A history of Guyra Post Office

Guyra Post Office 1909

16th Jul 2024

Prior to the arrival of the railway in 1883, a settlement had grown east of the present town site. It had a general store, a public house, a butcher store and a blacksmith, all under the proprietorship of Mr William Millis.
Since about 1865, William Millis had operated a private mail bag service for farmers in the district and the postmaster at Armidale reported that Guyra was “about six miles from Falconer and twenty miles from Armidale. Cobb & Co Coaches travel the road three times a week and pass the house where Mr Millis lives”.
With the arrival of the Railway in 1883, the Post Office was transferred to the Railway Station.
Mrs Henrietta Garrahy opened an unofficial post office at North Guyra in 1901, in a small wooden building next to the Argus office in Ollera Street.
By 1902, both the North Guyra Post Office and the Post Office at the Railway Station had become far too small to accommodate the increase in business.
From Guyra Argus 3rd September 1902
“In a recent issue we drew attention to the inadequate accommodation afforded at the local post office, and suggested that new premises be erected for the post and telegraph office, independent of the railway department altogether in a central position.
“This was supported by Mr. Lackey, who stated, quite truthfully too, that the receiving office at North Guyra was also far too small for present requirements; they had so-called post offices at each end of the town, and virtually they had none at all.”
In 1907, when the removal of the Post Office from the railway station was being considered, there was quite a deal of rivalry between South Guyra and North Guyra, both settlements claiming to be the best site for the post office.
At this time North Guyra, on the western side of the railway line, had a population of 230. South Guyra, directly opposite the railway station to the east and about 1½ miles from North Guyra, had 130 residents, but was considered the more progressive township.
Then in August 1908 the Postmaster General’s Department issued a statement stating that “approval has been given for the closure of the present non-official offices at Guyra and North Guyra, and the opening of an official office in a central position midway between the two towns.
These alterations will be carried out when funds are available.”
The Guyra Argus October 1908 reported that: “Nothing further has been heard lately with reference to the establishment of a central post office at Guyra. If such should eventually ‘come off’ it will simply mean that North Guyraites will have nearly half a mile’s daily tramp after their mail”.
After much discussion a site was chosen midday between the two centres, and on 10th April 1909, Guyra Post Office was opened in a building rented from Mrs Jane Izzeard for £70 ($140) per annum. This was in Bradley Street opposite the Council Chambers Building.
The North Guyra Post Office and the post office at the railway station were discontinued. The first permanent official postmaster, William Burgess, was appointed in February 1910 with a salary of £235 ($470) per annum.
The present Post Office building, built by A. Cooper was opened on 20th March 1914 at a cost of £2,090 pounds. The building included a main office, a new switch room with 65 subscribers and a 10 room residence.
In August 1963 a residence was purchased in Llangothlin Street for the postmaster. Then the whole building was used for postal services, a Post Office, telephone exchange and technician’s space, and an additional thirty-eight private letter boxes were installed.

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A history of Guyra Post Office

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