Dispatch Collection

AFS despatch rider and messenger, WW2
An AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service) despatch rider and messenger on a motorbike at an LFS sub-station during the Second World War

Women dispatch riders in training, WW2
Women dispatch riders in training during the Second World War

The Railway Station, Clitheroe, Lancashire
The Railway Station, Clitheroe, near Whalley, Lancashire, England. Showing the milk dispatch Date: 1900s

Queen Elizabeth reviews female LFB dispatch rider, WW2
Visit to LFB by Queen Elizabeth and Princess Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth reviews a female dispatch rider at the Lambeth Headquarters of the London Fire Brigade

Dispatch Rider Violet Goozee. March 1944 P009053

Will They Never Come? World War One poster
World War One recruitment poster using a photograph from the Weekly Dispatch showing a bloodied and bandaged British soldier who having just dispatched the enemy with his rifle simultaneously

An English dispatch rider taking off during the Battle of the Marne east of Paris
697601 An English dispatch rider taking off during the Battle of the Marne east of Paris, September 1914 (autochrome) by Gervais-Courtellemont, Jules (1863-1931); eGalerie Bilderwelt; French

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - Coloured slide with handwritten inscription - Lorry reads the dispatch Recalled to Life

Direct telegraph line between New-castle and London for the Newcastle Chronicle, 1874
3479999 Direct telegraph line between New-castle and London for the Newcastle Chronicle, 1874; (add.info.: Direct telegraph line between Newcastle and London for the Newcastle Chronicle)

Merchants Transportation Company, Despatch, N.Y. between 1900 and 1920. Creator: Unknown
Merchants Transportation Company, Despatch, N.Y. between 1900 and 1920

Reading a dispatch at the Town Hall in the 9th arrondissement, 6, rue Drouot (Jan 19, 1871), 1871
Reading a dispatch at the Town Hall in the 9th arrondissement, 6, rue Drouot (January 19, 1871) , 1871

RFC Woman Dispatch Rider, by W H Margetson, WW1
Royal Flying Corps Woman Dispatch Rider, by William Henry Margetson, First World War. circa 1917

Grand procession at Plymouth on first dispatch of Cape mails
Grand procession to celebrate the port of Plymouth opening up as a Government Mail-packet Station. The Corporations of Plymouth

British motorcycle dispatch riders during WW1

South African Light Horse Trooper Brabant's And
South, African, Light, Horse, Trooper, Brabant's, and, Duke, of, Edinburgh's, Volunteer, Rifles, Dispatch, Rider, Boer, War, Military, print, photo, J, E, Bruton, Cape, Town, , 13974383

H. M. S. Alert - Despatch Vessel
H.M.S. Alert (K 647) - Despatch Vessel, (formerly Bay-Class Frigate Dundrum Bay K 427) - Commissioned in 1946. Date: circa 1950s

Volunteer motorcyclists during WW1

Poster, Will they never come? WW1
Poster, Will they never come ? WW1 Date: 1914

W. H. Smith and son's despatching newpapers 1900
Early morning despatching newpapers for W. H. Smith. Date: 1900

A Foreign Office Dispatch bag, sealed and addressed to the British Ambassador at Constantinople
745816 A Foreign Office Dispatch bag, sealed and addressed to the British Ambassador at Constantinople, ready for delivery to a Queen's Foreign Service Messenger

A Dispatch-Bearer Egyptian Camel Corps, 1888. Creator: Elizabeth Thompson
A Dispatch-Bearer Egyptian Camel Corps, 1888. From, The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper Volume 38. July to December, 1888

3c Washington City Despatch local post stamp, 1842. Creator: Unknown
3c Washington City Despatch local post stamp, 1842

The Tragedy of King Richard III, Act I, Sc 2 (litho)
6022082 The Tragedy of King Richard III, Act I, Sc 2 (litho) by Sullivan, Edmund Joseph (1869-1933); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Tragedy of King Richard III, Act I, Sc 2. Gloucester)

First dispatch of mail bags through the pneumatic tube (engraving)
614238 First dispatch of mail bags through the pneumatic tube (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Prime Minister Asquith - Commons Home Rule Bill debate
Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith (1852 - 1928), replying to Mr Walter Longs Amendment Speech in the House of Commons, declaring that it would be disasterous to proceed with the Home Rule Bill

Auxiliary Fire Brigade riders, September 1939
A line of dispatch riders attached to the Auxiliary Fire Brigade in September 1939. Among the riders is Nobby Key - a famous speedway rider who competed for Crystal Palace and New Cross (1929 - 36)

Knot porter 1746
Knot porter from London, carrying lots of parcels on his back. 1746

Parcel mail porter 1846
Parcel mail porter in London. Date: 1846

German dispatch riders pre-WWII
Motor dispatch School in 1935 in Magdeburg. The passing on of a dispatch message. Date: 9 July 1935

German troops pre-WWII
German dispatch riders prior to World War II

The War in Eastern Asia, Sketches off Wei-Hai-Wei (litho)
1627792 The War in Eastern Asia, Sketches off Wei-Hai-Wei (litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The War in Eastern Asia, Sketches off Wei-Hai-Wei)

Ms Fr 22495 Fol. 37v A Messenger Being Sent to Save Antioch
BNP159918 Ms Fr 22495 Fol.37v A Messenger Being Sent to Save Antioch, from Le Roman de Godefroi de Bouillon, 1337 (vellum) by French School, (14th century); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

Sketch for the Crystal Palace, built for the Great Exhibition of 1851
STC255934 Sketch for the Crystal Palace, built for the Great Exhibition of 1851, 1850 (ink on blotting paper) by Paxton, Joseph (1801-65); Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Thomas Kouli Kan, Emperor of Persia, assassinated in his Tent, by five of his Officers two of whom he killed
1092912 Thomas Kouli Kan, Emperor of Persia, assassinated in his Tent, by five of his Officers two of whom he killed, before they could dispatch him (engraving) by English School

Attack by the Allied Forces on the Chinese Fortifications at the Mouth of the Peiho River (engraving)
1098223 Attack by the Allied Forces on the Chinese Fortifications at the Mouth of the Peiho River (engraving) by English School

Dispatch, Stages preliminary to the delivery of goods from store to customer (b / w photo)
6008298 Dispatch, Stages preliminary to the delivery of goods from store to customer (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dispatch)

First Dispatch of Mail-Bags through the Pneumatic Tube from the District Office in Eversholt-Street to Euston Station
1588184 First Dispatch of Mail-Bags through the Pneumatic Tube from the District Office in Eversholt-Street to Euston Station (engraving) by English School

The New Record Office (b / w photo)
1605154 The New Record Office (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The New Record Office. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 14 March 1896)

Telling the world Greenwich Time by wireless (b / w photo)
3652701 Telling the world Greenwich Time by wireless (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Telling the world Greenwich Time by wireless)

The French at Rome (engraving)
1096303 The French at Rome (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The French at Rome)

The Dispatch-Bearer, ?1879. Creator: Giovanni Boldini
The Dispatch-Bearer, ?1879

The Dispatch of the Messenger, 1765. Creator: Francois Boucher
The Dispatch of the Messenger, 1765

The Queen Listening to a Dispatch from the Front, 1900. Creator: Samuel Begg
The Queen Listening to a Dispatch from the Front, 1900. From " South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. IV", by Louis Creswicke. [T. C. & E. C. Jack, Edinburgh, 1900]

Charles I Dictating Dispatches to Sir Edward Walker, c1650, (1944). Creator: Unknown
Charles I Dictating Dispatches to Sir Edward Walker, c1650, (1944). Portrait of King Charles I (1600-1649) and his secretary Sir Edward Walker (1612-1677) during the English Civil War

The Duke of Wellington writing the despatches after the Battle of Waterloo, 1815, 1852. A print from the Illustrated London News, (20 November 1852)

Queen Victoria listening to a dispatch from the front line during the Boer War, 1899-1901. She is aided by her attendant Abdul Karim (The Munshi)

Frederick Sleigh Roberts, British soldier, c1900. Sir Frederick, 1st Earl Roberts (1832-1914) was one of the foremost British military figures of Victorian times

NFS women in dispatch rider training, WW2
NFS women undergoing dispatch rider training. They were widely used to supplement the lines of communication between various headquarters

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"Dispatch: The Unsung Heroes of Communication in Times of War" During World War II, the AFS dispatch riders and messengers played a crucial role in relaying vital information across battlefields. These brave individuals risked their lives to ensure timely communication between military units, often riding motorcycles through treacherous terrains. In an era where gender roles were strictly defined, women defied societal norms by training as dispatch riders during WW2. Their determination and resilience shattered stereotypes as they fearlessly maneuvered through challenging conditions to deliver messages that could change the course of history. One such remarkable woman was Dispatch Rider Violet Goozee, whose photograph from March 1944 captures her unwavering spirit amidst the chaos of war. Her dedication symbolizes the countless unsung heroines who contributed significantly to victory. Even Queen Elizabeth recognized the importance of female LFB dispatch riders during WW2 when she reviewed them personally. This royal acknowledgment highlighted their invaluable service and marked a significant step towards gender equality within wartime operations. Dispatch riders were not limited to land; they also took to the skies. An English dispatch rider soaring over Paris during the Battle of Marne exemplifies their adaptability and resourcefulness in utilizing various modes of transportation for efficient message delivery. The Railway Station at Clitheroe, Lancashire became a hub for these courageous messengers during both world wars. It stood witness to countless tearful farewells and joyous reunions as loved ones departed or returned home with news from distant battlefronts—a poignant reminder of sacrifice and hope intertwined. Charles Dickens' classic novel "A Tale of Two Cities" beautifully portrays how critical timely dispatches can be in times of turmoil—how one message can alter destinies forever. Similarly, World War One posters like "Will They Never Come?" emphasized the urgency behind swift communication on which lives depended. British motorcycle dispatch riders proved indispensable during WW1 too, navigating treacherous terrains to deliver messages with speed and precision.