In an Instruction Book relating to "Ship Letter" Duty which was in use in the Bristol Post Office so far back as 1833, there are many interesting documents. The following is a list:—(1) Ship Letters, Notice, G.P.O., July, 1833. (2) Notice to all Masters and Commanders of Ships arriving from abroad; Signed, Francis Freeling, Secretary G.P.O., June, 1835. (3) Letter from Francis Freeling to G. Huddlestone, 9th October, 1835, re letters forwarded by the ship "Paragon" from the Port of Bristol. (4) Letter from Ship Letter Office, London, to Postmaster of Bristol re Inland prepaid rate and Captain's gratuity (18th Sept., 1843). (5) Correspondence from G. Huddlestone (26th July, 1838) re Process of Receipt of Ship Letters, and making up of the mails; also Process of Receipt and Distribution of Ship Letters Inward. (6) Notice to the Public and Instructions to all Postmasters; signed W.L. Maberly, Secretary G.P.O., 2nd September, 1840. (7) Receipt from Postmaster of Bristol for 1 packet directed "O.H.M.S. Ship Mail; per 'Victory'" from Bristol to Cork (Sept. 17th, 1841). (8) Letter containing Solicitor's opinion that Master of steam vessel cannot be compelled to sign receipt Ship Letter; signed Jas. Campbell (4th October, 1841). (9) Notice to Postmasters; signed W.L. Maberly, Secretary G.P.O., June, 1845. (10) Circular of Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, G.P.O., 4th October, 1845. (11) Notice to the Commanders of Ships arriving from Foreign Ports; signed W.L. Maberly, Secretary G.P.O., June, 1845. (12) Circular of Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., July, 1855. (13) Circular of Instructions to Postmasters at the Outports; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., 13th August, 1855. (14) Circular of Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., 29th January, 1857. (15) Reduction of the Ship Letter Rate of Postage; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., 26th December, 1857. (16) Circular of Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., January 14th, 1858. (17) Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., 27th March, 1863. (18) Re Letters to Portugal; signed Geo. Dumeldenger, for Sub. Con., 7th March, 1871. (19) Note re Loose Letters, 23rd March, 1876. Bristol, 9th December, 1902.
This old book relating to the Ship Letter Duty at Bristol was considered suitable for the Muniment Room at St. Martin's-le-Grand, as an historical record, and is retained there for preservation. It is considered fortunate that it has survived so long.
As the public eye was for a long time directed towards the Redland Post Office, Bristol, which to meet the wants of the community has been located by the Department at No. 112, White Ladies Road, Black Boy Hill, and is carried on apart altogether from any trade or business, it may be well, in view of connecting links with the past being rapidly effaced in the march of modern progress, to take an historical retrospect of this local post office so far as evidence is forthcoming, and thus endeavour to put on record the traditions of the past. It would appear, then, according to the earliest evidence obtainable, that Mr. W. Newman had the appointment of postman and town letter receiver conferred upon him in 1827, offices which he held until 1872. The post office was carried on by him in a small house approached by garden and steps immediately adjoining the old King's Arms Inn, which stood on the site of the present Inn of that name. It was Newman's mission in those pre-penny stamp days to serve the wide and then open district bordered by Pembroke Road, White Ladies Gate, Cold Harbour Farm, Redland Green, Red House Farm, Stoke Bishop, Cote House, and Sea Mills. He delivered about 40 letters daily. The area owing to the growth of population and the spread of education, with the consequent development of letter writing, has now seven post offices; is served by no fewer than 30 postmen, and has a delivery of 14,000 letters.
In Mr. Newman's early Post Office days mail coaches ran up and down Black Boy Hill on their way to and from the New Passage, and called at the Redland Post Office. Newman is said to have had a jackdaw. The bird, as the mail coach ran down the narrow road on Black Boy Hill, called "Mail, mail, quick, quick!" to attract his master's attention, and, waggish bird as he was, he not infrequently gave a false alarm, and called his master at the wrong time. After some years Mr. Newman moved with the Post Office to the east side of Black Boy Hill, to a house near the present Porter Stores. He was succeeded by Mr. Enoch Park. The next sub-postmaster was the late Mr. Buswell, who for some years occupied premises on mid-hill, before moving the Post Office to a site lower down the hill.
MR. F.P. LANSDOWN.
Mr. F.P. Lansdown retired from the post of Medical Officer to the Bristol Post Office at the end of the year 1903. He had occupied the position for the period of 42 years, and it was felt that such long service could not be allowed to terminate without due recognition at the hands of the officers of the Postal and Telegraph Services, to whom he had rendered professional aid from time to time. He was, therefore, given a solid silver table lamp, subscribed for by over 650 members of the staff. The presentation took place on Post Office premises, and was very largely attended.
Twenty-seven of the Bristol telegraph staff served in the campaign in South Africa. In times of peace many Royal Engineers are employed in the instrument room of the Bristol Post Office, and the duties of linesmen are mainly undertaken by men from that corps. On the outbreak of hostilities, these were at once withdrawn for active service, and then came the call for Volunteers for the Telegraph Battalion, when seven civilians attached to the local staff volunteered, and were selected. Great interest was taken by their confreres in the progress of the war, especially during the siege and the relief of Ladysmith, where two of the Bristol R.E.'s were among the besieged. One of the staff went through the siege of Kimberley, and another for his pluck was awarded the D.S. Medal. A hearty welcome awaited their return, and this was manifested by means of a supper and musical evening at St. Stephen's Restaurant, Dec. 1, 1902.
Not all of them came back—two had fallen and helped to swell the large number who had sacrificed their lives for their King and country.
Whilst civilian telegraphists and officers of the sorting department thus volunteered for military service in South Africa, the present Postmaster-General himself, Lord Stanley, to whom this book is dedicated, also was not slow in placing himself at the disposal of his country, and he went through two years of the campaign, acting first as Press Censor and afterwards as Private Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief Lord Roberts. He was twice mentioned in despatches and was awarded the Companionship of the Bath.