Post Office

Letters &c.

"London is divided into 8 postal districts, in which the number of deliveries varies from 12 to 6 daily, between 7.30 a.m. and 7.45 p.m.

"The correct initials of the postal district in addition to the address will ensure the early delivery of a letter.

• E.C. Eastern Central. St. Martin's-le-Grand.
• W.C. Western Central. 126, Holborn and Charing Cross.
• W. Western. 3, Vere-street, Oxford-street.
• NW. North Western. 28, Eversholt-st., Camden-Town.
• SW. South Western. 8, Buckingham-gate, Pimlico.
• SE. South Eastern. 9, Blackman-street, Borough.
• E. Eastern. 817, Commercial-road.
• N. Northern. 46, Essex-road, Islington.

"Letters posted at the Receiving-houses in London before 6 at night are delivered the same evening at all places within a circle of three miles from the General Post Office; or if posted before 5, they are delivered in the environs the same evening.

"There is no postal delivery in London on Sundays.

"Letters for the night mails out of London must be posted before 5.30 p.m., in pillar boxes and branch offices; at the General Post Office they are received without extra payment as late as 6 p.m.: from 6 to 7 with an extra 1d. stamp; up to 7.15 with an extra 2d. in stamps, up to 7.30 with an extra 3d. in stamps, and up to 7.45 with an extra 6d. in stamps.

"Letters for the day mails must be posted before 3 am.

"Post-cards, œd. for the United Kingdom, and id for abroad, are a very useful means of correspondence.

"The rates for postage are 1d. for 1 oz. and under; 1œd. over 1 oz. and under 2 oz., and increasing proportionately œd. for every 2 oz. or part of 2 oz. up to 12 oz.

"Newspapers and book-post packets must be left open at the ends. Postage œd. for every 2 oz. or part of 2 oz.

"Parcels if not exceeding 1 ft. 6 in. x 9 in. x 6 in. may be sent by post at fixed rates.

"The following firms deliver parcels in London and the suburbs ; they have numerous fixed houses of call in the several districts. London Parcels Delivery Co., Sutton & Co., Carter Paterson, &c. The Globe Parcels Express forwards parcels to all parts of the world, and the Continental Parcels Express to all parts of Europe.

"Post-Office Money-Orders for sums not exceeding 10l., are issued at the several offices at the following rates -For any sum under 10s. - 2d.; over 10s. and under 1l. - 3d.; and increasing 1d. for every 1l. additional up to 10l. From this source alone the revenue receives more than 200,000l. yearly. A Postal Official Circular, containing a statement of the arrival and departure of packet-boats, of unclaimed letters, &c., is published every morning, under the authority of the Post-Master-General."

• Murray's Handbook to London As It Is, 1879; from The Victorian Dictionary

Telegraph

• Murray's Handbook to London As It Is, 1879; from The Victorian Dictionary

"Telegraph Offices are, as a rule, open from 8 am, to 8 p.m. on week-days, and from 8 a.m. to 10 am. on Sundays. At the following offices, however, there is attendance continuously during the day and night, both on weekdays and Sundays.

• LONDON OFFICES. Central Telegraph Station, St. Martin’s-let-Grand, E.C.; Paddington Station (G.W.R. Co.’s office), W. ; St. Pancras (Midland), NW.; Victoria Station (LC. & D.R.), S.W.; West Strand, W.C.
• COUNTRY OFFICES —England—Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff; Derby, Exeter, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Norwich, Nottingham, Plymouth, Sheffield, Southampton.
• TIME SIGNALS. — 1. For the hourly current within a radius of two miles from the General Post Office, including the use of the necessary wire, £15. 2. For any distance over two miles, the same rate added to the private wire rate for the wire over the extra distance.

• Charles Dickens, Jr., Dickens's Dictionary of London, 1879; from The Victorian Dictionary

-- ChrisLehrich^? - 29 Dec 2004