Event    From 10/1/1840  To 1890

Penny Post

Categories: Commerce

First established in London in 1680 by William Dockwra and his business partner, Robert Murray, operating only within the City of London, the City of Westminter and Southwark. From 1765 similar services were being set up in other populous areas.

From January 1840 letters could be sent anywhere in the UK for one penny. From May 1840 the cost of postage could be prepaid with the purchase of the first postage stamp, the Penny Black. In 1898 the Imperial Penny post extended the rate to the whole British Empire. The penny post rate ended in 1918. Prior to the uniform penny post the cost of sending a letter was based on the number of sheets and the distance travelled, and the recipient paid, not the sender.

Anthony Trollope’s ‘The Claverings’ was published in serial form 1866-7. Trollope gives two characters this conversation: “I used to think myself the best lover in the world if I wrote once a month.” “There was no penny post then Mr Burton.”

Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Wives and Daughters' was published 1864-6 but set c.1820: "Mrs Gibson was occasionally inclined to complain of the frequency of Helen Kirkpatrick {her daughter}'s letters {from London to the country}; for before the penny post came in, the recipient had to pay the postage of letters; and elevenpence-halfpenny three times a week came according to Mrs Gibson's mode of reckoning when annoyed, to a sum 'between three and four shillings'. 

Later in the book: "Mrs Gibson was busy reading a letter from Cynthia which Mr Gibson had brought from London; for every opportunity of private conveyance was seized upon when postage was so high."

To us, almost a shilling (5 new pence) for a letter seems extremely expensive given how the value of money has fallen over time, no wonder Mrs Gibson was annoyed!  Also, in the mid 1960's the cost of a stamp was 4 old pence, i.e. one third of a shilling, a third of what it was in 1820. These differences are astonishing.

To celebrate the jubilee in 1890 the General Post Office set up the Jubilee Celebration Committee and in 1891 published a book: "Account of the Celebration of the Jubilee of Uniform Inland Penny Postage at the Venetian Chamber, Holborn Restaurant - at Guildhall - at the Museum of Science and Art, South Kensington - and at Various Towns and Villages throughout the United Kingdom."

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Penny Post

Commemorated ati

Penny Post - 1890 jubilee

This stone was laid by the Right Honourable Henry Cecil Raikes, M. P., Her Ma...

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Penny post - Westminster

City of Westminster This building was the site of the Westminster office of ...

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Rowland Hill - NW3 - second erection

Rowland Hill, KCB, originator of the Penny Post, lived here, 1849 - 1879. Bor...

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Rowland Hill statue

{On the front of the red granite plinth:} Rowland Hill He founded uniform p...

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William Dockwra

Near this place William Dockwra founded the London Penny Post in 1680. Corpo...

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Other Subjects

Anthony Standerwick Heal

Anthony Standerwick Heal

Son of Sir Ambrose Heal of the Heals furniture shop which was established in 1810.  It moved from Rathbone Place to Tottenham Court Road in 1818.  Anthony became a director in 1936 and the Chairman...

Person, Commerce, Craft / Design, Politics & Administration

2 memorials
Downs Hotel

Downs Hotel

The Pickwick Bicycle Club was founded here on 22 June 1870. At that first meeting, it was decided that the Downs Hotel should be the general rendezvous for bi-weekly excursions on Wednesdays and Sa...

Place, Commerce, Community / Clubs

1 memorial
May Fair Hotel

May Fair Hotel

A luxury hotel, built on the site of the grounds of Devonshire House. opened in 1927 with King George V and Queen Mary in attendance.

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
Abele Giandolini

Abele Giandolini

Abele Giandolini, "Monsieur Abel", opened The Ivy as a cafe on this site in 1917. On-line information about Giandolini is hard to come by. Bonhams sold an Epstein head, "Third Portrait of Jackie (...

Person, Commerce, Food & Drink, Italy

1 memorial
British Empire League

British Empire League

Formed in London with the purpose of promoting trade, communication, defence, etc. between the UK and the various colonies and India. We can find little information about the BEL; it may even stil...

Group, Commerce, Politics & Administration

1 memorial