How did the early post messenger system work?

Covers and postal matters before 1840.
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leamphil
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How did the early post messenger system work?

Post by leamphil »

I’ve read in a number of books about how postmasters used to be under contract to the Crown to provide horses for post messengers, or to provide messengers and horses, to move mail along the post roads.

How did the postmasters get their horses back if they just provided horses ? Who looked after the horses (eg. feed and stabling) when the messenger had finished the stage (10 to 20 miles I understand) and got a fresh horse from the next postmaster ?

What did the messenger do when he’d handed the mail over to the next messenger ? Did he just set off back to where he came from or did he wait for a post coming the other way ? If so where did he stay, who paid for his meal ( and his horse’s feed and stabling) ?

Was all of this covered in the contract that the postmaster signed, and if so what were the details ? Have any contracts survived ?
agenteinrebus
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Post by agenteinrebus »

I think I have the answer to the provision of horses.
Remembering the matter of 'Hobson's Choice' and how Hobson ran the stables for the supply of horses for the early post service, I am sure that he relied on the exchange of animals - as one was brought in after completing a post stage so another was issued for the delivery continuance - therefore, as a supplier, there was no strict ownership of a horse rather a total number of horses in use being circulated when required.
As to the Messenger/Postal Courier he would have either continued on a new horse to the next main Post Town or waited to return with a London bound bag. I have no idea as to the rules on accommodation but logic would suggest that the messenger/courier would be allocated funds to meet known needs of himself (and the horses he used).
Has a contract survived - I wish!
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leamphil
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Post by leamphil »

The idea of "one in - one out" would work for the post messengers (except for the start and end of the post road) but would not work for horses hired out to people who want to "ride post", ie. to hire horses to ride the post road.

There was mention in one of the books I've read about the hire of guides, but that was in the early days of the post (when presumably the roads were not so well known). A guide could have been responsible for the return of the horses.
agenteinrebus
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Post by agenteinrebus »

There are a couple of books that may help and which you might not yet have seen?
'Moving the Mail by Road'; by the BPMA and published Dec 2011.
'Packhorse, Wagon and Post' by J L Crofts and published by Routledge, Kegan and Paul in 1967.
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