THE DEVELOPMENT OF RATES OF POSTAGE
AN HISTORICAL AND ANALYTICAL STUDY
by
A. D. SMITH, B.Sc. (Econ.)
of the
secretary's office,
general post office, london
with an introduction by
THE RIGHT HON. HERBERT SAMUEL, M.P.
Postmaster-General
1910-14 and 1915-16
LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD.
RUSKIN HOUSE 40 MUSEUM STREET, W.C. 1
APPENDIX A
I. RATES OF INLAND LETTER POSTAGE CHARGED IN ENGLAND, 1635-1915
Witherings' Rates, 1635.
|
Single Letter. |
Double Letter. |
Per ounce. |
| Under 80 miles |
2d. |
4d. |
6d. |
| 80 miles and not exceeding 140 |
4d. |
8d. |
9d. |
| Above 140 |
6d. |
12d. |
12d. |
| To or from Scotland |
8d. |
| To or from Ireland |
9d. |
After 2 ounces, 6d. the ounce. |
—Royal Proclamation of 31st July 1635.
This was the introduction of postage in the modern sense. The object of
the exceptional rate for Ireland was to avoid interference with a
Proclamation recently issued there by the Lord Deputy and Council.
"A single letter is one written on one sheet of paper sealed; a double
letter is one sheet of paper which covers another sheet sealed up; a treble
letter proportionately."—Calendar of State Papers (Domestic Series),
1658, p. 368.
Ordinance of 1657.
| For every Letter— |
If Single. |
If Double. |
Per ounce. |
|
s. |
d. |
s. |
d. |
s. |
d. |
| To or from any place within 80 miles of London |
0 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
8 |
| At a further distance than 80 miles |
0 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
| To or from Scotland |
0 |
4 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
6 |
| To or from Ireland |
0 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| In Ireland— |
| To or from any place within 10 miles of
Dublin |
0 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
8 |
| At a further distance than 40 miles |
0 |
4 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
—H. Scobell, A Collection of Acts and Ordinances,
London, 1658, p. 512.
Act of 1660 (12 Car. II, Cap. 35).
|
On Single
Letter. |
On Double
Letter. |
Per ounce. |
| From London— |
d. |
d. |
d. |
| 80 miles and under |
2 |
4 |
8 |
| Above 80 miles |
3 |
6 |
12 |
| To or from Berwick |
3 |
6 |
18 |
| From Berwick within Scotland— |
| 40 miles and under |
2 |
4 |
8 |
| Above 40 miles |
4 |
8 |
12 |
| To or from Dublin |
6 |
12 |
24 |
| From Dublin within Ireland— |
| 40 miles and under |
2 |
4 |
8 |
| Above 40 miles |
4 |
8 |
12 |
N.B.—There were no cross posts. Between two towns not on the same post
road, however near, letters could circulate only through London, and
whenever a letter passed through London an additional rate was imposed, e.g.
from Bristol to Exeter (less than 80 miles) a letter would be sent via
London and charged two rates for over 80 miles.
1711 (9 Anne, Cap. 10).
|
Single. |
Double. |
Ounce. |
| From London— |
d. |
d. |
d. |
| 80 miles and under |
3 |
6 |
12 |
| Above 80 miles |
4 |
8 |
16 |
| To Edinburgh |
6 |
12 |
24 |
| To Dublin |
6 |
12 |
24 |
| From Edinburgh within Scotland— |
| 50 miles and under |
2 |
4 |
8 |
| Above 50 miles and not exceeding 80 miles |
3 |
6 |
12 |
| Above 80 miles |
4 |
8 |
16 |
| From Dublin within Ireland— |
| 40 miles and under |
2 |
4 |
8 |
| Above 40 miles |
4 |
8 |
16 |
The initial charge was raised from 2d. to 3d. The area of the penny post
delivery was therefore restricted to the 10-mile circle from the General
Post Office. Previously, towns within about 20 miles had been served by the
penny post, but an additional penny was charged for all packets delivered in
the suburbs.
1765 (5 Geo. III, Cap. 25).
| For Great Britain— |
| Not exceeding one post stage |
1d. |
| For England only— |
| Over one and not exceeding two stages |
2d. |
No change was made in other inland rates.
1784 (24 Geo. III, Sess. 2, Cap. 25).
The rates of 1765 were increased by 1d. for a single letter for distances
under 150 miles, and 2d. for greater distances.
1796 (37 Geo. III, Cap. 18).
| Within England, Wales, and Berwick— |
For a Single
Letter. |
| Not exceeding 15 miles |
3d. |
| From 15 to 30 miles |
4d. |
| From 30 to 60 miles |
5d. |
| From 60 to 100 miles |
6d. |
| From 100 to 150 miles |
7d. |
| Over 150 miles |
8d. |
| Within Scotland— |
| In addition to existing rates |
1d. |
1801 (41 Geo. III, Cap. 7).
| Within Great Britain— |
| Not exceeding 15 miles |
3d. |
| 15 |
to |
30 |
miles |
4d. |
| 30 |
to |
50 |
" |
5d. |
| 50 |
to |
80 |
" |
6d. |
| 80 |
to |
120 |
" |
7d. |
| 120 |
to |
170 |
" |
8d. |
| 170 |
to |
230 |
" |
9d. |
| 230 |
to |
300 |
" |
10d. |
| For every 100 miles above 300 |
1d. |
1805 (45 Geo. III, Cap. 11).
Within Great Britain, in addition to existing rates—
- 1d. for a single letter
- 2d. for a double letter
- 3d. for a triple letter
- 4d. for an ounce letter.
1812 (52 Geo. III, Cap. 88).
| Within Great Britain— |
|
For a Single
Letter. |
| Not exceeding 15 miles |
4d. |
| Above |
15 |
but not exceeding |
20 |
miles |
5d. |
| " |
20 |
" " |
30 |
" |
6d. |
| " |
30 |
" " |
50 |
" |
7d. |
| " |
50 |
" " |
80 |
" |
8d. |
| " |
80 |
" " |
120 |
" |
9d. |
| " |
120 |
" " |
170 |
" |
10d. |
| " |
170 |
" " |
230 |
" |
11d. |
| " |
230 |
" " |
300 |
" |
12d. |
| " |
300 |
" " |
400 |
" |
13d. |
| " |
400 |
" " |
500 |
" |
14d. |
| " |
500 |
" " |
600 |
" |
15d. |
| " |
600 |
" " |
700 |
" |
16d. |
| " |
700 |
miles |
17d. |
These rates were re-enacted by I Vict., cap. 34, § 3. The usual increased
charges for double, treble, and ounce letters applied throughout. Additional
rates were charged in respect of conveyance by packet boat, e.g. for a
single letter between Holyhead and Dublin, 2d.; in respect of Menai Bridge,
1d.; in respect of Conway Bridge, 1d.; and in respect of any letter conveyed
in Scotland by a mail carriage with more than two wheels, ½d. (See 1 Vict.,
cap. 34, §§ 3, 5, 6 and 7).
By 2 and 3 Vict., cap. 52, the Treasury was empowered to regulate rates
of postage, and subsequent changes have been made by Treasury Warrant.
1840.
| Not exceeding ½ ounce (uniform rate
irrespective of distance of transmission). |
1d. |
| Not exceeding 1 ounce (uniform rate
irrespective of distance of transmission). |
2d. |
| For each additional ounce, or fraction of an
ounce, 2d. |
1865.
Rate for letters exceeding 1 ounce in weight reduced to 1d. for each ½
ounce, or fraction of ½ ounce, after the first ounce.
1871.
| Not exceeding 1 ounce |
1d. |
| Not exceeding 2 ounces |
1½d. |
| For every additional 2 ounces or fraction of 2
ounces up to 12 ounces, ½d. |
| For letters exceeding 12 ounces in weight, 1d.
per ounce, including the first ounce. |
1885.
Rate of ½d. per ounce after the second ounce continued without limit.
1897.
| Not exceeding 4 ounces |
1d. |
| For every 2 ounces, or fraction of 2 ounces,
thereafter, ½d. |
1915.
| Not exceeding 1 ounce |
1d. |
| Not exceeding 2 ounces |
2d. |
| For every 2 ounces, or fraction of 2 ounces,
thereafter, ½d. |
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