The late Queen received one every day of her reign, Margaret Thatcher’s sold for almost a quarter of a million pounds and another rests at the home of Hollywood star Angelina Jolie. Now, as Andy Burnham settles into his new role as Prime Minister, he too will be the recipient of an iconic red despatch box.
For centuries the familiar lockable red cases have been used by British sovereigns, prime ministers and ministers to carry top secret documents and confidential papers. The boxes are interwoven with the history of Britain, containing information which has taken the country to war, ensured peace and shaped society.
But Mohammed Suleman, the man behind the Barrow, Hepburn & Gale which produces the boxes, insists he doesn’t lie awake at night worrying about what they might contain. He laughs: “I worry more about what’s not being carried in them! There are rules in place about their use and strict protocols. They shouldn’t be ignored.”
The firm was founded back in 1760 when John Hepburn, a tanner from Yorkshire, moved to London and set up a tannery in Bermondsey – then a major centre for leather tanning. The business grew and expanded, merging with other manufacturers including one which already held the right to make despatch boxes for the British government.
Over the years, the company became one of Britain’s largest leather manufacturers, their workers’ expertise being passed down the generations and even providing equipment for both World Wars. Field Marshall Montgomery visited the London factory ahead of the Allied invasion of Normandy, to meet the craftswomen who were making leather and canvas equipment crucial to the operation.
The heart of the company, though, remained the production of despatch boxes, with their red stained leather and gold print which has remained unchanged since Gladstone used one for his budget in 1853. Mr Suleman, who has previously worked in a business advisory capacity for UK companies, acquired the firm 26 years ago, after ploughing in private family money. At the time, there was both Russian and Chinese interest in the company.
He recalls: “It was a small box advert in the pink pages of the Financial Times. It read, ‘interesting prestige business for sale’ and mentioned signing a confidentiality agreement.
I didn’t understand why they were being so cagey, but when I picked through it all I realised that this was a significant business. Not only was it doing stuff that was centre stage but it was one of the country’s oldest established suppliers to the military. There was a lot more going on beneath that simple advert.”
The boxes themselves are still made in a traditional way, in workshops situated across the country, the skills passed on down the years from worker to worker. Mr Suleman explains: “We try to use as many workshops around the country as we can. Many are family owned businesses on which we rely.
“We try to do our bit because without some of the crucial support that we provide these skills would be lost. We’ve been here for a long time as a business but sadly I think short-termism is a disease which has affected this country for a number of years. That’s not how we operate here. Politicians need to walk around the shop floor and get their hands dirty.”
He won’t disclose how many boxes are made in a year – he says demand is determined by how active a government is – or how much one costs to make. No two boxes are the same though, with those privately commissioned – like the one Angelina Jolie has – varying in price.
He explains: “They can be very personalised so costs do vary. We made one for a collector of vintage watches, another to house a collection of pens.”