First Class

In New York City, the main building of the United States Postal Service bears the inscription: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." In Glasgow, pinned to a notice board at the Royal Mail sorting office, a sign reads: "If in doubt, deliver to Flat 1/1, 17 Montague Street, Glasgow, G4 9HU."

Have you ever wondered how badly addressed envelopes arrive at the correct destination? How the postman translates scribbles and doodles into something with meaning? Harriet Russell has.

 

While studying at Glasgow School of Art, Harriet sent herself 130 letters with addresses in the form of anagrams, crosswords, dot-to-dot puzzles, cartoons and even a colour blindness test. The first - sent in mirror writing - was delivered as quickly as a normal letter would be, telling her someone, somewhere in the Royal Mail, enjoyed her work. So she pressed on.

75 of Harriet's letters were successfully delivered. Below are more examples of her hilarious and intriguing experiment.