years occupied
premises on mid-hill, before moving the Post Office to a site lower down
the hill.

[Illustration: MR. F.P. LANSDOWN.]

Mr. F.P. Lansdown retired from the post of Medical Officer to the
Bristol Post Office at the end of the year 1903. He had occupied the
position for the period of 42 years, and it was felt that such long
service could not be allowed to terminate without due recognition at the
hands of the officers of the Postal and Telegraph Services, to whom he
had rendered professional aid from time to time. He was, therefore,
given a solid silver table lamp, subscribed for by over 650 members of
the staff. The presentation took place on Post Office premises, and was
very largely attended.

Twenty-seven of the Bristol telegraph staff served in the campaign in
South Africa. In times of peace many Royal Engineers are employed in the
instrument room of the Bristol Post Office, and the duties of linesmen
are mainly undertaken by men from that corps. On the outbreak of
hostilities, these were at once withdrawn for active service, and then
came the call for Volunteers for the Telegraph Battalion, when seven
civilians attached to the local staff volunteered, and were selected.
Great interest was taken by their confreres in the progress of the war,
especially during the siege and the relief of Ladysmith, where two of
the Bristol R.E.'s were among the besieged. One of the staff went
through the siege of Kimberley, and another for his pluck was awarded
the D.S. Medal. A hearty welcome awaited their return, and this was
manifested by means of a supper and musical evening at St. Stephen's
Restaurant, Dec. 1, 1902.

Not all of them came back--two had fallen and helped to swell the large
number who had sacrificed their lives for their King and country.

Whilst civilian telegraphists and officers of the sorting department
thus volunteered for military service in South Africa, the present
Postmaster-General himself, Lord Stanley, to whom this book is
dedicated, also was not slow in placing himself at the disposal of his
country, and he went through two years of the campaign, acting first as
Press Censor and afterwards as Private Secretary to the
Commander-in-Chief Lord Roberts. He was twice mentioned in despatches
and was awarded the Companionship of the Bath.

Bristolians generally, with great enthusiasm, rallied to the cry for
Volunteers, and special mention may here be made of Mr. J. Paul Bush,
who ungrudgi