Part of my job was arranging the shipping for said items, along with the correct keys. I was under no illusions about my responsibility to ensure ER to Scottish locations and EllR to all other parts of the UK. I was reminded on a regular basis by the, under threat, foundry manager. I did not let him down.

This whole episode saw a few ditties penned and sung in appropriate watering holes throughout Scotland; 
'Sky High Joe' by Thurso Berwick, sung to the tune, Ricky Do Dum Dey
'Billet-Doux' by Thurso Berwick, sung to the tune, Corn Rigs
'Sky High Pantomime' by Thurso Berwick, sung to the tune Harlaw

N.B. Thurso Berwick's real name was Morris Blythman, a Fifer by birth.

and finally; 'The Ballad of the Inch' (tune - castles in the air ) I do not know who penned it.

"Ah'll tell tae ye a story,
An' ah'll swear tae ye it's true,
A' aboot the Pillar Box -
The ane wi' ER ll.

Chorus:
Fa'll blaw it this time?
Fa'll blaw it noo?
The anes that blew it last time ,
Canna blaw it noo.

They took this mickle Pillar Box,
An' stuck it in the groon',
Wi Edinburgh C.I.D
An' Polis a' aroon.

A noble Lady in the Sooth
Said, 'Let it weel be seen
By a' thae traitrous Scots up North
That I'm their English Queen.

'Sae watch it weel ma merry men,
An' keep it in your care,
For England's nearly bankrupt
An' we hav'nae ony mair.'

They guardit it richt faithfully,
They guardit it fell weel;
But in ahint their backs there nipped
A big black coated cheel.

Ye read it i' the papers,
Ye saw it i' the news-
How he stuck his 'Coupon' in,
Wi' a yaird-lang, fizzin fuse.

As he hirpled back across the road'
Tae the Cops he bade, 'Guid Nicht!'
Ah widnae staun sae near the box,
For yon wis gelagnite.

A minute later aff it went,
Wi' a flashin' an' a thump,
An noo they've taen awa' the bits, 
Tae the Corporation Dump.

The bottom bit they left it there,
A' ragged-edged an' shairp;
Bit the lid wis in St Peter's hands,
Be'in played on like a harp.

It's said that on the next day-
Pit there tae get their rag-
Upon the mound o' rubble
Wis a wee bit yella' flag.

So, there you have it, a wee snatch of Scottish history. 
Not told in schools I bet.