The color representative of the monarchy, and by extension, the state, red is the color of power and authority. Mailboxes are red, a tradition the persists even in many former British colonies, signifying that mail delivery is a government task. The carpets in the law courts are red, as are the judge’s robes , again signifying the authority of the crown. The dress uniform of several branches of the British military is red . The red rose was emblematic of the house of Tudor. Until the late 19th century, English physicians wore red cloaks, and flannel was thought to have medicinal properties when applied as a poultice. Red wool was used to relieve sprains in Scotland and sore throats in Ireland. The red and white diagonally striped barber pole is a holdover from the days when the local barber also practiced some surgical procedures , hit skill with a blade being handy. Red is also the color of London buses and telephone booths, which benefit from the positive association of reliability and visibility that the color conveys. Red is also the color of jackets worn in traditional English fox hunts. In Ireland and elsewhere in the world red hair is commonly associated with the Irish fiery temper