Lower Gornal Post Office

A post office has existed around the Five Ways, Lower Gornal since the mid-19th Century.
A postal telegraph service was introduced in Lower Gornal in November, 1870.
Edward Ratcliffe was post master [Jones's Mercantile Directory], at which time the post office appears to have been situated at No. 5 Church Street. His daughter Mary was the telegraphist.

Later, Edward Ratcliffe resided at No.14 Church Street, there he was described as a bookseller. By the end of the 19th Century, then retired, his daughter Mary continued as a booseller at this address.

Joseph Thomas was recorded as post master in 1896 & 1904 [Kelly's Trade Directory] at which time the post office was situated at his drug store at 105 Ruiton Street.
Joseph Thomas produced local postcard views, including one of the Church and another of the Vicarage.

William Jones was described as a general dealer; it is his name that appears over the door of 57 Lake Street c. 1900.
William was a local man born in Brook Street in 1872, his father was a colliery proprietor.
However, the photo probably dates a little later, perhaps when the Whorton family ran the post office from this address.

The Lower Gornal Post Office is shown on maps in the period 1920-1950 and was operating from the shop on the lower side of St. Pauls Church at 57 Lake Street.
This was also a general store, and before the turn of the 20th Century, was occupied by the police force.
The post office was run by the Whorton family in the period 1910-1950.
William Barton Whorton, resided at 57 Lake Street. His wife Sarah and daughters Gertrude and Frances were postal clerks; whereas their father worked at the Musk Lane Gas Works.
The two daughters were still working at the post office in 1939, and William B. was then described as the sub-postmaster. The address had changed to No.4 Lake Street due to house re-numbering.

The post office moved to a small lock-up shop in Ruiton Street during the 1960s-90s. Then moving to back to a position in Lake Street where it was integrated with the newsagents on the Five Ways.

The post office and the newsagents closed in August 2022. For a period the shop was empty. In 2024 it was converted into a Turkish barbers shop.

The Lower Gornal Post Office moved away from the Five Ways, and is now located in an off-licence at the corner of Robert Street and Deepdale Lane, opening there in January 2023.

Gornal Wood Post Office

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