It is funny how you can walk or drive past something every day without noticing it.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Everybody has gone past the Leeton Post Office, but I wonder if they have noticed the brass plate affixed to the front of the building which acknowledges Queen Elizabeth the Second?
But before we get to that, we need to have a quick look of the history of the Leeton Post Office.
The Australian Post Office had its recognised birth on April 25, 1809, when a convict, Isaac Nichols was appointed to take charge of all the incoming ships mails.
He must have a done a sterling job because he would later become Australia's first postmaster.
In 1912, the newly-settled Leeton township would have its postal service conducted at the Yanco Post Office, which had its office at the railway station office.
The stationmaster, who was possibly a Mr Penfold, was also the postmaster.
However, in April 1922 a Mr CJ Maas, who ran a general store at Crusher Camp Leeton, made his premises available for inward and outward mail, which would be collected and then taken to the Yanco Post Office.
This arrangement lasted for about five months until Leeton's first official post office was established on September 6, 1912 facing Chelmsford Place.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The biding was a small two-roomed galvanised iron building, which appeared to be totally unsuitable and lacking the very basics including an enclosed shower for the acting postmaster Mr FW Drinkwater from Temora.
The lack of privacy forced Mr Drinkwater to shower very early in the morning to avoid shocking any female passer-by.
On July 16, 1913, Mr CJ Lowe was appointed Leeton's first, full-time postmaster.
The post office would only have a very sort tenure at that location because on April, 20 1915 it was completely destroyed by fire.
Onlookers at the time were not particularly remorseful, commenting that at last Leeton might get a more serviceable and larger establishment.
On May 5, 1915, the post office reopened in a small weatherboard shop situated at the corner of Kurrajong Avenue and First Street (later known as Cypress Street).
This site too was woefully inadequate and in that same year a campaign commenced for a new post office to be built in Leeton.
Representations were made to the then Local Member Mr JM Chanter MP and election promises were made.
Leeton's residents were angry about their inadequate post office and the local newspaper, The Murrumbidgee Irrigator, had numerous articles which reflected that anger.
In 1917, the Commonwealth government bought the original land where the first post office had been established, but it would be another five years before a new post office was built.
The new post office would adequately service Leeton for the next four decades but in the 1960s demand had grown to the point where major renovations were required.
Brian Aird, a former long-term employee of the post office explained that Leeton had expanded into a category four post office and had about 25 staff at one stage. The new renovations combined the old residence with the main building, with some of the residences rooms now being utilised as office space.
Mr Aird was employed by Australia Post from 1952 to 1993 and was in fact the last postmaster at the now closed Yanco Post Office. And so to the question of the QEII brass plate? It is believed it was affixed to the post office exterior wall about 1966 after the renovations were completed. Have you ever noticed it?
Acknowledgements:
Brian Aird
A Brief History of Leeton. A.E. Bowmaker
Leeton 100 Years. Thanks for the memories. Leeton Family and Local History Inc
New South Wales Land Service
The Murrumbidgee Irrigator
Trove
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.irrigator.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News