Never Enough Sockets in Modern Houses.

davidwalker2:
Some government organisation may well have disposed of Middlesex in the 1960's, but no one told the Post Office, or at least they didn't acknowledge it.  Round here our postal address still includes "Middlesex", normally truncated to "Middx."


David

Thanks,David. I think the Royal Mail did allow the continuing usage of Middlesex as a postal address after Middlesex was absorbed into Greater London, because it decided that the administration of altering postal addresses would be too much of a problem. Royal Mail does not have a good track record of keeping up with government changes. In its favour, however, in 1974 it did bring out a useful and interesting guide to post towns affected by the county changes following the Maude Report.


The present-day position is that county names are no longer required on postal addresses, as long as the post town is shown, preferably in  capitals, and the postcode of course. Continued usage of county names on letters is however not objected to; it can be a guide to location within the country and of course there are cases where town names are duplicated. (I can think of two Richmonds, three Bradfords, four Newcastles.)  Mail is sorted and distributed according to main sorting offices - not on a county basis.


So although Royal Mail does not require Middlesex, it has not proposed an alternative, e.g. London boroughs. Hence the habit lingers on.

davidwalker2:
Some government organisation may well have disposed of Middlesex in the 1960's, but no one told the Post Office, or at least they didn't acknowledge it.  Round here our postal address still includes "Middlesex", normally truncated to "Middx."


David

Thanks,David. I think the Royal Mail did allow the continuing usage of Middlesex as a postal address after Middlesex was absorbed into Greater London, because it decided that the administration of altering postal addresses would be too much of a problem. Royal Mail does not have a good track record of keeping up with government changes. In its favour, however, in 1974 it did bring out a useful and interesting guide to post towns affected by the county changes following the Maude Report.


The present-day position is that county names are no longer required on postal addresses, as long as the post town is shown, preferably in  capitals, and the postcode of course. Continued usage of county names on letters is however not objected to; it can be a guide to location within the country and of course there are cases where town names are duplicated. (I can think of two Richmonds, three Bradfords, four Newcastles.)  Mail is sorted and distributed according to main sorting offices - not on a county basis.


So although Royal Mail does not require Middlesex, it has not proposed an alternative, e.g. London boroughs. Hence the habit lingers on.