text: Anthony Trollope, a famous novelist, introduced post boxes to the UK in 1852 after seeing them in France . Royal Mail is to issue a set of stamps marking 200 years since the birth of Anthony Trollope – the Victorian novelist who also introduced post boxes to the UK in the 1850s. The limited edition sheet of stamps feature images of Trollope and his life, including the first post box design. Although famous as a novelist, Trollope also made history by introducing post boxes while working for the Post Office, after seeing them in France. The first boxes were erected in Jersey in 1852 as a trial before appearing across mainland Britain. They were initially painted green, to blend in with the landscape, but that was later changed to red to make them more visible. The new colour was introduced in 1874 and it took 10 years to repaint all post boxes. Red has remained the standard colour for UK boxes with only a few exceptions, one being blue post boxes for overseas mail. There are now 115,300 post boxes in the UK. Sue Whalley, Royal Mail's chief operating officer, said: 'We are delighted to contribute to this year's bicentenary celebrations of the birth of Anthony Trollope. 'He is well known as a former Post Office employee and we have him to thank for introducing pillar boxes to the UK. 'Whether in walls, on poles or freestanding, the network of post boxes has grown from Trollope's time to reach around over 115,000 boxes which are now an iconic feature of communities across the UK.' The stamps honour the first post box in the UK. Today there are 115,300 post boxes. Red has remained the standard colour for UK boxes with only a few exceptions, one being blue post boxes for overseas mail . A celebration of history: Sue Whalley, Royal Mail's chief operating officer, said: 'We are delighted to contribute to this year's bicentenary celebrations of the birth of Anthony Trollope' Limited edition: Royal Mail is to issue a set of stamps marking 200 years since the birth of Anthony Trollope. The  sheet of stamps feature images of the novelist and his life, including the first post box design .
target: Anthony Trollope introduced post boxes to the UK in the 1850s .
  The Victorian novelist saw them in France while working for the Post Office .
  Initially the post boxes were painted green to blend in with the landscape .
  The limited edition sheet of stamps feature images of Trollope and his life .