Family-run business closes its doors after a staggering 174 years of serving the community in the Harborough district

Flowers were presented to Julie Beisner by Richard Hall, Post Office public affairs manager.

A 'legendary' local family which has run the post office in a Harborough village for a staggering 174 years are being forced to close by the Covid pandemic.

The Howkins family have proudly served tens of thousands of happy customers over many decades, operating and looking after North Kilworth Post Office since 1847.

But Postmaster Julie Beisner has decided to shut down now because she has been unable to open her branch since the first crippling coronavirus lockdown was launched last March.

A photo of the previous post office next to The White Lion coaching Inn in the late 19th century.

Julie’s village Post Office is too small to make social distancing realistic and she has also been busy caring for her elderly parents.

Her mother sadly passed away in October and she won’t reopen her business which became indispensable to scores of local families for well over a century and a half.

Julie said: “I am sorry that I can’t say goodbye properly to my regular customers who I have served for so many years.

“The size of the shop makes it impossible from a social distancing point of view and I have now decided that it is the right time to close.”

A young James Howkins delivering the post in 1900.

The incredible story stretches all the way back to when Julie’s great great grandfather Stephen Howkins opened the first post office in North Kilworth in 1847 at a converted malthouse next to the White Lion pub.

Queen Victoria had sat on the throne for just 10 years when Stephen took the plunge and threw open his doors for the first time to the delight of villagers.

Blessed with a huge work ethic and immense stamina, Stephen worked for many years before finally retiring at the age of 79.

The tireless entrepreneur passed the reins on to his daughter Maria and then his son Jamie before they were succeeded by Jamie’s widow Louisa.

In 1953 Julie Beisner’s grandparents Frank and Vera (known as Annie) took on the post office and moved to new premises a few yards away on Lutterworth Road - where the branch still stands today.

The thriving business then passed on to Julie’s uncle Michael Howkins and Julie’s mum Mavis Beisner (known as Gilly) for a short while.

Julie, who was steeped in the post office as she even helped out at the shop when she was still at school, became Assistant Postmaster in 1988.

And in 1996, some 25 years ago, Julie was thrilled to step up to become North Kilworth’s Postmaster.

She also studied part-time to gain a law degree whilst running the branch.

Julie recalls how the person who baked the cake for the village fete’s popular guess-the-weight-of-the cake competition used to come in annually to use her Post Office scales to get the accurate weight.

She also remembers someone who sent very smelly cheese from her Post Office and another who despatched a brace of pheasants through the post with an address label tied around the birds’ necks.

At one point, the Royal Mail had a busy sorting office next door to North Kilworth Post Office and other members of the Howkins family worked there sorting and delivering mail and telegrams.

So after an astonishing 174 years, villagers in North Kilworth will now have to trek to Husbands Bosworth, Welford, Gilmorton or Lutterworth for their nearest post offices.