Postcode Districts within the CV Coventry Postcode Area

There are 24 postcode districts within the Coventry postcode area

Map of the CV Coventry Postcode Area

Explore the CV Coventry postcode area by using our free interactive map.

There are 12 towns within the Coventry postcode area.

The Dawn of the CV Postcode Area: Automation and Adaptation

Coventry, a city nestled in the heart of England, has long been an emblem of modernity. But as the world propelled itself into the age of automation, even its postal system was not spared from this windswept wave of change.

Every day, a staggering 35 million letters traverse through the country's postal pathways, making the task of sorting and dispatching an immense challenge. Traditional manual methods, though reliable, were no longer sufficient. Hence, in response to this mounting mail, the Post Office introduced a new ally: the Postcode. As part of a nationwide scheme, the introduction of the CV postcode aimed to streamline the letter sorting process. The address, 71 Hertford Street, COVENTRY, CV1 1AA, encapsulated this novel transition.

The heart of this system was the machine. Sidney Creed, Coventry's head postmaster, unveiled in a meeting with Coventry Rotarians that by the following autumn, machinery would debut in Coventry for sorting second-class letters. This evolution of technology wasn't just a small step; it was a leap. Letters previously requiring manual sorting at numerous stages could soon be automatically sorted to postmen's delivery frames after merely two handlings. The aim? Simplification and efficiency.

However, it wasn't all smooth sailing. The machines, expected to be operational by the early autumn, came with their own set of tribulations. £2 million-worth of letter-sorting machinery was being installed in Midland sorting offices, including Coventry and Derby, but due to a national dispute with the Post Office Engineering Union over demands for a 35-hour work week, they remained dormant. The machinery, sensitive and intricate, required meticulous maintenance to function optimally.

The automation journey had been turbulent since its conception. Originally piloted in Norwich in 1959, the plan was for full automation by the end of the decade. However, hurdles persisted. Out of 80 earmarked sorting offices, only 18 had been transformed to accommodate the technological revolution. The success of the system hinged on one vital component: the mail bearing the postcode. As of then, only 45% of mail, mostly commercial, was properly marked with postcodes.

Yet, hope was on the horizon. Places like Nuneaton, Bedworth, and Atherstone were gearing up for their postcoding introductions. Residents and businesses were soon to be educated about their unique codes, urging them to utilize them on all letters. Despite the lack of machinery in Nuneaton, the Post Office remained optimistic about the utility of the code system, both for the immediate future and for potential mechanisation in the late 1970s. By then, the postcode was no longer a novelty; it was a necessity.

The CV postcode area wasn't just a series of alphanumeric characters; it represented a city's endeavour to embrace the future. Despite the challenges and teething problems, the vision was clear: a more efficient, automated postal system for Coventry and its environs. The Post Office's message was unmistakable: "Use of post codes becomes more important as the programme goes forward."

List of Post Towns within the CV Coventry