The collection consists of printed notices, press cuttings and other papers concerning aspects of the working of the British postal service and its historical development. The main categories are as follows:
- File of printed lists and manuscript notes relating to the Post Office branch in Wellington, Salop (now Shropshire). 1893-1894 (MS 171/1);
- Published items comprising: Post Office Act (1837), instructions to sub-postmasters (1852), Post Office parliamentary directory (1855), booklet about Post Office Savings' Banks (1861), and a report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Post Office Establishments (1897). 1837-1897 (MS 171/2);
- Printed cuttings of published photographs, illustrations and cartoons sometimes accompanied with cuttings of printed text relating to the history of the Post Office. The cuttings have been mounted on board. 1839-1904 (MS 171/3).