Printed Matter Rates 1848-1968
Introduction
A short-lived-usage -- 1d blue stamp issued 3rd May 1951 only paid
basic printed matter rate for approximately 1 month
The term originally used for this class of mail was 'book packets'. It became 'halfpenny packets' on 1st January 1904 (by which time the basic halfpenny rate was the only one to be cheaper than letter post), and 'Printed Papers' (or 'Printed Matter') from 1st January 1916 (by which time the distinction mattered again after wartime alterations in weight steps). By this stage a wide range of printed and partially printed items could be sent as printed papers -- for full details see contemporary Post Office Guides.
The special rates essentially came to an end upon the introduction of two-tier post on 15th September 1968 (although see here for a minor exception until 1971).
From 20th May 1922, items paid at the basic minimum printed paper rate, and not posted by a cut-off time (typically mid-afternoon), were held over until the following day. Such items had also sometimes been referred to with the term 'second class' mail.
Rates
| Date | Rates | Notes | Date | Rates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1848 (21 Feb) |
6d - 1lb 1s - 2lb 1s 6d - 3lb 2s - 4lb 2s 6d - 5lb 3s - 6lb 3s 6d - 7lb 4s - 8lb 4s 6d - 9lb 5s - 10lb 5s 6d - 11lb 6s - 12lb 6s 6d - 13lb 7s - 14lb |
Maximum weight 14lb. Books only, originally only one per package, rules relaxed shortly thereafter to allow second-hand books to be sent and more than one book per package |
1855 |
1d - 4oz 2d - 8oz 4d - 1lb 6d - 1½lb 8d - 2lb 10d - 2½lb 1s - 3lb 1s 2d - 3½lb 1s 4d - 4lb 1s 6d - 4½lb 1s 8d - 5lb 1s 10d - 5½lb Each additional ½lb - 2d |
Concession extended to other printed materials |
| 1866 |
1d - 4oz 2d - 8oz 3d - 12oz 4d - 1lb 5d - 1lb 4oz 6d - 1lb 8oz 7d - 1lb 12oz 8d - 2lb 9d - 2lb 4oz 10d - 2lb 8oz 11d - 2lb 12oz 1s - 3lb Each additional 4oz - 1d |
1870 (1 Oct) |
½d - 2oz 1d - 4oz 1½d - 6oz 2d - 8oz 2½d - 10oz 3d - 12oz 3½d - 14oz 4d - 1lb 4½d - 1lb 2oz 5d - 1lb 4oz 5½d - 1lb 6oz 6d - 1lb 8oz Each additional 2oz - ½d |
The birth of the halfpenny post. Maximum weight now 5lb |
|
| 1897 (22 Jun) |
½d - 2oz |
As letter rates now began at 1d for 4oz, and went up in ½d steps for each 2oz, the special book post/halfpenny packet post rate only applied for packets up to 2oz | 1915 (1 Nov) |
½d - 2oz 1d - 4oz 1½d - 6oz 2d - 8oz 2½d - 10oz 3d - 12oz 3½d - 14oz 4d - 1lb 4½d - 1lb 2oz 5d - 1lb 4oz 5½d - 1lb 6oz 6d - 1lb 8oz 6½d - 1lb 10oz 7d - 1lb 12oz 7½d - 1lb 14oz 8d - 2lb |
A result of the wartime increase in the higher weight step letter rates to generate revenue -- the new printed paper rates were the same as the previous letter rates. Maximum weight now 2lb |
| 1918 (3 Jun) |
½d - 1oz 1d - 2oz |
The point at which the penny post principle had to be abandoned due to increasing costs, although as a sweetener the pre-war weight steps were restored -- so only these two rates were printed matter concessions, higher weights were covered by the letter post as in 1897-1915 | 1920 (1 Jun) |
½d - 1oz 1d - 2oz 1½d - 4oz 2d - 6oz 2½d - 8oz 3d - 10oz 3½d - 12oz 4d - 14oz 4½d - 1lb 5d - 1lb 2oz 5½d - 1lb 4oz 6d - 1lb 6oz 6½d - 1lb 8oz 7d - 1lb 10oz 7½d - 1lb 12oz 8d - 1lb 14oz 8½d - 2lb |
The reintroduction of quite a significant concessionary printed papers rate |
| 1921 (13 Jun) |
1d - 2oz 1½d - 4oz 2d - 6oz 2½d - 8oz 3d - 10oz 3½d - 12oz 4d - 14oz 4½d - 1lb 5d - 1lb 2oz 5½d - 1lb 4oz 6d - 1lb 6oz 6½d - 1lb 8oz 7d - 1lb 10oz 7½d - 1lb 12oz 8d - 1lb 14oz 8½d - 2lb |
Revenue-raising measure due to post-war inflation | 1922 (29 May) |
½d - 1oz 1d - 2oz 1½d - 4oz 2d - 6oz 2½d - 8oz 3d - 10oz 3½d - 12oz 4d - 14oz 4½d - 1lb 5d - 1lb 2oz 5½d - 1lb 4oz 6d - 1lb 6oz 6½d - 1lb 8oz 7d - 1lb 10oz 7½d - 1lb 12oz 8d - 1lb 14oz 8½d - 2lb |
Reduction in basic rate as post-war inflationary pressures eased |
| 1923 (14 May) |
½d - 2oz 1d - 4oz 1½d - 6oz 2d - 8oz 2½d - 10oz 3d - 12oz 3½d - 14oz 4d - 1lb 4½d - 1lb 2oz 5d - 1lb 4oz 5½d - 1lb 6oz 6d - 1lb 8oz 6½d - 1lb 10oz 7d - 1lb 12oz 7½d - 1lb 14oz 8d - 2lb |
Further reduction, in effect a return to the pre-war rates except now with a lower weight limit | 1940 (1 May) |
1d - 2oz 1½d - 4oz 2d - 6oz 2½d - 8oz 3d - 10oz 3½d - 12oz 4d - 14oz 4½d - 1lb 5d - 1lb 2oz 5½d - 1lb 4oz 6d - 1lb 6oz 6½d - 1lb 8oz 7d - 1lb 10oz 7½d - 1lb 12oz 8d - 1lb 14oz 8½d - 2lb |
Across-the-board ½d increase as a wartime revenue-raising measure |
| 1951 (1 Jun) |
1½d - 4oz 2d - 6oz 2½d - 8oz 3d - 10oz 3½d - 12oz 4d - 14oz 4½d - 1lb 5d - 1lb 2oz 5½d - 1lb 4oz 6d - 1lb 6oz 6½d - 1lb 8oz 7d - 1lb 10oz 7½d - 1lb 12oz 8d - 1lb 14oz 8½d - 2lb |
1956 (1 Jan) |
1½d - 2oz 2½d - 4oz 3½d - 6oz 4½d - 8oz 5½d - 10oz 6½d - 12oz 7½d - 14oz 8½d - 1lb 9½d - 1lb 2oz 10½d - 1lb 4oz 11½d - 1lb 6oz 1s 0½d - 1lb 8oz 1s 1½d - 1lb 10oz 1s 2½d - 1lb 12oz 1s 3½d - 1lb 14oz 1s 4½d - 2lb |
||
| 1956 (1 Jun) |
2d - 4oz 3d - 6oz 4d - 8oz 5d - 10oz 6d - 12oz 7d - 14oz 8d - 1lb 9d - 1lb 2oz 10d - 1lb 4oz 11d - 1lb 6oz 1s - 1lb 8oz 1s 1d - 1lb 10oz 1s 2d - 1lb 12oz 1s 3d - 1lb 14oz 1s 4d - 2lb |
1957 (1 Oct) |
2d - 2oz 4d - 4oz 5d - 6oz 6d - 8oz 7d - 10oz 8d - 12oz 9d - 14oz 10d - 1lb 11d - 1lb 2oz 1s - 1lb 4oz 1s 1d - 1lb 6oz 1s 2d - 1lb 8oz 1s 3d - 1lb 10oz 1s 4d - 1lb 12oz 1s 5d - 1lb 14oz 1s 6d - 2lb |
||
| 1961 (1 Oct) |
2½d - 2oz 4d - 4oz 5d - 6oz 6d - 8oz 7d - 10oz 8d - 12oz 9d - 14oz 10d - 1lb 11d - 1lb 2oz 1s - 1lb 4oz 1s 1d - 1lb 6oz 1s 2d - 1lb 8oz 1s 3d - 1lb 10oz 1s 4d - 1lb 12oz 1s 5d - 1lb 14oz 1s 6d - 2lb |
1965 (17 May) |
3d - 2oz 5d - 4oz 6d - 6oz 7d - 8oz 8d - 10oz 9d - 12oz 10d - 14oz 11d - 1lb 1s - 1lb 2oz 1s 1d - 1lb 4oz 1s 2d - 1lb 6oz 1s 3d - 1lb 8oz 1s 4d - 1lb 10oz 1s 5d - 1lb 12oz 1s 6d - 1lb 14oz 1s 7d - 2lb |
The last set of printed papers rates |