Elizabeth Rainbow

Elizabeth Rainbow
Elizabeth Rainbow

Elizabeth Rainbow ran the Post Office after her mother-in-law Rebecca Rainbow died aged 82 in 1894.
Elizabeth Brown had married George Rainbow May 25th 1863.
Elizabeth's father was Stephen Brown, brewer.
See Marriages 1837 - 1920 No. 92

Licence to vend & deal in Stamps dated 19th February 1840
John Rooker Rainbow
Licence to vend & deal in Stamps
dated 19th February 1840

Image -The British Postal Museum & Archive

The Northampton Mercury 23 November 1894

Mrs. [Rebecca] Rainbow, postmistress of Castlethorpe, Bucks, died on Saturday morning, after a short illness. Deceased was eighty-two years of age, and, it is stated, was the oldest postmistress the service, having occupied that position Castlethorpe for fifty-one years.


The Northampton Mercury 04 February 1944

A notable centenary will be celebrated at Castlethorpe in connection with the village post office. During the whole of the 100 years some member of the Rainbow family has had charge of it.
Mr. John R. Rainbow opened the first post office in Castlethorpe in a thatched cottage situated in what is known as Rainbow’s-yard. He only held the position of subpostmaster for a few months, for it is recorded that in November, 1844, his widow succeeded him and continued for nearly half a century. During that period the post office was removed to its present premises, where it has been for the past 63 years.
A son, Mr. George Rainbow, succeeded his mother, and had charge of the office for 27 years. His daughter, Mrs. Gobbey, has been so engaged since 1920.


The Mercury & Herald 15 July 1971

Oldest native is 93-year-old Mrs. Elizabeth Gobbey, who had been village postmistress for 35 years when she retired at the age of 78.
The village Post Office had then been in her family for 114 years and Mrs. Nancy Sawbridge who took over in October, 1956 was a relative by marriage, her husband Mr. Benjamin Sawbridge being Mr. Joe Gobbey’s nephew.
John Rainbow died within months of his appointment as postmaster at Castlethorpe in 1844 but his widow carried on in Rainbow’s Yard. When Rebecca’s son William George Rainbow moved into 16 North Street, his mother went with him and there the post office stayed for 80 years, William succeeded his mother in 1893. His daughter Elizabeth, who married the auxiliary postman Joe Gobbey, became postmistress shortly after the first world war.