Pillar Box War
{{short description|1950s post box vandalism in Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
File:Royal Cypher of Queen Elizabeth II.svg, surmounted by St Edward's crown]]
The Pillar Box War refers to a number of politically motivated acts of vandalism against post boxes in Scotland during the early 1950s in a dispute over the correct title in Scotland of the new British monarch, Elizabeth II or Elizabeth I.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/learning/features/queen-elizabeth-ii-and-scotland |title=National Records of Scotland; Research, Learning, Features - Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) and Scotland "Symbols of monarchy" |publisher=NRS |date= |accessdate=2022-10-08}}
Background
Ascending to the throne in February 1952, Elizabeth adopted the royal style of Elizabeth the Second. This was reflected in her royal cypher, which took the Latin form 'EIIR'. Some objected to this usage as the new queen was the first Elizabeth to reign over the United Kingdom or indeed Great Britain, Elizabeth I having been the queen of the former kingdoms of England and Ireland but not Scotland.
In 1953, John MacCormick took legal action against the Lord Advocate in the case of MacCormick v Lord Advocate, challenging the Queen's right 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.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W0ZAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1722%2C4938361 |title=Judge dismisses petition on Queen's title. Covenant Association to Appeal |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=18 May 1953 |page=3 |accessdate=20 April 2017}}
Actions and legacy
{{stack|File:Scottish royal mail van.JPG}}
{{stack|File:Royal Mail Lamp Box (Scotland).jpg}}
Some occasions of vandalism and even explosions of post boxes which carried the Queen's 'EIIR' insignia were recorded.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d5NnAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Pillar+box+war%22|title=Britain's Secret War: Tartan Terrorism and the Anglo-American State|first1=Andrew Murray|last1=Scott|first2=Iain|last2=Macleay|date=January 18, 1990|publisher=Mainstream Pub.|isbn=9781851583065|via=Google Books}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-return-of-our-fiends-in-the-north-9245285.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-return-of-our-fiends-in-the-north-9245285.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=The return of our fiends in the north|date=March 6, 2002|website=The Independent}} 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 Scots Independent, March 1953, Page 2
The folk songs Sky High Joe{{Cite web|url=http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=10192,10192|title=SKY-HIGH JOE|first=Max|last=Spiegel|website=mudcat.org}} and The Ballad of the Inch{{Cite web |url=http://www.scotsindependent.org/songbook/balladof_theinch.htm |title=Features - the Rebels Ceilidh Song Book - the Ballad of the Inch |access-date=2008-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223232608/http://www.scotsindependent.org/songbook/balladof_theinch.htm |archive-date=2008-02-23 |url-status=usurped }} commemorate these events.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V768BQAAQBAJ&q=%22ballad+of+the+inch%22&pg=PT432 |title=Hamish Henderson: The Making of the Poet |first=Timothy |last=Neat |date=2012-08-25 |publisher=Birlinn |isbn=9780857904867 |via=Google Books}}
After 1953, new post boxes were placed in Scotland carrying only the Crown of Scotland image rather than the 'EIIR' cypher,{{Cite web |url=http://lbsg.org/about-boxes/ |title=About Boxes – The Letter Box Study Group |website=lbsg.org |quote=Q = Queen Elizabeth. When the first of Queen Elizabeth’s boxes were erected in Scotland, in 1952, some objected to the EIIR cipher, arguing that Scotland had never had an Elizabeth I. Several boxes in Scotland were vandalised. The problem went as far as the prime minister; eventually it was decided that Scottish boxes would bear a Scottish Crown in place of the EIIR cipher.}}{{Cite web |url=https://issuu.com/mikecollins9119/docs/issue66 |title=St Andrews in Focus Issue 66 Sep Oct 2014 |website=Issuu |date=2019-03-01 |first=Mike |last=Collins }} which continued to be used in the rest of the United Kingdom, and indeed in some of the Queen's other realms and territories. A post box with the 'EIIR' cypher was installed in Dunoon in 2018 and immediately scheduled for replacement on discovery of the error.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/16449389.new-eiir-postbox-sparks-fury-among-residents-of-scottish-seaside-town/ |title=New EIIR postbox sparks fury among residents of Scottish seaside town |website=The National |date=2018-08-17 |author=National Newsdesk }}
See also
References
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Category:Vandalism in Scotland
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