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manuscript prepayment marks and 1853

Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 8:02 pm
by PeterChad11
It is general knowledge that prepayment could be shown in manuscript before 1853, but only by stamps (or postal stationery equivalent) after 1853. Can anyone give me a reference to how this information was communicated/ enforced, or to the actual date?
Thanks
Peter Chadwick

Re: manuscript prepayment marks and 1853

Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 9:12 pm
by admin
This topic came up on Stampboards a few years back -- to my surprise it turned out to be a more complicated situation than I'd realised:

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=40785

Re: manuscript prepayment marks and 1853

Posted: Sun May 03, 2020 9:06 am
by jcopeland
The position is even more complicated than shown on on Stamp Boards (thanks for pointing it out). A provisional list of relevant dates below. I haven't come across a note on the introduction of the requirement about letters sent by midday merely a statement that it existed.

Early 1847 – letters left at receiving houses in Liverpool on Sundays to be stamped or posted unpaid.
4.5.1847 - late fee letters posted at London receiving houses to have stamps for postage and late fee.
By 8.1847 - letters posted at some/all new town receiving houses to be stamped or posted unpaid.
22.7.1847 - Royal Assent to The Post Office (Duties) Act 1847 which allowed the Postmaster-General “to abolish or restrict the Pre-payment in Money of Postage on Letters sent by the Post”.
10.11.1847 – letters over 4 ounces to be prepaid by stamps or cash
1.3.1849 - late fee letters posted at provincial offices to have stamps for postage and late fee.
[By 6.1849 - “all letters sent by midday” to be stamped ?]
6.7.1849 - letters posted at all provincial town receiving houses to be stamped or posted unpaid.
13.1.1850 – all inland letters posted at offices on a Sunday to be stamped or posted unpaid.
1.7.1850 - all inland letters posted at rural receiving offices to be stamped or posted unpaid.
1.11.1851 - all inland letters posted at provincial post offices to be stamped or posted unpaid
- but this not to apply to rural post messengers.
1.5.1852 – all inland letters posted at Dublin GPO and receiving houses to be stamped or posted unpaid.
7.6.1852 - all inland letters posted at Edinburgh GPO and receiving houses to be stamped or posted unpaid.
1.8.1852 - all inland letters posted at branch post offices or receiving offices in London District to be stamped or posted unpaid.
14.8.1855 Only inland letters meeting particular requirements posted at London Chief Office to be paid for in cash.
10.2.1859 all inland letters to be prepaid in stamps - ordered by Treasury Warrant of 29.1.1859.
24.2.1859 Treasury Warrant revokes immediately the Treasury Warrant of 29.1.1859