LAST week’s curiosity was a little tricky. It belongs to a colleague whose grandfather worked in the GPO (General Post Office) in London during the Second World War. It is a rubber stamp used to stamp letters or parcels with the word’s Delayed during to enemy action’ with an image of a bomb.

According to the British Postal Museum, Frederick Gurr set up the GPO Rescue and Salvage squad during the Second World War. Its aim was to rescue mail, money and supplies from Post Offices and letterboxes bombed in the City of London. He was concerned that the ordinary salvage squads didn’t recognise the importance of the mail. His own squad would rescue not only valuables from bombed out Post Offices but also supplies and the mail itself, ensuring it wasn’t delayed more than 48 hours due to enemy action. The stamp was used to identify mail that had been delayed, but delivered. For his services, Mr Gurr was awarded the British Empire Medal by King George VI.

Meanwhile, this week’s item comes to us courtesy of Grassington Museum, The Square, Grassington. Properly known as the Upper Wharfedale Folk Museum, it has been in its present location since 1975. In the early days, visitors were charged admission to raise money to pay back the debt incurred in buying the premises. Now, admission is free, but a donation is required ‘to get out’.The museum has around 8,000 visitors a year and will be open from March 23. Openings rely on volunteers so email first: uwmsoc@gmail.com. Suggestions need to be sent by 8am on Monday to news@cravenherald.co.uk