The British Empire and its effect on Plymouth


Unloading the Mail at Millbay


This picture from 1926 shows men unloading mail from the steamer Sir Francis Drake at Millbay. The Sir Francis Drake was a steamer that went out to meet liners in the sound to pick up passengers and mail that could connect to the railway line at Millbay station and be taken up the country. It is interesting that this photo comes from 1926 which was the time of the General Strike. It may well have been a propaganda photo used to explain that the port was still open despite the strike of dock workers. You can also see the scale of post offloaded if you look carefully at all the sacks on the Sir Francis Drake.


Empire in Your Backyard: Plymouth Article


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by Stephen Luscombe