Little Red Boxes: the History of British Ministerial Boxes

Ministerial boxes have a rich history in Britain. Originally introduced by Prince Albert in the 1860s, red ministerial boxes are now issued to members of Parliament and other high ranking government officials. Perhaps the most notable of red boxes is the budget box, the ministerial box used by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to carry the nation's budget papers. The same budget box first used by Chancellor William Gladstone in the 1860s remained in service for nearly 150 years, until 2011, when the worn and tattered box was retired for a newer and more photogenic model.

The shiny red finish not only adds an aura of respect to whomever holds a ministerial box, it also makes the box easy to identify if stolen and difficult to forget if traveling (even though several cases of missing red boxes have been and probably will continue to be reported). It would seem that the British have an affinity for painting boxes red, as it is also the color used to identify public phone boxes and Royal Mail post boxes. Red boxes are made from hard pine wood specially grown to ensure durability and covered in red dyed rams' leather. Upon each case is embossed a royal monogram and the title of the office which the box is assigned to.

Unlike traditional briefcases, which open at the top near the handle, ministerial boxes open at the bottom, so holders would never forget to keep them locked, for if they did, all of their contents would spill onto the floor. For added security, some boxes are lined with lead, which not only make them impervious to x-ray machines, but also quite heavy. The weight is rumored to ensure that the box sinks if ever abandoned or compromised at sea. It is also rumored that the lead lined boxes are bomb proof, or at least capable of withstanding much stronger blasts than normal brief cases.

In 2007, an updated version of the red ministerial box was introduced that opened to reveal a laptop built right in to the case that allowed ministers to transfer data electronically and securely via the government's intranet. The idea never caught on, probably because many ministers preferred the readability of plain paper to the glare of a computer screen, which can become cumbersome if reviewing hundreds or thousands of pages of parliamentary bills and other government documents.

Since ministerial boxes are so easily identifiable as government property, ministers are offered black, more discreet, ministerial boxes that can be used when working and travelling in unfamiliar or unsafe territory.

Sources:

Budget: Osborne Shows Off New Budget Box. March 23, 2011. BBC News.

Giles Dilnot. Big Red Ministerial Boxes Traveling in Style. June 9, 2010. BBC News.

Rajini Vaidyanathan. Thinking Inside the Box. 23 March, 2010. BBC News.