George Elgar Hicks, R.B.A.

Vokins, London;
Sir Robert Abdy, Newton Ferrars, Callington, Cornwall and thence by descent to the present owner

At some point in its history the panel has split horizontally and has been restored but the restoration has discoloured and the picture would probably benefit from being restored again. The panel has been cradled across the back and is now flat. UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT There are retouchings to the crack. FRAME Contained in a simple white-wash and gilt wooden frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

'The picture describes the rush to save the post; newspapers by sackfuls are thrown in at the window, and, singly, they are thrown in by those who reasonably despair of reaching the box. Women and children, with letters in their hands, look imploringly for aid in their trying difficulty, the field being entirely possessed by the interests of the press. There are some characteristic figures in the foreground, who congratulate themselves that they have sped their missives, and so creditably acquitted themselves.'
Art Journal, 1860, p.170

This is a sketch for Hicks' Royal Academy exhibit of 1860 (sold in these rooms from the collection of the British Rail Pension Fund, 19 June 1990, lot 31) showing the rush to catch the last post at St. Martin's-le-Grand post office. The chaotic scene, which became a mid-Victorian tourist attraction, was described by Charles Dickens and W. H. Wills in Household Words, 30 March 1850: 'A fountain of newspapers played in at the window. Waterspouts of newspapers broke from enormous sacks and engulfed the men inside...The Post Office was so full already that the window foamed at the mouth with newspapers...All the boys of London seemed to have gone mad and to be besieging the Post Office with papers. Now and then there was a girl; now and then a woman; now and then a weak old man; but as the minute hand crept near to the six such a torrent of boys and such a torrent of newspapers came tumbling in together pell-mell, heads on heals, one didn't post themselves nightly along with the newspapers and get delivered all over the world. Suddenly it struck six. Shut, Sesame!' When exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1860 The General Post Office proved to be one of the most popular pictures in the exhibition, drawing vast crowds. According to Punch '...the crush represented in Mr Hicks's picture gives only a faint idea of the crowd around it. The glimpses which you catch of it, between hats, over shoulders, and under arms, increase the reality of the scene!'