The post office and its story

by Edward Bennett

• Karstadt, Frederick, [70]
• Kekewich, Sir George, [270]
• Kipling, Rudyard, [250], [324]
• King Edward's Building—
  • Migration of staff to, [55]
  • Site, [57]
  • Construction, [58]
  • Ventilation, [66]
  • Staff, [67]
• King's Birthday—
  • Coach processions, [27]
  • Post Office feast, [46]
• King's posts, [20], [208], [277]
• Kingston-on-Thames, [100]
• Knoydart, [220]

• Lamb, Charles, [216]
• Leamington, [305]
• Leeds, [32], [279]
• Leinster, [218]
• Lerwick, [80], [220]
• Letter bringers, [45]
• Letters, number of, [64]
• Lichfield, Lord, [36]
• Lighthouse communication, [178]
• Limited mail, [73]
• Lincoln sorting carriage, [75]
• Lisbon—
  • Early mail service, [214]
  • Postal congress, [228]
• Lismore, [295]
• Listowel, [172]
• Liverpool, [35], [57], [70], [97], [213], [279]
• Liverpool Street, [75]
• Loading coils, [191]
• Local Taxation Licences, [335]
• Lombard Street, [45], [48], [55]
• London—
  • Early posts, [19]
  • Mail coaches, [27]
  • Twopenny posts, [35]
  • First Post Office, [43]
  • Postmaster of, [56]
  • Chief Post Office, [57]
• London and North-Western Railway, [31], [73], [74]
• London and South-Western Railway, [75]
• London Bridge, [75]
• London Postal Service, [56]
• Lucania, [213]
• Lusitania, [213]

• Maberley, Colonel, [50]
• Macadam, [27]
• Macdonald, Flora, [285]
• Madeira, [81], [216]
• Magazine competitions and postal orders, [133]
• Magazine Post, [238]
• Magnetic clocks, [170], [200]
• Mail bags—
  • Makers of, [45]
  • Colour, [62]
  • Travelling Post Office, [77]
  • Repairs, [203]
  • Mail cart, [80]
• Mail coaches—
  • Early days, [23]
  • Speed, [24]
  • Robberies, [27]
  • Procession, [27]
  • End of, [29]
  • Coach v. motor, [104]
• Mail coachmen—
  • Uniform, [24]
  • Furious driving, [26]
  • Stories of, [104], [107]
• Mail guards—
  • Arming of, [24], [103]
  • Condition of service, [25]
  • Complaints against, [26]
• Mail trains—
  • First trains, [32]
  • Late-fee boxes, [73]
  • Night, [74], [75]
  • Catching up, [302]
• Majestic, [213]
• Mallaig, [220]
• Malta, [84]
• Manchester, [35], [279], [326]
• Manila, [216]
• Manning, Thomas, [216]
• Marconi Company, [178]
• Marriage, depositors' views on, [150]
• Masters of the Posts, [143]
• Mauretania, [81], [208], [213]
• Melbourne, Lord, [37]
• Middleton, [92]
• Midland Travelling Post Office, [75]
• Milford, [217]
• Milton, John, [45]
• Mirror, [308]
• Money Orders—
  • Reduction in price, [39]
  • Offices, [55], [68]
  • Early days, [125]
  • Old charges, [126]
  • Number issued, [127]
  • Soldiers and sailors, [130]
  • Foreign and Colonial, [131]
  • Telegraph, [132]
  • Complaints, [134]
  • Scenes at counter, [136]
• Monte Video Times, [243]
• Montreal, [123]
• Morris, O'Connor, [53]
• Morse characters, [165]
• Morse's Printer and Sounder, [155]
• Mossbank, [81]
• Motor mails—
  • Early beginnings, [100]
  • Distances, [102]
  • Night service, [102]
  • Guards, [103]
  • Drivers, [103], [105]
• Mount Pleasant, [61], [67], [85]
• Mowatt, Sir Francis, K.C.B., [271]
• Muckle Flugga, [79]
• Mulock, Hon. William, K.C., [258]
• Munster, [218]
• Murray Multiplex, [155]

• National Insurance, [279], [332]
• National Telephone Company, [177], [185], [187]
• National Telewriter Company, [177]
• Navy Post Office, [338]
• Newcastle-on-Tyne, [279], [326]
• Newhaven, [220]
• New Jersey, [285]
• Newmarket, [35]
• Newspaper post, [29], [64], [322]
• Newport, [92]
• Newton, [92]
• New South Wales, [260]
• New York—
  • Telephone service, [189]
  • Mail service to, [213]
• New Zealand—
  • Postal service, [258]
  • Pigeon post, [260]
  • Articles refused, [328]
• Nightingale, Florence, [130]
• Northcote, Sir Stafford, [130]
• Norway, A. H., [209], [210]
• Norwich, [35], [75]
• Nottingham, [279]

• Old Age Pensions—
  • In New Zealand, [259]
  • In England, [332]
  • Number, [333]
  • Stories of, [334]
• On the Track of the Mail Coach, [265]
• Oporto, [214]
• Orient Company, [216]
• Orkney, [80], [217]
• Osiris, [215]
• Overland Route, [214]
• Oversea Mails—
  • Times of voyages, [216]

• Packet Services (see Post Office Packet Service)
• Paddington, [75]
• Pages from a Private Diary, [299]
• Palmer, John, [22], [99], [102]
• Parcel Post—
  • Offices, [55], [67]
  • Beginnings, [83]
  • Rates, [84]
  • Foreign, [84], [328]
  • Sorting, [86], [88]
  • Receptacles, [89]
  • Packing, [93]
  • Switzerland, [232]
  • France, [236]
• Parcel Post coaches, [99], [101]
• Paris—
  • Telephone, [191]
  • Postal Congress, [228]
  • Postal service, [235]
• Paris Messenger, [240]
• Parsons, Alfred, R.A., [274]
• Payment on demand, [142]
• Pearson's Weekly, [133]
• Peel, Sir Robert, [291]
• Peninsular and Oriental Company, [214]
• Penny Post—
  • Demand for, [32]
  • Introduction, [37]
  • Results, [40]
  • Dockwra's, [290]
• Penzance, [73]
• Permanent officials, [270], [349]
• Persia, [85], [328]
• Philadelphia Exhibition, [182]
• Phonogram, [163]
• Pigeon Post—
  • French, [235]
  • New Zealand, [260]
• Pillar boxes, [112], [113]
• Pitt, William, [23]
• Plague, Great, [44]
• Pneumatic tubes, [161], [163], [203]
• Port Said, [215]
• Postal charges—
  • Old style, [32]
  • Evasion of, [33]
  • Prepayment of, [37]
• Postal Orders—
  • Offices, [68]
  • Origin, [132]
  • Numbers, [132]
  • Effect of newspaper competitions on, [133]
  • Lost, [135]
  • Regulations, [322]
  • Foreign, [328]
• Postal Union—
  • First Conference, [224]
  • Opposition to, [225]
  • Business, [227]
  • Conferences, [228]
  • Monument, [230]
  • Uniformity of services, [327]
• Postboys, [20], [46], [346]
• Postcards—
  • Number, [64]
  • Addresses, [114]
  • Prices, [320]
• Post horses, [20], [104], [277]
• Postman's bell, [304]
• Postman's Federation, [309]
• Postman's Gazette, [313]
• Postman's knock, [315]
• Postmaster—
  • Early history, [20], [277]
  • News agents, [277]
  • Duties, [278]
  • Salaries, [279]
  • Powers, [282]
  • Letters to, [283-287]
  • Inquiry agents, [288]
• Postmaster-General—
  • Early conditions, [45]
  • Duties of office, [261]
  • Discretionary powers, [348]
• Postmaster-General's monopoly, [19], [184]
• Postmen—
  • Before Penny Postage, [34]
  • Empire, [246]
  • Early condition, [302]
  • Grades, [305]
  • Duties, [306]
  • Uniform, [311]
  • Lame, [315]
• Post Office clerks—
  • Promotion, [269]
  • Advantages, [273]
  • Esprit de corps, [275]
  • Counter, [329]
• Post Office factories, [202]
• Post Office figures—
  • Their size, [63]
  • Balance-sheet, [266]
• Post Office Guide—
  • Its scope, [318]
  • Usefulness, [320], [325]
  • Time-tables, [325]
  • Defects, [331]
• Post Office Library, [54]
• Post Office Packet Service—
  • Early history, [209]
  • Sailors' pensions, [211]
  • Home Service, [217]
• Post Office Savings Bank—
  • Sir Rowland Hill on, [39]
  • Offices, [55], [68]
  • Origin, [138]
  • Number of depositors, [139]
  • Stock investments, [140]
  • Withdrawals, [142]
  • Cost of transactions, [143]
  • Government security, [144]
  • Cheque deposits, [144]
  • Staff, [145]
  • Colonial transfers, [154]
  • Home safes, [154]
  • Withdrawal telegrams, [163]
  • Stories of depositors, [146-153]
• Post Office song, [46]
• Post Office stone, [255]
• Post Office uniform, [201], [250], [254]
• Posts—
  • Origin of word, [19]
  • Masters of, [20], [143]
• Postwomen, [313]
• Preece, Sir William, K.C.B., F.R.S., [179], [183], [267]
• Press telegrams, [158], [189]
• Preston, [72]
• Primrose, Sir Henry, [271]
• Punch, [193], [319]
• Punctuality, [51]
• Puzzle addresses, [63]

• Quarterly Review, [26]
• Queen Victoria Street, [67], [327]

• Race Meetings—
  • Telegraph arrangements, [166], [176]
• Radio telegrams, [178]
• Raikes, Right Hon. Cecil, [262]
• Railways—
  • Introduction, [29]
  • Travelling by night, [32]
  • Modern conditions, [71]
  • Parcel carriers, [96], [99]
• Rat-catcher, [46]
• Rats in Parcels Office, [95]
• Reading, [75]
• Red Hill, [101]
• Red tape—
  • Supplies, [202]
  • Methods, [347]
• Registered packets, [112]
• Reply coupon, [228]
• Returned Letter Office, [108]
• Returned Parcels Office, [94]
• Roads—
  • Early conditions, [19]
  • Improvements in, [27]
  • Neglect of, [98]
  • Motor service, [103]
• Rome, [228]
• Rosebery, Lord, [275]
• Roman remains, [48], [57]
• Roumania, [328]
• Royal William, [212]
• Runners—
  • Early use of word, [19]
  • Indian, [249]
  • South African, [254]
  • Central African, [256]
• Rural Posts—
  • France, [234]
  • America, [241]
  • Early history, [290]
  • Later history, [291]
• Russell's Wagons, [209]
• Russia, [160], [204], [328]
• Ruthwell, [137]

• Sailing Vessels—
  • As mail packets, [208]
  • Construction, [211]
  • Contracts with, [220]
• Sanctuary, privilege of, [48]
• St. Kilda, [218]
• St. Martin's le Grand—
  • College of, [48]
  • Design of building, [49]
  • Interior, [50]
  • Chief office, [56]
  • Officials, [54]
  • Closing of, [55]
• St. Petersburg, [328]
• Samuel, Right Hon. Herbert, [266]
• Savannah, [212]
• Savings Banks, [137], [150] (see [Post Office Savings Banks])
• Scalloway, [80]
• Scavenger, Post Office, [46]
• Schooling, J. H., [64]
• Scilly, [156], [217]
• Scotland—
  • Early postal service, [19]
  • Footposts, [21]
  • Postal charges to, [32]
  • Mails to, [73]
• Scott, Sir Walter, [29]
• “Scottish Coast Village,” 298
• Scudamore, Frank Ives, C.B., [54], [265]
• Selby, [32]
• Serna, [213]
• Shanghai, [215]
• Sheffield, [279]
• Shelley, H. C., [338]
• Shetland Isles, [39], [79], [116], [156], [217], [219]
• Shrewsbury, [79]
• Sikes, Sir C. W., [138]
• Skye, [217]
• Smirke, Mr., [49], [55]
• “Snooper in,” 190
• Solicitor to Post Office, [267]
• Sorting carriages, [73], [74]
• Sorting of letters and parcels, [60], [61], [88]
• South Africa, [253]
• South America, [243]
• Southampton, [218]
• South-Eastern and Chatham Railway, [75], [302]
• Southsea, [286]
• Spain—
  • Leisured methods, [211]
  • Postal service, [236]
• Spanish swindle, [114]
• Special Events Section, [166]
• Steam motors, [101]
• Stephen, Justice, [185]
• Stephenson, George, [31]
• Stock certificates, [140]
• Stock Exchange, [173]
• Stores Department—
  • Early beginnings, [45]
  • Offices, [68]
  • Business, [200]
  • Sale of stores, [205]
• Stow's Survey, [43]
• Straits Settlements, [84], [245], [328]
• Studd Street, [68]
• Submarine cables, [156], [160], [191]
• Sub-Postmaster—
  • Qualifications, [289]
  • Increase of duties, [292]
  • Troubles, [294]
  • Hereditary, [295]
  • Applications for, [300]
• Sub-Postmistress—
  • Qualifications, [296]
  • Methods, [297]
  • Difficulties with, [302]
• Suez—
  • Mail route, [214]
  • Canal, [215]
• Sunday deliveries, [326]
• Surveyors, [267]
• “Swan with Two Necks,” 27
• Switzerland—
  • Money Orders, [131]
  • Postal facilities, [232]

• Tamworth, [75]
• Tangiers, [81]
• Taplow, [104]
• Telegraph Act (1869), [184]
• Telegraphs—
  • Offices, [56], [67]
  • Early history, [155]
  • Transfer to State, [156]
  • Charges, [158]
  • Breakdown, [159]
  • News Section, [165]
  • Special Section, [166]
  • Long distance, [167]
  • Timing of, [170]
  • Loss on, [189]
• Telegraph Construction Act (1908), [199]
• Telegraph instruments, [160], [204]
• Telegraph poles, [198], [203], [204]
• Telegraph Street, E.C., [161]
• Telegraphists—
  • Scales of pay, [173]
  • In war, [336]
• Telephone Company, [183]
• Telephones—
  • Effect on telegraph, [176]
  • Early beginnings, [181]
  • Parliament's action, [185]
  • London service, [186]
  • Decision to purchase, [187]
  • Subscribers, [188]
  • United States, [189]
  • Long distance calls, [190], [193]
  • Exchange, [191]
  • Farmers, [193]
• Telephone-telegram business, [163]
• Telewriter, [177]
• Telford, [27]
• Teutonic, [213]
• Thomson, Sir William, [183]
• Threadneedle Street, E.C., [173]
• Tie-on labels, [94]
• Tilley, Sir John, K.C.B., [264]
• Tintagel, [301]
• Tranavoe, [81], [255]
• Travelling Post Office—
  • Romance, [69]
  • First service, [71]
  • Apparatus, [75]
  • Disasters, [79]
  • Mail bags, [203]
  • Oversea mails, [213]
• Treasury, [264]
• Trinidad, [328]
• Trollope, Anthony, [41], [52], [53], [267]
• Trouble-man, [190]
• Truth, [329]
• Tuke, Brian, [19]
• Tunbridge Wells, [22]