Chinatown gets its first Green Plaque on April 29th

Westminster Council commemorates site of first Penny Post office at 39 Gerrard Street

Tuesday April 29th will see Westminster Council and the Lord Mayor of London unveil Chinatown’s first Green Plaque at 39, Gerrard Street - the site of the first Westminster Penny Post Office.

A forerunner of today’s Post Office, the Penny Post Office was set up in 1794 and allowed the citizens of Westminster to send mail to each other at the fixed price of one penny per package. By the early 19th Century, many towns and cities had their own version; mail was stamped with ‘PP’ or ‘Py Post’ as well as the town’s name.

Westminster’s Penny Post Office operated until 1834, becoming the Two-Penny Post Office when charges went up and eventually becoming the base for some 52 postmen. The closure wasn’t the end of 39 Gerrard Street’s illustrious history, however; 125 years later, the building was the first site of legendary Soho jazz club Ronnie Scott’s.

Distinctive to Westminster, Green Plaques were introduced in 1991 to commemorate people and places of note within this historic London borough. The plaque is a first for Chinatown – a traditionally vibrant area with a history spanning four centuries.

We hope you’ll join Councillor Robert Davis DL and Lord Mayor of London Carolyn Keen for the unveiling of the plaque at 1pm.

Click here to find out more about Chinatown’s history.

To find out more, please contact Ed Fleming or Chris Pilbeam on 0870 444 4568 or at Chinatown@fourcommunications.com.