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The Englishman who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects
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The Englishman who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects (edit title/settings)

by John Tingey (Author) (edit contributors)

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The first impression of W. Reginald Bray (1879-1939) was one of an ordinary middle-class Englishman quietly living out his time as an accountant in the leafy suburb of Forest Hill, London. A glimpse behind his study door, however, revealed his extraordinary passion for sending unusual items... read more

Summary edit see section history

The first impression of W. Reginald Bray (1879-1939) is one of an ordinary middle-class Englishman quietly living out his time as an accountant in the leafy suburb of Forest Hill, London. A glimpse behind his study door, however, reveals his extraordinary passion for sending unusual items... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

The first impression of W. Reginald Bray (1879-1939) is one of an ordinary middle-class Englishman quietly living out his time as an accountant in the leafy suburb of Forest Hill, London. A glimpse behind his study door, however, reveals his extraordinary passion for sending unusual items through the post.

In 1898, Bray purchased a copy of the Post Office Guide, and began to study the regulations published annually by the British postal authorities. He discovered that the smallest item one could post was a bee, and the largest, an elephant. This intrigued him, and he decided to experiment with sending ordinary and strange objects through the post unwrapped, including a turnip, a bowler hat, a bicycle pump, shirt cuffs, seaweed, a clothes brush, even a rabbit’s skull. He eventually posted his Irish terrier and himself (not together), earning him the name “The Human Letter.” He also mailed cards to challenging addresses—some in the form of picture puzzles, others sent to ambiguous recipients at hard to reach destinations—all in the name of testing the deductive powers of the beleaguered postman.

Over time his passion changed from sending curios to amassing the world’s largest collection of autographs, also through the post. Starting with key British military officers involved in the Second Boer War, he acquired thousands of autographs during the first four decades of the twentieth century—of politicians, military men, performing artists, aviators, sporting stars, and many others. In all, Bray sent out more than thirty-two thousand postal curios and autograph requests—an astounding number—half of which were successful. W. Reginald Bray: The Englishman Who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects is the first ever book to record Bray’s life and endeavours, and illustrate a selection of his wonderful postal creations.

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  1. John Tingey (Author)

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  2. quirky 

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