Pillar Box War
Encyclopedia
The Pillar Box War refers to a number of politically motivated acts of vandalism against post box
es in Scotland
during the early 1950s in a dispute over the correct title of the new British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
Ascending to the throne in February 1952 following the death of her father, George VI
, the former Princess Elizabeth adopted the Royal style of Elizabeth the Second of the United Kingdom. This was reflected in the Queen's Royal Cypher
, which took the Latin form 'EIIR'.
Some objected to this usage as the new Queen was in fact only the first Elizabeth to reign over the United Kingdom
or indeed Great Britain
, Elizabeth I
having been solely the Queen of England
. In 1953, John MacCormick
took legal action against the Lord Advocate
in the case of MacCormick v. Lord Advocate
challenging the right of the Queen to call herself Elizabeth the Second. The case failed on the grounds that the matter was within the Royal Prerogative
and thus the Queen was free to adopt any title she saw fit, however a submission by the Crown stated that the Royal title was decided to reflect the highest number from either the Kingdom of England
or the Kingdom of Scotland
and whilst Elizabeth II was not the second Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, she was the second Elizabeth in the territory which now made up the United Kingdom.
es which carried the Queen's EIIR insignia were recorded. One particular pillar box in Edinburgh's Inch district was repeatedly vandalised with tar, paint and a hammer before being blown to pieces less than three months after its unveiling
The folksongs Sky High Joe http://supersearch.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=10192 and The Ballad of the Inch http://www.scotsindependent.org/songbook/balladof_theinch.htm commemorates these events.
After 1953, new post boxes were placed in Scotland carrying only the Crown of Scotland
image rather than the EIIR cypher, which continued to be used in the rest of the United Kingdom, and indeed in some of the Queen's other realms and territories.
Post box
A post box is a physical box into which members of the public can deposit outgoing mail intended for collection by the agents of a country's postal service...
es in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
during the early 1950s in a dispute over the correct title of the new British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
Background
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, the former Princess Elizabeth adopted the Royal style of Elizabeth the Second of the United Kingdom. This was reflected in the Queen's Royal Cypher
Royal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
, which took the Latin form 'EIIR'.
Some objected to this usage as the new Queen was in fact only the first Elizabeth to reign over the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
or indeed Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
having been solely the Queen of England
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
. In 1953, John MacCormick
John MacCormick
John MacDonald MacCormick was a lawyer and advocate of Home Rule in Scotland.-Early life:...
took legal action against the Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
in the case of MacCormick v. Lord Advocate
MacCormick v. Lord Advocate
MacCormick v Lord Advocate was a Scottish legal action in which John MacCormick and Ian Hamilton contested the right of Queen Elizabeth II to style herself ‘Elizabeth II’ within Scotland...
challenging the right of the Queen to call herself Elizabeth the Second. The case failed on the grounds that the matter was within the Royal Prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
and thus the Queen was free to adopt any title she saw fit, however a submission by the Crown stated that the Royal title was decided to reflect the highest number from either the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
or the Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
and whilst Elizabeth II was not the second Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, she was the second Elizabeth in the territory which now made up the United Kingdom.
Actions and legacy
Some occasions of vandalism and even explosions of post boxPost box
A post box is a physical box into which members of the public can deposit outgoing mail intended for collection by the agents of a country's postal service...
es which carried the Queen's EIIR insignia were recorded. One particular pillar box in Edinburgh's Inch district was repeatedly vandalised with tar, paint and a hammer before being blown to pieces less than three months after its unveiling
The folksongs Sky High Joe http://supersearch.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=10192 and The Ballad of the Inch http://www.scotsindependent.org/songbook/balladof_theinch.htm commemorates these events.
After 1953, new post boxes were placed in Scotland carrying only the Crown of Scotland
Crown of Scotland
The Crown of Scotland is the crown used at the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland. Remade in its current form for King James V of Scotland in 1540, the crown is part of the Honours of Scotland, the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the United Kingdom...
image rather than the EIIR cypher, which continued to be used in the rest of the United Kingdom, and indeed in some of the Queen's other realms and territories.