Victorian Postage

[Daniel.Roscoe@gmail.com]

I just saw an interview with Sir Prachette about going Postal in which he comments on the Victorian Post Office and it having 8 deliveries a day.

I was browsing a collection of family postcards and one that supports this statement caught my eye. London, late 1800's -
"Effie -
Just a quick note to let you know I'm still planning to come by for dinner today - will let you know by afternoon post if there are any changes in plans"

I'm from Canada - it takes 2 days for mail to cross my city. (mostly because the sorting facility is 1,200 kilometers away in Edmonton and all the mail from Winnipeg goes there to be sorted and then is sent back to Winnipeg to be delivered - go figure !!) The concept of the first note getting there in time is pretty amazing - the thought that a later note could still make it is mind staggering, and yet this was common place and at half a penny too.

 

[chris.ph]

welcome to the site daniel

 

[michelanCello]

Welcome from me too!

 

[Tonyblack]

Welcome Daniel!

We usually only get one postal delivery a day in Britain now, but even during WW2 I believe there were enough deliveries a day to practically hold a conversation with someone. I don't know how accurate the supposed mail conversations are in 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Anne Shiffer and Annie Burrows, but there are regular mail conversations going on there between people in London with several post a day.

Of course, not many people know that London has an underground rail system just for mail. And most mail boxes in the old days had two slots - one for national mail and one for local.

 

[Penfold]

Hellooo and welcome from me too, Daniel.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

Welcome from me too, Daniel I think you will like here.

 

[Dotsie]

We usually only get one postal delivery a day in Britain now, but even during WW2 I believe there were enough deliveries a day to practically hold a conversation with someone. I don't know how accurate the supposed mail conversations are in 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Anne Shiffer and Annie Burrows, but there are regular mail conversations going on there between people in London with several post a day.

You beat me to it Tony, this is exactly what I was thinking! When I read the book I was wondering about the back and forth, thinking it must have been a runner service or something.

Welcome to the site Daniel

 

[Bouncy Castle]

Welcome Daniel.

The UK postal system is as bad as yours now, it would seem.

I'm still waiting for a book from Play.com which was posted to me on 8th October!!

We used to get post here at work by 9am and a second delivery around noon.

Now, we're lucky to get one delivery by mid-day.

 

[pip]

Welcome Daniel.

The UK postal system is as bad as yours now, it would seem.

I'm still waiting for a book from Play.com which was posted to me on 8th October!!

We used to get post here at work by 9am and a second delivery around noon.

Now, we're lucky to get one delivery by mid-day.

Bouncy. Don't know why but i've found Play have gotten a lot slower this year for some reason.

Last few orders took forever.

 

[DaveC]

Welcome Daniel.

The UK postal system is as bad as yours now, it would seem.

I'm still waiting for a book from Play.com which was posted to me on 8th October!!

We used to get post here at work by 9am and a second delivery around noon.

Now, we're lucky to get one delivery by mid-day.

Bouncy. Don't know why but i've found Play have gotten a lot slower this year for some reason.

Last few orders took forever.

I think I got to Play before they were famous, they were a really fast alternative to Blackstar/Sendit. They have gotten slower now, I mainly use Amazon and Ebay for stuff now.

 

[pip]

Very Victorian of you

 

[DaveC]

Very Victorian of you

If you say so..

 

[pip]

Sorry. I'd just noticed i'd derailed the original topic so was trying to casually steer it back.

I generally fail at subtleness

 

[chris.ph]

im renowned for my subtleness in the company i work for ive even given the md a bollocking for not wearing proper safety wear on site

 

[pip]

im renowned for my subtleness in the company i work for ive even given the md a bollocking for not wearing proper safety wear on site

And you were right.

Had to kick my boss under the table at a meeting cos he was being an idiot.

 

[Daniel.Roscoe@gmail.com]

Welcome Thanks

My goodness -
Thank you all for the warm welcome. This looks like a fun place for conversation. I'll have to let my kids know about it too.

So - I'll just browse the topics and see what to talk about today....

 

[deldaisy]

Welcome Daniel.

I remember the posty having to make about ten trips near Christmas because everyone would leave out a bottle of beer or a cake or some biscuits and he couldn't carry them all on his bike. One posty used to hand deliver our mail INSIDE the house (Mum would have a cup of tea and fresh hot scones ready for him) He was sweet on my sister it turned out.

Stupid moving around: They used to ship mangoes FROM north Queensland where they grew TO Brisbane and BACK to north Queensland for sale to the locals because they had to pass through the Brisbane Fruit Markets. (its a long long way)

One job I had as a corporate receptionist (located in the HEART of the company and where everyone had to report to as they came in and out) required me to send all thier messages via email. Even if they were standing in FRONT of me.
12:35pm: Mike: The courier has arrived with your letter from XYZ Corporation *looks up and sees the courier hand the letter to Mike who has been waiting for it beside me*