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diff --git a/34197-h/34197-h.htm b/34197-h/34197-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..001b352 --- /dev/null +++ b/34197-h/34197-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8865 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bristol Royal Mail, by R. C. Tombs. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h4,h5 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + sup {padding-left: 0.1em; vertical-align: text-top; line-height: 50%; font-size: small;} + + td { + vertical-align: top; + padding-left: 0.5em; + text-indent: -0.5em; + } /* default table entry with hanging indent style */ + + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .right {text-align: right;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + p.Null {padding: 0em;} + .illus td.d1 {width: 600px; text-align: left; text-indent: -1.5em; padding-left: 1.5em;} + .illus td.d2 {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom; width: 5em;} + .ChapterTitle {letter-spacing: 0.2em; word-spacing: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 1em;} + p.Title {text-align: center; font-size: small} + .toc_chap {font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bristol Royal Mail, by R. C. Tombs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Bristol Royal Mail + Post, Telegraph, and Telephone + +Author: R. C. Tombs + +Release Date: November 2, 2010 [EBook #34197] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRISTOL ROYAL MAIL *** + + + + +Produced by Adrian Mastronardi, Henry Gardiner, The +Philatelic Digital Library Project at http://www.tpdlp.net +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>Transcriber's Note: No copyright date is indicated in the source +material, but the last date mentioned is November, 1899.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<!--[1.png]--> + +<h2>THE <br /><br /> +BRISTOL ROYAL MAIL.</h2> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<!--[4.png]--> +<!--[3.png]--> +<!--[2.png]--> + + +<!--[5.png]--> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_0" id="Page_0">[Pg 0]</a></span><br /></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 497px;"> +<img src="images/i004.jpg" width="497" height="314" alt="The Postmaster's Office, Bristol. +From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine St., Bristol." title="" /> +<span class="caption">The Postmaster's Office, Bristol.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: small;'>From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine St., Bristol.</i> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 432px;"> +<img src="images/i004a.jpg" width="432" height="365" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h5 class='u'> +<i>All rights reserved.</i> +</h5> +<p><br /><br /></p> + + + +<h2>The</h2> +<h1 style='letter-spacing: 0.2em; padding-bottom: 0.7em;'>Bristol Royal Mail.<br /></h1> +<h4 style='font-family: arial;'>POST, TELEGRAPH, AND<br /><br /> +TELEPHONE.<br /><br /><br /></h4> +<h5>BY<br /></h5> +<h2 style='letter-spacing: 0.3em;'>R. C. TOMBS,</h2> +<h5 style='word-spacing: 0.5em;'><i>Postmaster of Bristol,<br /> +Ex-Controller of the London Postal Service.</i><br /><br /><br /></h5> + +<h4 style='padding-top: 10em; padding-bottom: 0.0em; line-height: 0.2em;'>BRISTOL:</h4> +<h5 style='padding-top: 0em; line-height: 0.2em; padding-bottom: 3em;'><span class="smcap">J. W. Arrowsmith, 11 Quay Street.</span></h5> + +<!--[7.png]--> +<!--[6.png]--> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="x"> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER I.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAIL SERVICES. RALPH ALLEN. 1532-1764.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>Chapter II.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>MAIL COACH ERA. JOHN PALMER. 1770-1818.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER III.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'> + 1818 ONWARDS. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. OLD MAIL GUARDS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER IV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>VICTORIAN ERA, 1837-1899. MAIL TRANSPORT BY RAILWAY. TRAVELLING POST OFFICES.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER V.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>BRISTOL POSTMASTERS. 1678-1899.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_68">68</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER VI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>NOTABLE POST OFFICE SERVANTS OF BRISTOL ORIGIN.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER VII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>POST OFFICE BUILDINGS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER VIII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'> + THE LOCAL POST OFFICE IN EARLY DAYS. SIR ROWLAND + HILL. RECENT PROGRESS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td> + </tr> +<!--[8.png]--> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER IX.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>BRISTOL AS A MAIL PORT.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_141">141</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER X.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>POSTAL SERVICE. STAFF: ITS COMPOSITION, DUTIES,<br />RESPONSIBILITIES. VOLUME OF WORK.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>CHRISTMAS AND ST. VALENTINE SEASONS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>PUBLIC OFFICE: ITS BUSINESS. THE SAVINGS BANK.<br />PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XIII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>TELEGRAPHS. TELEPHONES. EXPRESS DELIVERY.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_198">198</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XIV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>TELEGRAPH MESSENGERS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_222">222</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>LETTER DELIVERY SYSTEM. POSTMEN: THEIR DUTIES AND RECREATIONS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_234">234</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XVI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>POST LETTER BOXES: POSITION, VIOLATION, PECULIAR USES.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_253">253</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XVII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>RURAL DISTRICT SUB-POSTMASTERS. RURAL POSTMEN. INCIDENTS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_257">257</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XVIII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>GENERAL FREE DELIVERY OF LETTERS.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_287">287</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='toc_chap'>CHAPTER XIX.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align='left'>RETURNED LETTER OFFICE.</td> + <td align='right'><a href="#Page_292">292</a></td> + </tr> +</table></div> + +<!--[9.png]--> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ILLUSTRATIONS" id="ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + +<table class='illus' border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="20" summary="x"> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THE POSTMASTER'S OFFICE, BRISTOL</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_0"><i>Page</i> 0</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>RALPH ALLEN OF CROSS POST FAME</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_6">6</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'> HIS RESIDENCE AT PRIOR PARK, BATH</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'> HIS TOWN HOUSE IN BATH</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'> HIS TOMB AT CLAVERTON</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_16">16</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>JOHN PALMER, INTRODUCER OF MAIL COACHES</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>OLD ENGLISH "FLYING" MAIL COACH</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>MAIL COACH PLATE DEDICATED TO PALMER</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THE WEST COUNTRY MAIL COACHES ABOUT TO LEAVE PICCADILLY</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THE LAST OF THE MAIL GUARDS</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>ARRIVAL OF THE BATH AND BRISTOL MAIL COACH AT + ROADSIDE INN</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_48">48</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>START OF MAIL COACHES FROM BUSH INN, BRISTOL</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THE OLD PASSAGE, AUST</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>JOHN GARDINER</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THOMAS TODD WALTON, SENIOR</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THOMAS TODD WALTON, JUNIOR</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>EDWARD CHADDOCK SAMPSON</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>SIR FRANCIS FREELING, BART</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THE BRISTOL HEAD POST OFFICE IN 1899</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_117">117</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THE "GREAT WESTERN"</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_152">152</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>R.M.S. "MONTEREY"</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_159">159</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THE PUBLIC HALL OF THE BRISTOL POST OFFICE</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>THE TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT ROOM, BRISTOL</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_204">204</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>CRIBBS CAUSEWAY POST OFFICE</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_261">261</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>MR. EDWARD BIDDLE</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_263">263</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>LETTER BOX AT WINTERBOURNE</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_269">269</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='d1'>HANNAH BREWER, THE BITTON POSTWOMAN</td> + <td class='d2'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<!--[11.png]--> +<!--[10.png]--> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[Pg i]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>In these days when books on every conceivable +subject are written in their thousands annually; +when monthly journals are produced by scores, +and daily newspapers in hundreds, to supply the +public with a record of the world's doings; and +when readers are found for them all, it may not +be thought unfitting that each large mail centre +in the United Kingdom which contributes by its +postal and telegraph organisation to the dissemination +of much of this literature, should in its turn +have some record of its own doings. This present +compilation has, therefore, been undertaken with that +object in view, as regards the Bristol Post Office, +and in the hope that the facts, figures, and incidents +contained in it relating to past doings and present +days and present ways may prove of interest to the +inhabitants of the County and City, and its surrounding +districts, and in an unpretentious way<!--[12.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[Pg ii]</a></span> +commence, or add to, local Post Office history, and +demonstrate that though Bristol is not, unfortunately, +the leading provincial seaport, as of yore, she has +not lagged one step behind her competitors in +respect of postal progress.</p> + +<p>The profit which may accrue from the publication +of <i>The Bristol Royal Mail</i> will be devoted exclusively +to the Rowland Hill Memorial and Benevolent Fund, +the chief patron of which is Her Most Gracious +Majesty the Queen-Empress, who is about to show +her great interest in works of the kind by visiting +our ancient city to open the new Convalescent Home. +The object of the fund is the relief of all Post Office +servants throughout the United Kingdom, who, +through no fault of their own, have fallen into +necessitous circumstances. It also affords assistance +to their widows and orphans, for whom no provision +is made under the Superannuation Acts. The fund +is managed by a body of trustees, who are assisted +by a committee of recommendation composed of +officers of the Post Office. The trustees are well-known +gentlemen of high standing and repute in +the city of London, to whose benevolent efforts on +behalf of the department the fund owes its origin.<!--[13.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span> +The Superannuation Acts afford pensions to those +who have been in the Post Office not less than ten +years. Sometimes a deserving and distressed Post +Office servant has not served long enough to qualify +for a pension, and sometimes help is needed by +persons whose time has been partly spent in the +postal service, but who, because they have been +permitted to carry on some other occupation, are not +entitled by law to any pension at all. A pension, +even if it should prove to be sufficient for the pensioner's +own support, ceases at death, and the widow +and orphans are often left destitute. There are +more than eighty-one thousand, and, counting those +employed only a portion of their time, nearly one +hundred and fifty thousand servants in the Post +Office; and in comparison with the number of +persons amongst whom cases needing relief may +arise, the assured income at the disposal of the +trustees of the fund is still inadequate. In the +period since 1893 the trustees have granted to +necessitous cases in the Bristol district £120, so +that any proceeds from the sale of this book will +be bestowed where such bestowal is certainly due.</p> + +<p>It is right to state that some of the information<!--[14.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span> +in these pages has been derived from <i>The +History of the Post Office</i>, by the late Mr. Herbert +Joyce, C.B.; <i>Forty Years at the Post Office</i>, by Mr. F. +E. Baines, C.B.; <i>The Royal Mail</i>, by Mr. J. Wilson +Hyde; and from <i>St. Martin's-le-Grand Magazine</i>, +also Latimer's <i>Annals of Bristol</i>. Thanks are due +also to Mr. Norris Mathews, the Bristol City +Librarian, for his courtesy in permitting and facilitating +access to old records in the Public Library; +to Mr. H. J. Spear, Secretary to the Chamber of +Commerce; to the proprietors of the <i>Times and +Mirror</i>, for allowing inspection of their old files; and +for illustrations to Mr. A. F. Walbrook, of the <i>Bath +Chronicle</i>; to the proprietor, <i>Black and White</i>, and +many others whose kindness is hereby acknowledged.<!--[15.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> +<h1 style='padding-top: 4em; padding-bottom: 3em;'><a name="The_Bristol_Royal_Mail" + id="The_Bristol_Royal_Mail"></a>THE BRISTOL ROYAL MAIL.</h1> +<hr style='width: 25%;' /> + + +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h5>1532-1764.<br /><br /> +DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAIL SERVICES.<br /> +RALPH ALLEN.</h5> + + +<p>It appears that before Post Offices were established +special messengers were employed to carry +letters. It is recorded that such a special messenger +was paid the sum of one penny for carrying a letter +from Bristol to London in the year 1532, but the +record affords no further particulars as to the service, +and the assumption is that the special messenger +was, in his own person, a rough-and-ready "post." +Later on, a post would be suddenly established for +a particular purpose, and as soon abandoned when +no longer specially required. Thus in the year 1621 +a post to Ireland—Irish firms being then considered<!--[16.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +to require "oftener despatches and more expedition"—was +set up by way of Bristol, only to be +discontinued in a few years.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 295px;"> +<img src="images/i019.jpg" width="295" height="377" alt="Ralph Allen. +By permission of the Proprietor of "The Bath and County Graphic."" title="Ralph Allen. +By permission of the Proprietor of "The Bath and County Graphic."" /> +<span class="caption">Ralph Allen.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>By permission of the Proprietor of "The Bath and County Graphic." +</i></div> + +<p>There was in 1660 a direct but irregular post +between London and some of the larger provincial +towns, but there were no cross posts between two +towns not being on the same post road. Letters +could only circulate from one post road to another +through London, and such circulation through +London involved additional rates of postage. Bristol +and Exeter are less than eighty miles apart, but, +not being on the same post road, letters from one +place to the other passed through London, and +were charged, if single, 6d., thus:—one rate of 3d. +from Exeter to London, and another rate of 3d. +from London to Bristol. This was in conformity +with a system established in the reign of Charles II. +That system went on until 1696 when a post was +established between Bristol and Exeter, that being +the first cross post in the kingdom authorised by +the Monarch's own personal assent. From Bristol +the posts went on Mondays and Fridays, starting +at 10.0 in the morning. The posts left Exeter on +Wednesdays and Saturdays at 4.0 in the afternoon,<!--[17.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> +and arrived at Bristol at the same hour on the +following days. Under this cross post plan, the +two towns being less than eighty miles apart, the +charge was reduced to 2d. for a single letter. In +three or four years the new post produced a profit +of £250 a year. In 1678 Provost Campbell established +a coach to run from Glasgow to Edinburgh, +"drawn by sax able horses, to leave Edinboro' ilk +Monday morning, and return again (God willing) +ilk Saturday night." In 1700 the service between +Bristol and London became fixed, and on alternate +days at irregular hours, depending upon the state +of the weather and the roads, the extent of the +journey and the caprices of the postboys and the +sorry nags that carried them, the mail arrived in +Bristol. There were, however, only a mere handful +of letters and newspapers. At the end of the same +year, the Post Office authorities in London, after +being earnestly petitioned by local merchants, +counselled the Government to establish a "cross +post" from this city to Chester. Up to that time +the Bristol letters to Chester, Shrewsbury, Worcester, +and Gloucester had been carried round +by London under the system already described,<!--[18.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +involving double postage and great delay. The +effect of this system, as on the Bristol and Exeter +road, had been to throw nearly all the letters into +the hands of public carriers, by whose wagons they +were conveyed more quickly than by the postboys +through London, and at a cheaper rate. Moved +by the success of the new cross posts from Bristol +to Exeter, the Treasury consented to the starting +of the Chester service. The Post Office reported +to the Treasury in March, 1702, that the profit for +the first eighteen months of the Chester service +had been about £156. The accounts of Henry Pyne, +the Bristol postmaster, appended to the report in +the State papers, show that so far as this part of +the service was concerned, he had received £168 for +letters by this post, whilst his expenses had been +£60.</p> + +<p>The people of Cirencester and Exeter, hearing +of the Chester concession, hastened to complain +of shortcomings affecting themselves. The Devon +clothiers had a considerable trade with the wool +dealers of the district of Cirencester, which town +was served by the postboys riding between Gloucester +and London, with a branch postboy mail to<!--[21.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +<!--[20.png]--> +<!--[19.png]--> +Wotton-under-Edge. By there being no direct postal +service of any kind between Bristol and Wotton-under-Edge, +correspondence between Exeter and +Cirencester had to be sent <i>viâ</i> London, and a fortnight +elapsed between the despatch of a letter and +the receipt of an answer, the result being that not +one letter in twenty was sent through the post. All +that was needed to shorten the transit from fourteen +days to four was to put Bristol in direct communication +with Wotton, the expense being estimated at +only £30 a year. The Government declined to +comply with this reasonable request, and nothing +was done!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 479px;"> +<img src="images/i023.jpg" width="479" height="347" alt="Prior Park, Bath. +(Formerly residence of Ralph Allen.) +By permission of the Proprietor of "The Bath and County Graphic."" title="Prior Park, Bath. +(Formerly residence of Ralph Allen.) +By permission of the Proprietor of "The Bath and County Graphic."" /> +<span class="caption">Prior Park, Bath.</span><br /> +<i>(Formerly residence of Ralph Allen.)</i><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>By permission of the Proprietor of "The Bath and County Graphic.</i>" +</div> + +<p>Soon after this time a Post Office reformer arose in +our immediate district in the person of Ralph Allen. +He, unlike later reformers, passed all his working +days in the Post Office service. Born at the "Duke +William Inn," at St. Blazey Highway, in Cornwall +in about 1693, he went as a boy to help his grandmother, +who was postmistress at St. Columb. In +1710 he was transferred as a clerk to Bath, and on +the 26th March, 1712, he became postmaster of that +city, in succession to one Mary Collins, and in that +year appears to have taken over the management of<!--[22.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +the Bristol and Exeter Cross Road Post, previously +farmed by Joseph Quash, postmaster of Exeter. In +1720 Ralph Allen contracted to farm the cross-country +posts throughout the country generally, and +to carry the mails by what were subsequently known +as "Allen's Postboys," who were supposed to travel +on horseback at a pace averaging five miles an hour. +A robbery from these postboys carrying the mails +between London and Bristol was a common occurrence. +Two men were executed in April, 1720, for +having twice committed that crime, yet the letter bags +were again stolen seven times during the following +twelve months. The <i>London Journal</i> of August 27th +remarked: "It is computed that the traders of +Bristol have received £60,000 damages by the late +robberies of the mail." In 1722 the postboys were +robbed twice in a single week, and for the crimes +three men were executed in London. Another +incident of the kind worthy of mentioning occurred +in September, 1738. The bag then carried off by +three highwaymen contained a reprieve for a man +lying under sentence of death in Newgate, and a +second reprieve despatched after the robbery became +known would have arrived too late to save the man's<!--[25.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +<!--[24.png]--> +<!--[23.png]--> +life, had not the magistrates postponed the execution +for a day or two in order that it might not clash with +the festivities of a new Mayor's inauguration.</p> + +<p>About 1732 the Bristol riding boys were deprived +of their perquisite of 1d. a letter for "dropping of +letters" at the towns and villages through which +they passed. This was done because the postboys +not only carried letters which they picked up on +the road and did not account for at the next post +office of call, but even went to the length of taking +out letters from the mail bags when those bags +were, as was the case sometimes, not properly +chained and sealed. In connection with Ralph +Allen's "By-Posts," in the year 1735 arrangements +were made so that the mails sent from Manchester, +Liverpool, or any other place in Lancashire, to +Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Devon, +etc., might be answered four days sooner than +they could possibly have been answered before. +In 1740 a new branch by-post was established from +Bristol and Bath to Salisbury, through Bradford, +Trowbridge, Devizes, Lavington, Tinhead, Westbury, +Warminster, Heytesbury, and Wilton. In 1741 +the growth of trade and population encouraged the<!--[26.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +Bristol citizens to appeal to the Ministry for an +improvement in the postal communication with +London, which was still limited to three days per +week. Yielding to this pressure, Allen converted +the tri-weekly posts into six-day posts in June, +1741. The post began to run every day of the +week, except Sunday, between London and Bristol, +and all intervening towns participated in the benefit. +In 1746 a further extension took place, whereby +letters were conveyed six days in every week, +instead of three days, at Mr. Allen's expense, +between London and Wells, Bridgwater, Taunton, +Wellington, Tiverton, and Exeter, through Bristol. +The mail service is not in further evidence in local +history until 1753, when the Bristol merchants again +showed themselves tenacious of their rights, and +waged a bitter war against the Postmasters-General +in respect of the imposition of a double rate of +postage on letters which, although under an ounce +in weight, contained patterns of silk or cotton or +samples of grain. There was a lawsuit, and the +Bristol merchants won it.</p> + +<p>A Government notification in the local newspapers +of the 4th September, 1752, announced an acceleration<!--[29.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> +<!--[28.png]--> +of the mails between the Southern Counties and +Bristol. In future a postboy was to leave Salisbury +on Mondays at six o'clock in the morning, to arrive +at Bath (a distance of about thirty-nine miles) at +eight or nine at night, and to leave Bath for Bristol +at six next morning. On Wednesdays and Fridays +the departure from Salisbury was in the evening, +the journey occupying about nineteen hours. By +this arrangement letters from Portsmouth were +received in this city two days earlier than before.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 294px;"> +<img src="images/i027.jpg" width="294" height="554" alt="Ralph Allen's Town House in Bath. +By kind permission of the Proprietor of the "Bath and County Graphic."" title="Ralph Allen's Town House in Bath. +By kind permission of the Proprietor of the "Bath and County Graphic."" /> +<span class="caption">Ralph Allen's Town House in Bath.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: smaller'>By kind permission of the Proprietor of the "Bath and County Graphic."</i> +</div> + +<p>Ralph Allen's improvements had great influence +in the Post Office services in this western city. The +profits on the contracts enabled Allen to take up +his residence at Prior Park, Bath, one of the finest +Italian houses in England, in addition to having a +grand house in the City. It is said that the +profits which accrued to him from his long contracts +amounted to about half a million of money.</p> + +<p>Mansions so lordly are not for the hardest and +best workers in the Post Office field of present +times, for the nation does not reward its great +men so liberally as then. Nowadays an introducer +of the inland parcel post service, the foreign parcel +post service, an improver of the telegraph service,<!--[30.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +and leader in bringing about vastly accelerated +mail services throughout the country,—works of +great moment, even if not comparable with Ralph +Allen, John Palmer, or Rowland Hill's great +achievements,—has, after forty years at the Post +Office, to be contented on retirement with no more +than the modest pension due to him, which will +not even be continued to his nearest and dearest +relative.</p> + +<p>Allen benefited the Bristol postal district in +another way than by his improved Post Office +services when he built the bridge over the Avon +at Newton-St.-Loe at a cost of £4,000. He was +buried in Claverton Churchyard, near Bath. The +inscription on his tomb runs thus:—"Beneath this +Monument lieth entombed the Body of Ralph +Allen, Esqr., of Prior Park, who departed this +life y<sup>e</sup> 29th day of June, 1764, in the 71st year +of his Age. In full hope of everlasting happiness +in another state thro' the infinite merit and mediation +of our blessed Redeemer, Jesus Christ."</p> + +<p>Ralph Allen did not hoard up his money or +spend it on riotous living, but bestowed a considerable +portion of his income in works of charity,<!--[31.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +especially in supporting needy men of letters. He +was a great friend and benefactor of Fielding, and +in <i>Tom Jones</i> the novelist has gratefully drawn Mr. +Allen's character in the person of Squire Alworthy. +He enjoyed the friendship of Chatham and Pitt; +and Pope, Warburton, and other men of literary +distinction were his familiar companions. Pope has +celebrated one of his principal virtues—unassuming +benevolence—in the well-known lines:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Let humble Allen, with an awkward shame,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Derrick has thus described Allen's personal +appearance shortly before his death: "He is a +very grave, well-looking man, plain in his dress, +resembling that of a Quaker, and courteous in his +behaviour. I suppose he cannot be much under +seventy. His wife is low, with grey hair, and of +a very pleasing address." Kilvert says that he was +rather above the middle size and stoutly built, and +that he was not altogether averse to a little state, +as he often used to drive into Bath in a coach +and four. His handwriting was very curious; he +evidently wrote quickly and fluently, but it was so<!--[32.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +overloaded with curls and flourishes as to be sometimes +scarcely legible.</p> + +<p>The lack of all show about his garb seems to +have somewhat annoyed Philip Thicknesse, the +well-known author of one of the Bath Guides, for +he speaks of Allen's "plain linen shirt-sleeves, with +only a chitterling up the slit."</p> + +<p>Allen's son Philip became Comptroller of the +"By-Letter" Department in the London Post +Office.<!--[33.png]--></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 449px;"> +<img src="images/i033.jpg" width="449" height="350" alt="Ralph Allen's +Tomb in Claverton Churchyard, near Bath. +By kind permission of the Proprietor of the +"Bath and County Graphic."" +title="Ralph Allen's Tomb in Claverton Churchyard, near Bath. +By kind permission of the Proprietor of the "Bath and County Graphic."" /> +<span class="caption">Ralph Allen's Tomb in Claverton Churchyard, near Bath.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>By kind permission of the Proprietor of the "Bath and County Graphic."</i> +</div><!--[35.png]--> +<!--[34.png]--> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h5>1770-1818.<br /><br /> + +MAIL COACH ERA.—JOHN PALMER.</h5> + + +<p>Notwithstanding Ralph Allen's innovations, +the conveyance of letters between the +principal towns was carried on in a more or less +desultory fashion. Speaking of the want of improvement +in 1770, and the haphazard system under +which Post Office business was conducted, a local +newspaper gave this instance of unpunctuality: "The +London Mail did not arrive so soon by several hours +as usual on Monday, owing to the mailman getting +a little intoxicated on his way between Newbury +and Marlborough, and falling from his horse into a +hedge, where he was found asleep, by means of his +dog." Mr. Weeks, who entered upon "The Bush," +Bristol, in 1772, after ineffectually urging the proprietors +to quicken their speed, started a one day +coach to Birmingham himself, and carried it on +against a bitter opposition, charging the passengers<!--[36.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +only 10s. 6d. and 8s. 6d. for inside and outside seats +respectively, and giving each one of them a dinner +and a pint of wine at Gloucester into the bargain. +After two years' struggle his opponents gave in, +and one day journeys to Birmingham became the +established rule.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 360px;"> +<img src="images/i039.jpg" width="360" height="437" alt="John Palmer. +The Founder of the Mail Coach System. +By kind permission of the Proprietor of the "Bath and County Graphic."" title="John Palmer. +The Founder of the Mail Coach System. +By kind permission of the Proprietor of the "Bath and County Graphic."" /> +<span class="caption">John Palmer.<br /> +The Founder of the Mail Coach System.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>By kind permission of the Proprietor of the "Bath and County Graphic."</i> +</div> + +<p>The mail service was carried on chiefly by means +of postboys (generally wizened old men), who +continued to travel on worn-out horses not able +to get along at a speed of more than four miles an +hour on the bad roads. On the London and Bristol +route, indeed, it had been found necessary to provide +the postboys with light carts, but that method of +conveyance of the mail bags brought about no +acceleration in time of transit,—from thirty to forty +hours, according to the state of the roads. A letter +despatched from Bristol or Bath on Monday was not +delivered in London until Wednesday morning. On +the other hand a letter confided to the stage coach of +Monday reached its destination on Tuesday morning, +and the consequence was that Bristol traders and +others sent letters of value or urgency by the stage +coach, although the proprietors charged 2s. for each +missive.<!--[37.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p> + +<p>At this period John Palmer, of Bath, came on +the scene. He had learnt from the merchants +of Bristol what a boon it would be if they could +get their letters conveyed to London in fourteen +or fifteen hours, instead of three days. It is +said, however, that it was the sight of Ralph +Allen's grand place at Prior Park, and the knowledge +of how Allen's money had been made, which +first suggested to Palmer the attempt to bring a +scheme for a mail coach system to the notice of +the postal authorities. John Palmer was lessee and +manager of the Bath and Bristol theatres, and went +about beating up actors, actresses and companies in +postchaises, and he thought letters should be carried +at the same pace at which it was possible to travel +in a chaise. He devised a scheme, and Pitt, the +Prime Minister of the day, who warmly approved +the idea, decided that the plan should have a trial +and that the first mail coach should run between +London and Bristol. On Saturday, the 31st July, +1784, an agreement was signed in connection with +Palmer's scheme under which, in consideration +of payment of 3d. a mile, five inn-holders—one +belonging to London, one to Thatcham, one to<!--[38.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +Marlborough, and two to Bath—undertook to provide +the horses, and on Monday, the 2nd August, 1784, +the first "mail coach" started. On its first journey +it ran from Bristol,—not from London as generally +supposed,—and Palmer was present to see it off. A +well-armed mail guard in uniform was in charge of +the vehicle, which was timed to perform the journey +from Bristol to London in sixteen hours. Only four +passengers were at first carried by each "machine," +and the fare was £1 8s. The immediate effect was +to accelerate the delivery of letters by a day. The +coaches were small, light vehicles, drawn by a pair of +horses only, but leaders were subsequently added, and +four-horse coaches soon became the order of the day, +and more passengers were carried. An old painting +represents the Bath and Bristol mail trotting along +close to a wall, the guard receiving one bag and +handing another to the postmaster without the +coachman pulling up. One coach left Bristol at 4.0 +in the afternoon, reached Bath a couple of hours +later, and arrived at the General Post Office, London, +before 8.0 the next morning. The down coach +started from London at 8.0 in the evening, was at +the "Three Tuns," Bath, at a few minutes before<!--[41.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +<!--[40.png]--> +10.0 the next morning, and pulled up at the +"Rummer Tavern," Bristol, at noon. Palmer gave +up his theatrical enterprises and entered the service +of the Post Office as Comptroller at a salary of +£1,500 a year, and certain emoluments, which, +after a year or two, brought him in an annual sum +of more than £3,000. Before Palmer's mail coaches +were at work the post left London at all hours of +the night, but it was part of his scheme that the +mails should all leave at the same time, 8.0; and as +the number of mails increased so there was more +and more bustle in the vicinity of the General Post +Office at that hour. In London the arrival of all +the mails was awaited before any one of them was +delivered; and this led to the delivery sometimes not +taking place until 3.0 or 4.0 in the afternoon, or +even later. Palmer, with his regard for the Bristol +coach, occasionally had the Bristol mails distributed +immediately on reaching St. Martin's-le-Grand, but +all other mails if behind were kept waiting as +before.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i043.jpg" width="500" height="289" alt="Old English "Flying" Mail Coach." title="Old English "Flying" Mail Coach." /> +<span class="caption">Old English "Flying" Mail Coach.</span> +</div> + +<p>Upon the beginning of Palmer's system on the +Bristol road a marvellous superstructure was raised. +Coaches were at once applied for by the municipalities<!--[42.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +of the largest towns, Liverpool being the first to aim +at equality with Bristol, and York claiming what +was due to the great highway to the North. +Palmer's plan made rapid progress and was attended +with complete success. A splendid mail service was +eventually set up all over the country. One result +was that the "expresses" to Bristol, which before +had been as many as two hundred in the year, +ceased altogether. In July, 1787, the mails from +Bristol to Birmingham and the North, previously +three per week, were ordered to be run daily. The +London to Bristol coach was stopped by other means +than those employed by highwaymen, the service +having at one time in 1790 been suspended +for several days by Palmer, in defiance of the +Postmaster-General.</p> + +<p>In Bonner and Middleton's (weekly) <i>Journal</i> for +the 11th February, 1792, is an announcement to the +effect that the Irish mails arrived in Bristol on the +6th instant instead of on the first of the month. The +bare fact was stated, and the assumption is, therefore, +that it was not an unusual circumstance. Five days' +delay would be thought intolerable now, as, indeed, +is the present length of time occupied by the Irish<!--[45.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +<!--[44.png]--> +night mails on their journey to Bristol. After being +conveyed by fast boat to Holyhead and express train +to Birmingham, they come on from that city by a +"crawler" and do not reach Bristol until nearly the +mid-day hour.</p> + +<p>In the same year (1792) sixteen mail coaches +worked in and out of London every day. There +were fifteen cross-country mail coaches, as, for +instance, the coach between Bristol and Oxford, or, +as it was commonly called, Mr. Pickwick's coach. +During winter, in frosty weather, at this period, +some of the mail coaches did not run at all, but +were laid up for the season, like ships during +Arctic frosts.</p> + +<p>There is a model of an old mail coach at the +General Post Office, St. Martin's-le-Grand, London, +popularly supposed to be the model of the first mail +coach which was built, but such is not the case, for, +as already stated, the first mail coach ran between +Bristol and London, and the model has upon it +the inscription "Royal Mail from London to +Liverpool."</p> + +<p>The expense of horsing a four-horsed coach +running at the speed of from nine to ten miles an<!--[46.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +hour was reckoned at £3 a double mile. Mails +were exempt from turnpike tolls.</p> + +<p>With the introduction of the mail coaches with +well-armed, resolute guards, there was a cessation of +mail robberies on the main roads. Pilfering, however, +was occasionally carried on; for instance, in the +early winter of 1794 one Thomas Thomas travelled +day after day up and down on the London and +Bristol coach. At last his opportunity came when +the guard temporarily left his coach with the mailbox +unlocked, and then Thomas Thomas looted the +mails. On the cross roads the saddle horse and cart +posts were frequently stopped and robbed (1796). +One of the worst roads in this respect was that +between Bristol and Portsmouth. Proposals for +the postboys to be furnished with pistols, cutlasses, +and caps lined with metal, like hunting caps, +for the defence of the head, fell through on account +of the expense which their supply would have +entailed.</p> + +<p>There exists a popular belief that the mail +coaches were driven up and down the steep Queen +Street in Bristol now known as Christmas Steps. +The belief is erroneous, for an inscription over<!--[47.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +the recessed seats at the top of the passage tells +us that—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"This <span class="smcap">Streete was Steppered Done</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0">& Finished, September, 1669.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The Right Worpfl Thomas Stevens,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Esqr. Mayor.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i4">Named <span class="smcap">Qveene Streete</span>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Probably, however, the postboys who carried the +mails in earlier days rode up the steep incline.</p> + +<p>A gentleman now writing in the <i>Bristol Times and +Mirror</i> under the <i>nom-de-plume</i> of "Old File," delving +in the historical garden of <i>Felix Farley's Journal</i>, +has unearthed the following very interesting announcements +and advertisements, which throw light +on the mail services of the time:—</p> + +<p class='Title'> +"MILFORD AND BRECKNOCK MAIL COACH.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"A coach sets out from the 'White Hart,' Broad +Street, Bristol, over the Old Passage (Aust), every +Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, at noon, and joins +the above coach at Ragland the same day; and a +corresponding coach returns from Milford on certain +days." The chief point in the advertisement was +in the paragraph: "N.B.—This road is nineteen<!--[48.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +miles nearer to Carmarthen and Milford than the +lower one," that is, by the New Passage.<br /></p> + + +<p>This was replied to by another advertisement, as +follows:</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">A Caution.</span>—The public will please to observe +that no other mail coach whatever does now, or ever +has, run from Bristol to Milford Haven, excepting +the Royal London, Bath, Bristol, and Milford Haven +mail coach, which sets out from the 'Bush Inn +and Tavern,' Corn Street, every Monday, Tuesday, +Thursday, and Saturday, and the mail coach to +Swansea every day from the same inn, notwithstanding +the flaming advertisement of a certain set +of men to deceive and mislead the public, by their +asserting that the road over the Old Passage is +nineteen miles nearer than that over the New +Passage, which is so far from being a fact that +the road of the New Passage is seven and three-quarters +nearer, as was proved by admeasurement +by orders of the office, making a difference of +twenty-six miles and three-quarters nearer the +lower (that is, the New Passage) than the upper +road."<br /></p> + +<p>On August 4th the proprietors of the New Passage<!--[49.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +coach came out with a larger announcement, and +produced figures to prove their assertion—</p> + +<p>"N.B.—This road is nineteen miles nearer to +Milford than the lower one, viz:—</p> + +<pre> + UPPER ROAD. | LOWER ROAD. + Miles. | Miles. +Old Passage 11 | New Passage 10 +Across the Water 1 | Across the Water 3 +Ragland 14 | Newport 15 +Abergavenny 9 | Cardiff 12 +Brecknock 19 | Cowbridge 12 +Trecastle 10 | Pill 12 +Llandovery 9 | Neath 13 +Llandilo 12 | Ponterdilas 10 +Carmarthen 15 | Kidwelly 14 +St. Clare's 9 | Carmarthen 9 +Narberth 13 | St. Clare's 9 +Haverford-West 10 | Narberth 13 +Milford 10 | Haverford-West 10 + | Milford 10 + --- | --- +Total 142 | Total 161 +</pre> + +<p>In favour of the Upper Road, 19 miles."<br /></p> + +<p class='right'> +"<span class="smcap">Bristol</span>, <i>4th January, 1799</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"Lost, on Monday morning, small letter-bag, +marked on it 'Worcester and Bristol.' Whoever +has found the same shall, on delivering it at the +Post Office, receive five guineas reward; and whoever +detains it after this notice will be prosecuted."<!--[50.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span><br /></p> + + +<p class='right'> +"<span class="smcap">General Post Office</span>,<br /> +<i>Friday, 15th February, 1799</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"George Evans, of Steep Street, St. Michael's, +in the City of Bristol, Grocer, having been committed +to the Gaol of Newgate, in the said City, +charged with feloniously negotiating two Bills of +Exchange contained in the bag of letters from +Worcester for Bristol of the 30th December last, +which was lost or stolen, and there being great +reason to believe that one or more person or persons +is or are privy to or concerned with him in the said +felony: Whoever will give information at the Council +Chamber in Bristol within one month from the date +hereof, so that the said George Evans may be convicted +of the offence with which he is charged, +shall be entitled to a reward of fifty pounds. And +if an accomplice shall make discovery he will also +receive His Majesty's most gracious pardon.</p> + +<p> +"By command of the Postmaster-General.<br /> +"<span class="smcap">Francis Freeling</span>, Secretary."<br /> +<br /></p> + + +<p class='right'> +<i>June 29th, 1799.</i><br /> +</p> + +<p>"We understand that a bill for £50, drawn by +the Worcester Bank on Messrs. Harfords, Davis<!--[51.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +and Co., of this City, and which was one of the +bills contained in the Worcester bag lost on the +31st December last, has been presented within +these few days for payment—a circumstance which +may probably lead to the discovery of the party +who found the said bag."<br /></p> + +<p class='right'> +<i>August 10th.</i><br /> +</p> + +<p>"Last week George Evans, who was tried at the +Old Bailey in June last on a charge of forging +endorsements on two bills (which, with many +others, were contained in the Worcester bag +destined for this City that was lost on the 21st +December last, and of which intelligence has since +been obtained), but who was acquitted for want of +sufficient evidence, was again apprehended, and was +committed to gaol on a charge of having stolen a +promissory note, drawn by Messrs. Harfords, Davis +and Co., of this City, value fifty pounds, which note +was likewise sent by the same conveyance from +Worcester, and being attempted to be negotiated, +was stopped and traced back into the hands of the +said Evans, against whom a detainer was lodged +on account of a similar charge for another bill of<!--[52.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +the same value, and precisely under all the circumstances +attending the former."<br /></p> + + +<p class='right'> +"<span class="smcap">General Post Office</span>,<br /> +"<i>October 11th, 1798</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"The postboy carrying the mail from Bristol to +Salisbury on the 9th instant was stopped between +the hours of eleven and twelve o'clock at night by +two men on foot within six miles of Salisbury, who +robbed him of seven shillings in money, but did +not offer to take the mail. Whoever shall apprehend +the convict, or cause to be apprehended and +convicted both or either of the persons who committed +this robbery, will be entitled to a reward of +fifty pounds over and above the reward given by +Act of Parliament for apprehending highwaymen. +If either party will surrender himself and discover +his accomplice he will be admitted as evidence for +the Crown, receive His Majesty's most gracious +pardon, and be entitled to the said reward.</p> + +<p> +"By command of the Postmaster-General.<br /> +"<span class="smcap">Francis Freeling</span>, Secretary."<br /> +<br /></p> + + +<p>There is no record that anyone claimed the reward.</p> + +<p>This, so far, is the end of "Old File's" researches.<!--[53.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + + +<p>As the Bristol mail coach was going through +Reading on the night of Thursday, the 18th +January, 1799, the coachman was shook off the +box, and, through his hands having been so benumbed +by the cold, was unable to save himself. +The guard jumped down and endeavoured to stop +the horses, but without effect. They ran as far +as Hare Hatch (four miles), where the coach changed +horses, and then stopped, having met with no +accident whatever, though they passed two wagons. +The passengers in the coach did not know anything +of it at the time.</p> + +<p>According to the <i>Bristol Directory</i> for 1811, the +"Bush Tavern" office in Corn Street, conducted by +John Townsend, played an important part in the +mail coach system of the country. Its announcement +ran thus: "Royal mail coach to London at +4.0 every afternoon; comes in at half-past 11 +every morning. 'Loyal Volunteer' to London at +12.0 every day. Royal mail coach to Newport, +Cardiff, Cowbridge, Neath, Swansea, and Carmarthen +every day on the arrival of the London mail. Royal +mail coach through Newport, Cardiff, Cowbridge, +Swansea, Carmarthen, to Haverfordwest and Milford<!--[54.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +Haven every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and +Saturday on the arrival of the London mail. The +'Cambrian,' a light post coach, the same route as +the mail, to Swansea every Monday, Wednesday, +and Friday morning at 6 o'clock; returns every +Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings.</p> + +<p>"Royal mail coach to Birmingham through Gloster, +Tewkesbury, Worcester and Bromsgrove every evening +at 7.0; comes in every morning at 6.0. A post +coach to Birmingham every day. Royal mail coach +through Bath to Tetbury, Cirencester, and Oxford, +every morning at quarter-past 7, comes in at 6.0 +every evening. Royal mail coach through Bath, +Warminster, and Salisbury to Southampton and +Portsmouth at 3.0 every day; comes in at 10.0 in +the morning. Coach to Salisbury, Romsey, Southampton, +and Gosport every day at 5.0 (Saturdays +excepted), comes in at half-past 10.0 at night. +Exeter, <i>Original</i> 'Duke of York' coach, through +Bridgwater, Taunton, Wellington, and Cullompton +every Tuesday, Thursday."</p> + +<p>In 1813 the London to Bristol mail coach was +robbed of the Bankers' parcel, value £2,000 or +upwards. This was made known in the form of a<!--[55.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +warning to the mail guards who travelled in charge +of the Post Office bags. When in 1813-14 the +great frost occurred, the Bristol mail coaches were +obstructed by the heavy snowdrifts on the roads, and +they came in day after day drawn by six horses +each when they could struggle into the City.</p> + +<p>The literature of the period yields nothing of +interest again for some time.</p> + +<p>The "Bristol Guide" in 1815 stated that—"Bristow +is the richest city of almost all the cities +of this country, receiving merchandize from neighbouring +and foreign places with the ships under +sail." And again, "Bristow is full of ships from +Ireland, Norway and every part of Europe, which +brought hither great commerce and large foreign +wealth." There was no mention of their carrying +mails.</p> + +<p>The year 1818 is memorable in postal annals as +that in which John Palmer died. His decease took +place at Brighton, but not before he had lived long +enough to see mail coaches splendidly turned out. +Palmer, on the conclusion of his connection with +the Post Office, was awarded a pension of £3,000 +a year, equal to his full salary, which sum he<!--[56.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +declared did not represent the amount of his salary +and emoluments. Further difficulties ensued, and +his son, Colonel Palmer, fought his father's battles +right manfully in the House, and eventually, in +1813, the Government gave John Palmer a sum +of £50,000.</p> + +<p>In recognition of Palmer's great invention, the +Chamber of Commerce of Glasgow not only made +him an honorary member, but voted him fifty +guineas for a piece of plate. The fifty guineas was +spent on a silver cup, which bore the following +inscription:—</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size: small'> +TO<br /> +JOHN PALMER, <span class="smcap">Esq.</span>,<br /> +SURVEYOR AND COMPTROLLER-GENERAL<br /> +OF THE POSTS OF GREAT BRITAIN,<br /> +FROM<br /> +THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE<br /> +AND MANUFACTURERS<br /> +IN THE CITY OF GLASGOW,<br /> +AS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT<br /> +OF THE BENEFITS<br /> +RESULTING FROM HIS PLAN<br /> +TO THE<br /> +TRADE AND COMMERCE<br /> +OF THIS KINGDOM,<br /> +1789.<br /> +<br /> +</p> +<!--[57.png]--> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 459px;"> +<img src="images/i057.jpg" width="459" height="355" alt="To John Palmer, Esq., Surveyor and Comptroller-General of the Post Office +this Plate of the Mail Coach is respectfully inscribed +by his obedient humble servant, James Fittler." title="" /> +<span class="caption">To John Palmer, Esq., Surveyor and Comptroller-General of the Post Office +this Plate of the Mail Coach is respectfully inscribed +by his obedient humble servant, James Fittler.</span> +</div><!--[58.png]--> +<!--[59.png]--> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h5>1819 ONWARDS.<br /><br /> +CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INTERVENES IN MAIL AFFAIRS.<br /> +OLD MAIL GUARDS.</h5> + + +<p>A new coach, from "The Bush Hotel" to +Exeter, was put on the road on the 6th of +April, 1819, the time allowed for the journey—74¾ +miles—being fourteen hours—less than 5½ miles an +hour. In June, 1820 a new coach started for Manchester, +performing the journey in two days, the intervening +night being spent at Birmingham. To +accomplish the first half of the task, the vehicle left +Bristol at half-past 8 in the morning and reached +Birmingham—85½ miles—in thirteen hours. An +advertisement, published in December, 1821, +headed "Speed Increased," informed the public +that the "Regulator" coach left London daily at +5 a.m. and arrived at the "White Hart," Bristol, +at five minutes before 9 at night, the speed being +barely seven miles an hour.<!--[60.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p> + + +<p>No fewer than twenty-two coaches were by this +time utilised daily between this city and London. +The start of the West Country mail coaches from +Piccadilly at this period was an interesting sight. +The continued wretched condition of the highways +was not conducive to quick travelling; but +in about 1825 matters were improved in that +respect in our district by Mr. John Loudon +MacAdam, who studied and practised road-making. +Mr. MacAdam was general surveyor of Bristol turnpike +roads, and although he found the trustees' +funds only one remove from bankruptcy and their +roads almost impassable, he succeeded so well that +the finances flourished, and his highways became an +object lesson to the world. Mr. Latimer, the Bristol +historian, mentions that although MacAdam was +shabbily treated by members of the old unreformed +Corporation, and had many opponents, Bristol +deserves the credit of being the first to appreciate +the value of his labours, which were recognised +later by a Parliamentary grant. He left Bristol +for London, and died in 1836; but his son became +surveyor of the Bristol roads, and continued to hold +the appointment till his death in 1857.<!--[61.png]--></p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i061.jpg" width="500" height="254" alt="The West Country Mail Coaches about to leave Piccadilly +withGo Cart, Bringing up Late Mails +from the G.P.O." title="The West Country Mail Coaches about to leave Piccadilly +with Go Cart, Bringing up Late Mails +from the G.P.O." /> +<span class="caption">The West Country Mail Coaches about to leave Piccadilly +with "Go Cart," Bringing up Late Mails +from the G.P.O.</span> +</div><p><!--[63.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +<!--[62.png]--></p> + + +<p>The <i>Gentlemen's Magazine</i>, November, 1827, announced: +"A Steam Coach Company are now +making arrangements for stopping places on the +line of road, between London, Bath and Bristol, +which will occur every six or seven miles, where +fresh fuel and water are to be supplied. There are +fifteen coaches built." The Turnpike Trustees, who +imposed extraordinary tolls on steam carriages, +frustrated this scheme; but the threatened competition +stirred up the coach proprietors, who increased +the speed of their vehicles from the jog-trot +of six or seven miles an hour, although not to such +an extent as desired by the Bristol Chamber of +Commerce, which in this year made a suggestion to +the Post Office for bringing the London mail to the +city in twelve hours. The Postmaster-General was +also memorialised to accelerate the arrival of the +West mail, so as to effect its delivery before the +departure of the London mail,—a convenience of no +little moment to the West India trade of the port, +since it was thought that it would save one day in +the conduct of business with the metropolis. At a +general meeting in January, 1828, it was announced +that the president had a conference on the subject<!--[64.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +with the leading officer of the Post Office Department, +with the result that the latter proposed +alterations which were carried out, and were held +to be proofs of the Postmaster-General's disposition +to consult the accommodation of the Bristol public. +The former proposal was not adopted at the time, +for at the Accession of his late Majesty King +William IV. (1830) the London mail coach took +13 hours 37 minutes on its journey <i>viâ</i> Reading. +It departed at 8 p.m., reached Bath 8.11 a.m., and +arrived in Bristol at 9.37 a.m., leaving again at +5.50 p.m. for the G.P.O. The Bristol and Brighton +coach (138 miles) was bound to a speed of 10.4 +miles per hour.</p> + +<p>In January, 1830, there were further Post Office +matters on the agenda of the Chamber of Commerce, +for it was resolved—"That this meeting recommends +to the Board the instituting an enquiry into +the exact distance between the Post Office of London +and Bristol, with a view to ascertain whether the +rate of postage at present demanded is correct." +The enquiry was prosecuted with vigour, for at +the January annual meeting in the following year +reference was made to the Turnpike Commissioners<!--[65.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +for the several districts on the line of road between +London and Bristol having supplied a statement of +the precise extent of ground over which the mail +coach travelled, comprised in their respective trusts. +In several instances measurements were expressly +made. In the result it appeared that the route +exceeded in distance 120 miles, and the Post Office +Department was therefore entitled legally to obtain +the rate of 10d. per letter as the amount fixed by the +provisions of the Act of Parliament. It was thought +by taking the route from Chippenham through +Marshfield instead of Bath the distance would be +considerably shorter, and consequently bring about +a reduced rate of postage. It was reported in the +next year (January, 1832) that the requisition for +changing the route had been pursued, and the +president held a conference with Sir F. Freeling +on the subject; but though every due consideration +was promised, the alteration had not yet been +acceded to. There was the significant addition that +the application would nevertheless be renewed. A +new royal mail direct from Bristol to Liverpool was +established in 1831, leaving the "White Lion," +Broad Street, Bristol, at 5.0 p.m., reaching Liverpool<!--[66.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +at twenty minutes past 12 a.m. The new service +was notified to Mr. Samuel Harford, the President +of the Commerce Chamber, by Sir Francis Freeling, +in the following terms:—</p> + +<p class='right'> +"G.P.O., <i>27th August, 1831</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">Sir</span>,—Having brought under consideration the +memorial from the Board of Directors of the +Chamber of Commerce of Bristol, and from the +bankers, merchants, and other inhabitants of +Liverpool, transmitted in your letter of the 2nd +May last, I have the satisfaction to acquaint you +that His Grace the Postmaster General (Duke of +Richmond) has consented to try the experiment +of a mail coach between those towns, through +Chepstow, Hereford, and Monmouth, and I flatter +myself that it may commence about the middle +of next month.</p> + +<p> +"I have the honour to be, Sir,<br /> +Your most obedient Servant,<br /> +<span class="smcap">F. Freeling</span>, Secretary.<br /> +</p> + +<p> +"Samuel Harford, Esq."<br /> +<br /></p> + + +<p>In the next year the Chamber learnt with satisfaction +that the direct Liverpool mail through<!--[67.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +Chepstow, Monmouth, Hereford, Shrewsbury and +Chester, which was started as an experiment, had +been continued, to the decided advantage of the +public, particularly to all connected with the line of +country through which it passed. As compared with +the former route, the saving of time was equal to +one day; the rate of postage was likewise reduced. +The starting and arriving were at the most convenient +hours the distance and circumstances, with +reference to the passage of the two rivers, Severn +and Medway, would permit. The coach had to run +over the flat parts of the ground at a great pace, to +make up for time lost at the hills. The contract +time was 9 miles 2 furlongs in the hour.</p> + +<p>One of the chief mail coaches in the kingdom in +1837 was the Bristol, Carmarthen and Milford (150 +miles <i>viâ</i> Passage, one hour allowed for ferry), +Cardiff and Swansea. Its down journey occupied +19 hours 38 minutes, and its up journey 20 hours.</p> + +<p>The Liverpool and Milford mails were conveyed +across the Severn at Aust Passage, where the ferry +had been located since the Lord Protector's time. +A moderate expenditure on the piers at Aust +Passage, though little regarded by the citizens at<!--[68.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +the time the work was in progress, with the introduction +there of a steam vessel, was one of the +principal means of bringing about the establishment +of the additional communication with the +districts over the Severn, the uncertainty and inconvenience +of crossing its estuary being then +to a large extent removed.</p> + +<p>Mr. Oliver Norris, now nearly 80 years of age, +and who has lived in the district adjoining the +Severn Tunnel from his boyhood, can call to mind +the time when the Liverpool and Milford coaches +were running. They had to make their way from +Pilning through Northwick, up to the Old Passage +at Aust, and in rough weather the passengers must +have had a cold ride on the bleak river banks over +which they had to journey. When the Bristol and +South Wales Railway was opened in 1863, the Aust +Passage was abandoned, and the ferry steamers +commenced to cross from the revived New (or +Pilning) Passage, to connect with the new train +services at Portskewet. When the penny post was +introduced, Mr. Morris says that as the coaches +passed through the villages the inhabitants in his +district adopted a primitive way of posting their<!--[69.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +letters, which was to place the letter and penny in +a cleft stick, and so hand up to the mail guard as +the coach was driven by, and who, if the penny was +not forthcoming, promptly threw the letter to the +ground.</p> + +<p>The mail coach system was attended with many +adventures. Mr. Moses James Nobbs, the last of +the mail coach guards, recounted in the history of +his career how, in the winter of 1836, when guard +of the Bristol to Portsmouth coach, there were +terrible snow-storms towards Christmas time, and +many parts of the country were completely blocked. +After leaving Bristol one night at 7 p.m. all went +well until the coach was nearing Salisbury, at about +midnight. Snow had been falling gently for some +time before, but after leaving Salisbury it came +down so thick and lay so deep that the coach had +to be brought to a standstill, and could proceed no +further. Consequently Nobbs had to leave the +coach and go on horseback to the next changing +place, where he took a fresh horse and started for +Southampton. There he procured a chaise and +pair, and continued his journey to Portsmouth, +arriving there about 6 p.m. the next day. He was<!--[70.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +then ordered to go back to Bristol. On reaching +Southampton on his return journey the snow had +got much deeper, and at Salisbury he found that +the London mails had arrived, but could not go +any further, the snow being so very deep. Not to +be beaten, he took a horse out of the stable, slung +the mail bags over his back, and pushed on for +Bristol, where he arrived next day, after much +wandering through fields, up and down lanes, and +across country—all one dreary expanse of snow. +By this time he was about ready for a rest. But +there was no rest for him in Bristol, for he was +ordered by the mail inspector to take the mails on +to Birmingham, as there was no other mail guard +available. At last he arrived at Birmingham, having +been on duty for two nights and days continuously +without taking his clothes off. For his exertions +and perseverance in getting the mails through Mr. +Nobbs received a special commendation from the +Postmaster-General.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 336px;"> +<img src="images/i071.jpg" width="336" height="472" alt="Moses Nobbs. +The Last of the Mail Guards." title="Moses Nobbs. +The Last of the Mail Guards." /> +<span class="caption">Moses Nobbs.<br /> +The Last of the Mail Guards.</span> +</div> + +<p>Mr. Nobbs tells that one night when the Bristol +coach was between Bath and Warminster, two men +jumped out of the hedge; one caught hold of the +leaders, and the other the wheelers, and tried to stop<!--[73.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +<!--[72.png]--> +the coach. The coachman, immediately whipped up +the horses, and called out, "Look out! we are going +to be robbed!" Mr. Nobbs took the blunderbuss +out of the arms case (which was a box just in front +of the guard's seat); but, just as he did so, he saw +the fellows making towards the hedge, and then lost +sight of them altogether. To let them know that +he was prepared, he fired off into the hedge. He +didn't know whether he hit anything, but he heard +no cries or groans. The recoil of the blunderbuss, +however, nearly knocked him off his seat. The +blunderbuss, he said, kicked like a mule. It had +no doubt been loaded to the muzzle, as was usual +with those weapons. In the memorable storm of +Christmas, 1836, alluded to by Mr. Nobbs, the +Bath and Bristol mail coach, due in London on +Tuesday morning, was abandoned eighty miles from +the metropolis, and the mails taken up in a post-chaise +and four by the two guards, who reached +St. Martin's-le-Grand at 6.0 on the Wednesday +morning. For seventeen miles of the distance +the guards had from time to time to go across +the fields to get past the deep snowdrifts.</p> + +<p>In the annual procession of mail coaches round<!--[74.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +London, at the head thereof was "the oldest +established mail,"—the Bristol mail, probably with +Guard Nobbs in charge. Some twenty-seven to thirty +coaches took part in the procession thus headed. +The old mail guards had a literature of their own. +As an example, one report on a guard's way-bill ran +as follows (it was a note to account for loss of time +on North Road):—"As we wos comin' over Brumsgroove +Lickey won of the leaders fell, and wen we +com to him he was ded."</p> + +<p>One old fellow used to laugh, as the men said, +down in his boots, or like a pump losing its water. +Another used facetiously to say that he had better +than a dozen children. "Oh, Mr. ——," said a +barmaid to him one day, "what can you do with so +many?" "Well, my dear," he replied, "you see +I've got but two, and they be, you must confess, a +good deal better than a dozen."</p> + +<p>It is said that, with the exception of a single +instance, no guard was ever convicted of a breach of +trust while performing his duties.</p> + +<p>In the year of Her Majesty's accession (1837) +there were no fewer than twenty-seven coaches +running daily between Bristol and London, and<!--[75.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +twenty-seven others passed between this city and +Bath every twenty-four hours. The times of the +London coach were as follow: London depart 8.0 +p.m., Bath 7.21 a.m., Bristol arrive 8.43 a.m., +depart 6.15 p.m., arrive G.P.O. 6.58 a.m.,—a slight +acceleration over 1830.</p> + +<p>Where now is the fashionable roadside "Ostrich +Inn" on Durdham Down of a century ago, approached +by a rough and winding track from Black Boy Hill? +At this inn the coaches called on their way to the +Passage. Where now are the old four-horsed +coaches rattling up to "The Bush," "White Hart," +and "White Lion" hostelries, and the old jolly dozen-caped +coachmen and scarlet-liveried mail guards, +with blunderbuss and horn? Where now the Bath +and Bristol mail pulling up at the roadside "King's +Head Inn"? The inns are gone, the coaches gone, +the jolly guards all gone too. What happiness their +smiling faces brought to many who watched for +their arrival by the mail coach from the West of +England, and how gladdening the sight of their +colonial mail bags to the merchants of the city and +to the sailors' wives looking out anxiously for the +monthly mail of those days! Though single-sheet<!--[76.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +letters cost 2s. 1d. each, what of that? Did they not +contain accounts of sugar and rum cargoes, and of +good news from absent ones. Letters were letters +in those days, and not the notes and cards and +"flimsies" of to-day.<!--[77.png]--></p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 468px;"> +<img src="images/i077.jpg" width="468" height="348" alt="Arrival of the Bath and Bristol Mail Coach at a Roadside Inn." title="Arrival of the Bath and Bristol Mail Coach at a Roadside Inn." /> +<span class="caption">Arrival of the Bath and Bristol Mail Coach at a Roadside Inn.</span> +</div><p><!--[79.png]--> +<!--[78.png]--></p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h5>VICTORIAN ERA, 1837-1899.<br /><br /> + +MAIL TRANSPORT BY RAILWAY.—TRAVELLING POST +OFFICES.</h5> + + +<p>Although the world's railway system was +inaugurated by the opening of the Stockton +and Darlington Railway in 1825, it was not until 1838 +that any attempt was made by a great railway to +open up the traffic to the West from the Metropolis. +It was in that year that the Great Western Company +made a line between Paddington and Maidenhead, +and mails were sent by it. The section from Bristol +to Bath was opened in the same year. <i>Woolmer's +Gazette</i> of January, 1840, speaks of the 9.0 a.m. +"Exquisite" coach for Bristol, Cheltenham, Birmingham, +Manchester, and Liverpool, with part of +the service by rail. Intermediate sections of the +railway were completed from time to time, and, +finally, on the 30th January, 1841, the Western +line was opened throughout, and the coaches which<!--[80.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +had formed so striking a feature both of town and +country life generally disappeared. One coach, +however, obstinately held its ground in spite of the +railway, and continued to carry passengers from +and to London and Bristol at the rate of 1d. per +mile until October, 1843.</p> + +<p>In consequence of the completion of the Great +Western Railway to Bristol, extensive mail alterations +had to be made, and they were commenced on +the 30th July, 1841, affecting the whole district +right through Somersetshire and Devonshire into +Cornwall. Some towns were made post towns and +others were reduced from the rank of post towns +to that of sub-post offices. To meet the altered +circumstances, revised sacking of bags had to be +resorted to. The instructions given by the President +to the staff in St. Martin's-le-Grand ended thus:</p> + +<p>".... Any bags in addition to the ordinary +number must be reported to the road officers by the +clerks of the divisions, that they may be entered +under the head of 'extra,' also any agents or portmanteaus +for Falmouth; and they must instruct the +men carrying out the sacks and bags first to report +them to the check clerk, and then take them through<!--[81.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +the letter carriers' office to the Devonport or Gloucester +omnibus, as the case may be, as the guards +will not for the future come into the office."</p> + +<p>It was at this time that the villages of Hallatrow, +High Littleton, Paulton, Harptree (East and West), +Farrington Gurney, Temple Cloud, Cameley, and +Hinton Blewett were transferred from the postal +control of Bath to that of Bristol, under which they +still remain.</p> + +<p>For several years the only trains carrying third-class +passengers from Bristol started at 4.0 o'clock +in the morning and 9.0 o'clock at night, offering the +travellers, who were wholly unprotected from the +weather, an alternative of miseries, and at first +travellers were not much better off in point of speed +when travelling by railway, as third-class passengers +were 9<sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> hours on the railway between Bristol and +London. The coach at the time of its being taken +off performed the journey under 12 hours.</p> + +<p>The "Bush" coach office was closed in March, +1844.</p> + +<p>The Bristol and Gloucester Railway was opened +to the public on the 8th July, 1844. Of the seven +coaches which had been running between the two<!--[82.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +cities six were immediately withdrawn, and on the +22nd July the time-honoured "North Mail" left +Bristol for the last time, the horses' heads surmounted +with funereal plumes and the coachman +and guard in equally lugubrious array.</p> + +<p>As late as 1845 Her Majesty's mails were conveyed +between Bristol and Southampton in a closed +covered cart, "proper for the purpose," as set forth +in an advertisement inviting tenders for a new +contract. The whole journey had to be performed +at the rate of eight miles within the hour, stoppages +included. The hours of despatch were: +From Bristol at about 6.0 p.m., and from Southampton +about 9.0 p.m.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 542px;"> +<img src="images/i083.jpg" width="542" height="306" alt=""The Old Bush Hotel," Corn Street, Bristol. +From a picture in the possession of E. G. Clarke, Esq." title=""The Old Bush Hotel," Corn Street, Bristol. +From a picture in the possession of E. G. Clarke, Esq." /> +<span class="caption">"The Old Bush Hotel," Corn Street, Bristol.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>From a picture in the possession of E. G. Clarke, Esq.</i> +</div> + +<p>In 1849 a great mail robbery took place, which +was committed with very much daring. The +robbers, who booked from Starcross station on the +1st January, left a compartment of the up night +mail train (which left Bridgwater at 10.30 p.m. and +reached Bristol at midnight); they crept along the +ledge, only 1½ inch wide, to the mail-brake at the +rear of the post office sorting carriage, and effected +an entrance, having previously possessed themselves +of a key of the lock. After having rifled the mail<!--[85.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +<!--[84.png]--> +bags they crept back to their compartment, and +alighted from the train at the Bristol station, giving +up their tickets to the Great Western Railway +policeman. Not contented with robbing the up +mail, they got into the night mail train from +London to the West, which left Bristol at 1.15 a.m., +and actually had the daring to pursue the same +tactics with regard to the mail bags in the locked +brake. This further audacity brought about their +capture, for the news of the robbery of the up mail +reached the ears of the officers at Bristol who were +in the down mail, and so they were on the alert. +On arrival, therefore, at Bridgwater the second +robbery was at once detected, all exit from the +station was stopped, and the train searched. Two +men were discovered in a first-class compartment +near the travelling post office, and registered letters +and money letters were found upon them. In +addition to the letters, masks, and false moustache +found, a woolstapler's hook, which it is supposed +was used by the thieves to hang on to the tender +when leaving the first-class carriage, was also discovered. +One of the registered letters stolen, it was +stated, contained £4,000, and the loss, as far as it<!--[86.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +was known, unquestionably amounted to <i>fifty times</i> +that sum. The robbers turned out to be Henry +Poole, a discharged Great Western guard, and +Edward Nightingale, a London horse dealer. The +case excited a great deal of interest in the West of +England, and when the trial took place at Exeter +the court was crowded to excess, and the avenues +and approaches thereto were very inconveniently +crowded. Mr. Rogers, Q.C., and Mr. Poulden +appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Slade, Mr. +Cockburn, Q.C., and Mr. Stone defended.</p> + +<p>Evidence was given by clerks in the Lombard +Street Post Office, messengers and letter-carriers in +the G.P.O., "register" clerks, clerk at Charing Cross +Post Office, the clerk of the Devonport Road, guard +of the mail from St. Martin's-le-Grand to Paddington, +and by letter-sorters in the travelling Post +Office. Jane Crabbe, barmaid at the "Talbot Inn," +Bath Street, Bristol, recollected the two men entering +the bar and calling for two small glasses of brandy-and-water. +They were shown to an adjoining room, +where they remained until 1 o'clock, and then went +to the bar to pay. They appeared impatient, and +looked at the clock. It was suspected that all the<!--[87.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +property which, had been abstracted from the up mail +was secreted somewhere in Bristol, and a most rigid +search was instituted, but without success. Mr. +Cockburn's speech to the jury for the defence occupied +over two hours. Lord Justice Denman, the Judge +of the Spring Assize, sentenced the culprits to +fifteen years' transportation.</p> + +<p>A Select Committee was appointed in 1854 to +inquire into the causes of irregularity in the conveyance +of mails by railways, and to consider the best +means of securing speed and punctuality; also to +consider the best mode of fixing the remuneration of +the various Railway Companies for their services. +The local witnesses, Mr. James Creswell Wall and +Mr. J. B. Badham, Secretary and Superintendent +respectively of the late Bristol and Exeter Railway +Company, and Bristol residents, gave evidence before +the Committee, composed of Mr. Wilson Patten +(chairman), Mr. James MacGregor, Mr. H. G. Liddell, +Mr. H. Herbert, Mr. C. Fortescue, Mr. Cowan, Mr. +Thompson, Mr. Philipps, and Mr. Milner.</p> + +<p>Replying to questions, witnesses considered two +hours forty minutes, as fixed by the Post Office Department, +insufficient time for the down night mail to<!--[88.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +travel from Bristol to Exeter, including six stoppages. +The delivery of mail bags at certain stations by +apparatus without stopping the train was suggested, +but witnesses considered the plan dangerous and +that it could not with safety be adopted.</p> + +<p>The Secretary of the South Wales Railway +Company, Mr. F. G. Saunders, gave evidence as to +the frequent loss of time sustained by the South +Wales night mail through the late receipt of the +Bristol and West of England mails at Chepstow. +At that time the bags for South Wales were still +conveyed from Bristol to the Aust Passage, thence +by ferry to the opposite bank of the Severn and on +to Chepstow. The conveyance of mails for South +Wales <i>viâ</i> Gloucester was subsequently adopted.</p> + +<p>All the witnesses complained of the reduction of +railway parcel traffic through the then recent establishment +of book postage and consequent falling off +of receipts, also that the remuneration awarded for +the carriage of mails was insufficient, although +decided by mutually-appointed umpires.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 475px;"> +<img src="images/i089.jpg" width="475" height="294" alt="The Old Passage, Aust." title="The Old Passage, Aust." /> +<span class="caption">The Old Passage, Aust.</span> +</div> + +<p>For many years the night mails were conveyed +between Paddington and Bristol by a special train, +which did not carry passengers. It was the only<!--[91.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +<!--[90.png]--> +train of its kind in the kingdom, but so useful was +it held to be in securing a regular delivery of letters +that the Government introduced a clause in a Postal +Bill in 1857 rendering it compulsory for all railways +to provide similar trains. On the 1st June, 1869, +the Post Office special Great Western train commenced +to be a mail train limited to carry a certain +number of passengers, so that opinion had by that +time become altered as regards the value in relation +to cost of a train exclusively for Post Office +purposes.</p> + +<p>The travelling Post Office service assists greatly in +the speedy distribution of letters, and by its agency +remote places are put on an equality with the +country generally in respect of deliveries and +despatches. Two of the most important travelling +Post Office systems in the kingdom are conducted +through, or to, Bristol—the gate to the Western +country—viz.: The Great Western Railway, with a +travelling Post Office annual mileage of 500,000; +and the Midland and North-Eastern lines from +Newcastle, with a mileage of 220,000. Travelling +Post Offices, with a combined coach length of from +48 feet on the day mails to 158 feet on the night<!--[92.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +mails, are attached to the Great Western down +trains which arrive at Bristol at 12.13 a.m. and +8.48 a.m.; to the up trains, at 12.45 a.m. and 3.0 +p.m.; to the trains leaving Bristol for the West at +6.15 a.m. and 12.9 p.m., and for the North at 7.40 +p.m. The Midland travelling Post Office carriages +are attached to the 5.40 a.m. inward train and to +the 7.0 p.m. outward train.</p> + +<p>There is living at Midford, about fifteen miles +distant from Bristol, a gentleman (Mr. Coulcher) +who—now pensioned from the Post Office—was +the clerk in charge of the Midland Travelling Post +Office on its first run from Bristol to Derby in 1857. +He well recollects the night, and what impressed +it upon his memory more than anything else was +the fact that on reaching Bristol, after he and his +two subordinate clerks and his mail-guard (Samuel +Bennett) had made almost superhuman efforts to +get the work completed, he had to send 13,000 +letters unsorted into the Bristol Post Office, there +to await despatch by day mails to towns in the West +of England, instead of going at once in direct +travelling Post Office bags by the connecting early +morning train.<!--[93.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + + +<p>Samuel Bennett, the old mail guard mentioned, +and contemporary of Moses Nobbs, was frequently +injured on road and rail. In 1847 he was much +shaken when a Birmingham-to-Bath train by which +he was travelling ran off the line. A few years +later he nearly came to an untimely end, having +been regarded as dead after being much knocked +about when two trains between Bristol and Birmingham +collided. On that occasion, after he +recovered consciousness, he got together some of +his mail bags and carried them on to Bristol.</p> + +<p>The <i>Gloucester Journal</i> said of the occurrence:—"Samuel +Bennett, the guard of the mail bags, +appeared dead when found, and was dreadfully cut; +but on recovering, he manifested great anxiety for +the bags. When the special train arrived in which +the wounded passengers were conveyed onward, +Bennett, with great courage, determined to take the +bags by this train, which was done."</p> + +<p>And the <i>Bristol Mercury</i> wrote of him as follows:—"The +mail guard, Samuel Bennett, was very much +cut over the face and head, and bled profusely. +Happily, he was not rendered long unconscious or +disabled, and with a conscientious and self-denying<!--[94.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +attention to duty not often met with, he refused +any attention to his hurts until he had gathered +up the mutilated letter bags and their contents, +and made provision for bringing them on to this +city."</p> + +<p>In the Bristol district there is a railway Post Office +apparatus station at Fishponds, on the Midland +Railway, bags being deposited thereat by the train +due at Bristol at 5.40 a.m., and taken up by the +train ex Bristol at 7.0 p.m. On the Great Western +Railway, the apparatus arrangement is in operation +at Flax Bourton, Nailsea, Yatton, and Hewish, +chiefly in connection with the 6.15 a.m. train ex +Bristol. It rarely happens that any failures +occur at Fishponds or Hewish, but vagaries of the +apparatus are more frequent at Yatton. About once +a year something or other goes wrong, the pouch +usually being dropped and carried along by the train, +with mutilation of the mail bags and a general +scattering of the letters. On the last occasion, after +the line had been searched up and down, the embankment +closely looked over, and the ground on the +other side of the hedge on the down side closely +scrutinized, all unavailingly, some two or three days<!--[95.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +after the accident a bundle of letters was picked up +which, such was the force of the impact, had been +"skied" into a field over two hedges of an intervening +lane.</p> + +<p>On another similar mishap, a Post Office remittance +letter containing £20 in gold was burst open +and the coins scattered over the line. After diligent +search in every direction, £18 10s. was recovered. +One half sovereign, bent in an extraordinary manner, +was found between the metals three-quarters of a +mile from the apparatus standard. The apparatus +has to be adjusted with mathematical nicety, and +if not so arranged failures are liable to occur. It +is well that the public should bear in mind that +packets sent by mails which are exchanged by +apparatus are in more or less danger, and any +article of a fragile or costly nature should, if possible, +be forwarded by mails carried by stopping-trains. +The places so affected in this neighbourhood are:—Alveston, +Bitton, Blagdon, Burrington, Clevedon, +Congresbury, Downend, Fishponds, Flax Bourton, +Frampton Cotterell, Frenchay, Glastonbury, Hambrook, +Hewish, Iron Acton, Langford, Mangotsfield, +Nailsea, Oldlands Common, Portishead, Pucklechurch,<!--[96.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +Rudgeway, Sandford, Staple Hill, Thornbury, +Tockington, Warmley, West Town, Willsbridge, +Winterbourne, Wrington, and Yatton.</p> + +<p>Until lately mails for Bristol were forwarded by +the midnight train from Euston (L. & N. W. R.) +and reached this city by way of Birmingham in +time for the North mail delivery. It was on that +railway that in 1890 a sad occurrence happened at +Watford, when a young man whilst in the discharge +of his duties as fireman lost his life. The deceased +was leaning over the side of his engine, which was +stationary, watching for the signals to be turned, +when the day mail train from London dashed by. +The travelling Post Office apparatus net which had +picked up a pouch at a point a few score yards away +was still extended and it struck the unfortunate +young man on the head, completely severing it from +the body. The poor fellow's cap was torn from his +head by the apparatus net and fell into the travelling +Post Office carriages with the mail pouches much to +the consternation of the travelling sorters, who found +evidence of the mutilation on the apparatus framework. +The net was only down for the short space +of ten seconds. The travelling officials first heard<!--[97.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +full details of the accident on their arrival at Tring, +where the train next stopped.</p> + +<p>"Once upon a time," writes Mr. A. W. Blake in +the <i>St. Martin's-le-Grand Magazine</i>, "the London +afternoon mail was made up at a provincial office +down West (Chippenham), and despatched to be +taken off by apparatus. All proceeded as usual up +to the actual point of transfer, when a strange thing +happened. Instead of falling soberly into the net, +the man in charge was astonished to see the pouch +leap high into the air and descend he knew not +whither. Search was carefully made along the +track of the departed train, but not a vestige of +the missing pouch could be seen, and a local +inspector who was travelling up the line promised +to keep a look-out for it. Just at this time an 'S.G.' +was received from the officer in charge of the sorting +tender notifying the non-receipt of the pouch. As +the mystery seemed to deepen, word was received +that a signalman at a level crossing two miles away +had noticed the missing article on the top of the +train. Quoth the worthy apparatus man: 'If it'll +ride two miles, it'll ride two hundred'; and accordingly +a wire was sent to the sorting-tender people<!--[98.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +asking them to search the top of the train, and soon +came the reply that the pouch had been found on +the roof of the guard's van at Didcot. The train +had stopped the regulation time at that hub of the +Great Way Round, Swindon, and proceeded on its +way without the extraordinary position of Her +Majesty's mails being discovered."</p> + +<p>The occurrence was attributed to the swaying of +the carriage, and to the apparatus-net not working +quite steadily in consequence.</p> + +<p>At a later period than the mishap narrated by +Mr. Blake, the bags for Oxford and Abingdon, due +to be picked up at Wantage by the up night mail +travelling Post Office apparatus, and to have been +delivered by the same process at Steventon, were +not found when the net was drawn in, and it was +thought they had been missed; but at Didcot it +was discovered they had been thrown over the end +of the net and were hanging outside it.</p> + +<p>Since the opening of the Severn Tunnel in 1883 +it has not often been found an absolute necessity to +make use of it for the conveyance of mails diverted +from the route from South Wales through Gloucester +to London; but such was the case in February of<!--[99.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +the present year (1899), when a tidal wave of forty +feet was experienced in the Bristol Channel, +which caused serious damage by displacing the +railway line between Lydney and Wollaston. +The effects of the high tide were disastrous. A +wave dashed on to the Great Western Railway with +huge force, and so disintegrated the ballasting of +the permanent way that the lines were twisted into +all manner of shapes. The mails to and from +Paddington to South Wales were circulated <i>viâ</i> +Bristol and the Tunnel for some time.</p> + +<p>Bristol is at a disadvantage as compared with +London in respect of its Continental correspondence, +but is far better situated than many other provincial +towns. The letters from the Continent by night +mails reach Bristol by the train leaving London at +9.0 a.m. and, arriving at Temple Meads at 11.57 a.m., +are on delivery in the private box renters' office +at about 12.30 p.m. The postmen start out with the +letters at 1.10 p.m. As the hour of posting for the +outward Continental night mails is 2.10 p.m., it is +only the private box renters who have time, brief +though it be, to reply to their correspondence on the +day of receiving it.<!--[100.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> + + +<p>An appeal to the Hon. Member for Bristol East +was made by the writer at a Chamber of Commerce +dinner to exercise his influence as a director of the +Great Western Railway in the direction of obtaining +the use of a goods train for the conveyance to Bristol +of a midnight mail from London. In the end the +Railway Company afforded the Post Office the means +of bringing down a midnight mail, not by goods +train as was originally contemplated, but by new +and fast passenger train, with the result that half a +million letters a year now fall into the first delivery +throughout the town, instead of into the second +delivery as heretofore. The letters posted in London +up to 9.0 p.m. reach the head office in Small Street in +time to be delivered throughout the city and suburbs +by the postmen on their first round. Under the old +system, when "routed" <i>viâ</i> Birmingham, the arrival +was often so late and irregular that the letters missed +even the second delivery. The letters for the rural +districts having no day mail deliveries had to lie at +Bristol for twenty-four hours, while now they are +delivered on the morning of receipt from London. +The advantages o£ the new system apply to parcels +as well as letters, and the acceleration in delivery<!--[101.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +is particularly serviceable as regards parcels containing +perishable articles.</p> + +<p>The Railway Company recently gave the Department +another opportunity of improving the mail +services by establishing a merchandise train from +Cornwall and the West to London, reaching the +Metropolis in time for the letters sent by it to be +delivered some three or four hours earlier than when +conveyed by the first passenger train in the morning. +Strangely enough, the establishment of this new +mail service was the means of enabling the hon. +baronet (Sir W. H. Wills), the Member for Bristol +East, to take his seat in the House of Commons +on the day of his last election, for the writ and +return were sent by that mail to London in time to +reach the Crown Office for all formalities to be gone +through in connection with the seat being taken at +once.<!--[102.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<h5>1678-1899.<br /><br /> +BRISTOL POSTMASTERS.</h5> + + +<p>Official records at St. Martin's-le-Grand show +that postmasters of Bristol were appointed as +follows; viz., Thomas Gale, 1678; Wm. Dickinson, +1690; Daniel Parker, 1693; Henry Pine, September, +1694; Thomas Pine, senior, 1740; Thomas Pine, +junior, 16th January, 1760; William Fenn, 1778; +Mrs. Fenn, 1788; Mr. Fry managed the office for +Mrs. Penn from 1797 to December, 1805, when he +died, and Mrs. Fenn retired on an allowance in 1806; +Mr. Cole, March, 1806, died whilst holding office; +John Gardiner, 9th June, 1825; Thomas Todd +Walton, senior, 21st February, 1832; Thomas Todd +Walton, junior, 23rd May, 1842, succeeded his +father; Edward Chaddock Sampson, 21st June, 1871; +Robert Charles Tombs, 19th April, 1892, after +having been invalided from Controllership of the +London postal service.</p> + +<p>In his history of the Post Office, Mr. Joyce tells +us that in 1686 the Postmaster-General himself<!--[103.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +settled applications for salary. Thus when Thomas +Gale, postmaster of Bristol, applies for an increase +of salary, Frowde the governor satisfies the Earl of +Rochester, the Postmaster-General, that the increase +will be proper. Forthwith issues a document, of +which the operative part is as follows:—</p> + +<p>"You are therefore of opinion that the said salary +(£50) is very small considering the expense the +petitioner is att, and his extraordinary trouble, +Bristoll being a greate Citty, but you say that you +doe not think all the things he setts downe in the +aforesaid accompt ought to be allowed him, the +example being of very ill consequence, for (as you +informe me) you doe not allow either candles, pack-thread, +wax, ink, penns or paper to any of the +postmasters, nor office-rent, nor returns of mony, +you are therefore of opinion that tenn ponnds +per annum to his former salary of £50 will be a +reasonable allowance, and the petitioner will be therewith +satisfied, these are therefore to pray and require +you 'to raise his salary from £50 to £60 accordingly.'</p> + +<p> +"<span class="smcap">Rochester.</span><br /> +Whitehall Treasury Chambers,<br /> +<i>December 13th, 1686</i>."<br /> +<!--[104.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span><br /></p> + + +<p>The office of postmaster was in the hands of the +Pine family, grandfather, father, and son, from +1694 till 1778. In an old manuscript in the public +library it is stated that there was a portrait in the +possession of a descendant of the family, then residing +on Kingsdown, representing the older Pine in the +midst of his official duties, a bracket supporting a +bust of Mercury, and +in his hand a letter +thus addressed:—"On +His Majesty's +Service. To Mr. +Pine, Postmaster of +Bristol," and in the +corner, "P. Express. +T. Strickland." Endeavours +to trace the +descendants and the +portrait have proved +fruitless.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 170px;"> +<img src="images/i104.jpg" width="170" height="240" alt="Mr. John Gardiner. +Postmaster of Bristol, 1827-1832." title="Mr. John Gardiner. +Postmaster of Bristol, 1827-1832." /> +<span class="caption">Mr. John Gardiner.</span><br /> +<i>Postmaster of Bristol, 1827-1832.</i> +</div> + +<p>There is little +history obtainable +of the postmasters until the time of Mr. John +Gardiner, of whom it is related that, born October<!--[105.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +15th, 1777, he held the office of postmaster +of Bristol from 1825 till his death in 1832. +It is believed that he obtained his appointment +in a great measure through friendship +with Mr. Francis Freeling. Mr. Gardiner had to +bear the brunt of the Bristol Riots (1831), in so far +as they affected the Post Office administration of the +city. In order to save the mails and belongings +which were portable, such as the books, post dating +stamps, etc., he set off with them in a coach and four +for Bath Post Office. He got safely through the +mob and reached Bath, where the Bristol Post Office +business was carried on until the riots had been +quelled. Mr. Gardiner, in addition to being postmaster, +was also an exporter of woollen and +Manchester goods, chiefly to the West Indies until +the slave trade was abolished. He then traded with +Newfoundland. He was High Sheriff of the city +in the year 1820, residing at that time in Berkeley +Square. Later, however, he was enabled to live +quietly at the Old Manor House, Easton-in-Gordano. +He was buried at St. Peter's Church, Bristol.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 164px;"> +<img src="images/i106.jpg" width="164" height="240" alt="Mr. Thomas Todd Walton. +Postmaster of Bristol, 1832-1842." title="Mr. Thomas Todd Walton. +Postmaster of Bristol, 1832-1842." /> +<span class="caption">Mr. Thomas Todd Walton.</span><br /> +<i>Postmaster of Bristol, 1832-1842.</i> +</div> + +<p>Mr. Anthony Todd, the Secretary to the Post +Office, 1762-65 and 1768-98, seems to have been<!--[106.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +attracted to Todd Walton, of Cheshunt, Herts, either +by relationship or from his name, and took him in +hand. Born in 1772, Mr. Todd Walton entered the +Post Office in 1786 (fourteen years old). He had +the long spell of service of forty-six years in the +foreign Post Office +and ten years as +postmaster of +Bristol. He was +five times selected +for foreign missions, +which compelled his +residence in Holland, +Sweden, Spain, and +Portugal during the +most disturbed state +of those countries. +Mr. Walton is +described as having +been a fine old +English gentleman, one of the olden time, who wore +hair powder, blue coat with gilt buttons, and shoes +and gaiters; one who used to express his meaning +distinctly, and mean what he said too. This description<!--[107.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> +is borne out by his appearance in his portrait. +He used to visit the Bristol Post Office after his +retirement, especially to have a morning glass of +water from the old well on the premises. He died in +July, 1857, at his residence, King's Parade, Clifton, +in his eighty-fifth year, and was buried in the adjacent +church of St. John's. On his tombstone is this +inscription: "Here rests the body of Thomas Todd +Walton, late of Cheshunt, Herts, and of the foreign +post, London, Esquire. A quarter of a century an +inhabitant of this parish, and for some years head +postmaster of the Bristol district. Deceased 13th +July, 1857. Aged 85. Also of Catherine Elizabeth, +his wife, elder daughter of Thomas Todd, of Durham, +Esquire. She died April 11th, 1860, aged 77 years."</p> + +<p>On Mr. Walton's retirement, in 1842, in view of +his services, Lord Viscount Lowther, the Postmaster-General +of the day, conferred the appointment of +postmaster of Bristol on his son, Thomas Todd +Walton, who had been employed as chief clerk in +the Bristol Post Office for ten years. Mr. Todd +Walton, it seems, was properly initiated into the +mysteries of the Post Office art by his father, who +decreed that he should commence at the bottom of<!--[108.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +the ladder and work his way up thence, so that +young Todd Walton was in his day to be found at +mail-bag opening, letter sorting and other routine +work of the kind, which will account for the thorough +knowledge of his +business which he +is said to have +possessed when +called upon to take +the reins of office +handed over to him +by his popular +parent.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 170px;"> +<img src="images/i108.jpg" width="170" height="239" alt="Mr. Thomas Todd Walton +(junior). +Postmaster of Bristol, 1842-1871." title="Mr. Thomas Todd Walton +(junior). +Postmaster of Bristol, 1842-1871." /> +<span class="caption">Mr. Thomas Todd Walton +(junior).</span> +<i>Postmaster of Bristol, 1842-1871.</i> +</div> + +<p>In connection with +the recent selection +of the port of Bristol +as a mail station, +alluded to in later +pages, it may be +mentioned that Mrs. +Todd Walton well remembers how, when the +<i>Great Western</i> steamship, which carried the American +mails between Bristol and New York for several +years, was first due (1838) to reach this port, her<!--[109.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +husband organised his small staff for a night +encounter with the pressure of work which the +heavy mail would inevitably occasion, and obtained +auxiliary aid. The little staff was at "attention" +for two or three days, and when the news +came by means of the runner from Pill that the +ship was coming up the Avon, Mr. Walton turned +out at 2 a.m., rallied his little band, and went +manfully to the work, which lasted for many hours +before the letters were fully sorted and sent off to +their respective destinations or delivered through the +streets and lanes of the old city. In the autumn of +1841 the <i>Great Western</i> happened to arrive on the +same day that a large ship mail from Australia by +the <i>Ruby</i> was received, and the whole staff available—then +only ten men for all duties—had to work +night and day continuously to get off the letters by +the mails to other towns. As many as 20,000 letters +and newspapers were brought by these two vessels +on that occasion. It is recorded that every available +space in the premises was filled with letters piled as +high as they could be got to stand, and great was +the joy of the sorters when the flood of letters +subsided.<!--[110.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> + + +<p>Mr. Todd Walton had many other night reminders +of the mail services besides those respecting the +arrival of direct mails from America, as the rattling +of the horses' hoofs, the clang of the pole-chains and +the twang of the mail guard's horn as the coaches +dashed past his house on their way to the passages +must have frequently reminded him of his responsibilities +as "mail master" of Bristol. He would +have blessed Bristol's very able General Manager of +the Tramways Company had he been to the fore in +those days to procure the benefit of freedom from +the noise of traffic by the use of wood paving in our +principal thoroughfares.</p> + +<p>Mr. Todd Walton had the interests of the staff of +the Post Office at heart, and, as an exemplification +of his sympathy with them, it may be mentioned that +when a promising officer in the heyday of youth +met with an accident which eventually necessitated +the amputation of his right leg, Mr. Walton did +not allow the misfortune to stand in the way of the +young man's continuing in remunerative employment +in the Post Office, but found for him a suitable +sedentary duty which he performed for fourteen +years.<!--[111.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> + + +<p>Mr. Todd Walton the second counted amongst +his contemporaries and personal friends those Post +Office literary stars, Anthony Trollope and Edmund +Yates.</p> + +<p>Mr. Walton retired from the Post Office in 1871. +His death occurred at the Clifton Down Hotel on +the morning of Christmas day, 1885. He was in +the act of dressing to attend the early morning +service at All Saints' Church, when he fell into a +fit of apoplexy, from which he did not rally. The +<i>Times and Mirror</i> of January 2nd, 1886, gives the +following memoir of him:—"The death of this +estimable gentleman calls for more particular notice +than the necessarily brief one given in last Saturday's +impression; for although Mr. Walton had for +some time past ceased to be a citizen of Bristol, he +continued to feel an interest in the old city and its +surroundings, and was remembered by many Bristolians +as one who had obtained, as he deserved, +their affectionate esteem. Succeeding his father—a +gentleman of the 'old school'—as postmaster of +Bristol, Mr. Todd Walton, through the long series +of years in which he occupied that public position, +evinced unwearied industry, keen intelligence, and<!--[112.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +singular courtesy in discharging the multifarious +duties connected with it, and when on his retirement +(carrying with him into private life the respect +of his fellow-citizens) he was called upon to fulfil +the duties of High Sheriff of Bristol, those duties +were discharged by him for two years successively +in a manner distinguished by great public spirit +and generous hospitality. He was a man of considerable +culture and taste, an extensive reader, and +a reader who, happily, remembered what he had +read. He possessed also a sense of humour and +a ready wit which made him an agreeable and +intelligent companion; whilst to those who enjoyed +his friendship he was ever a friend, courteous and +kind. Blessed with abundant means, he helped +without ostentation the poor and needy, many of +whom in our own city will share in the general +regret his loss has occasioned."</p> + +<p>In the centre of the church garden at All Saints', +Clifton, stands a cross, which Mrs. Walton erected +in 1888 to the memory of her husband. It was +designed by Mr. J. L. Pearson, R.A. It is of +granite, and stands on three steps. In the centre +of the shaft is a figure of the Good Shepherd, and<!--[113.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +at the top are four sculptures, beautifully executed, +of the Annunciation, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, +and the Ascension. Over these rises a +crocketed finial, and the whole is surmounted by a +cross. At the base are inscribed the words: "In +loving memory of Thomas Todd Walton, sometime +churchwarden of the Church of All Saints, and a +most generous benefactor to that church."</p> + +<p>By the death of Edward Chadwick Sampson, +the next postmaster, which occurred at Clevedon, +December 7th, 1895, the Post Office lost one of its +most gentlemanly and genial pensioners.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 177px;"> +<img src="images/i115.jpg" width="177" height="215" alt="Edward Chaddock Sampson. +Postmaster of Bristol, 1871-1891. +From a photograph by Mr. Abel Lewis, Bristol." title="Edward Chaddock Sampson. +Postmaster of Bristol, 1871-1891. +From a photograph by Mr. Abel Lewis, Bristol." /> +<span class="caption">Edward Chaddock Sampson.</span><br /> +<i>Postmaster of Bristol, 1871-1891.</i><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>From a photograph by Mr. Abel Lewis, Bristol.</i> +</div> + +<p>For many years postmaster of Bristol, Mr. +Sampson was well known throughout the city, and +held in high esteem by all with whom he was +brought into contact. He had a long service in +the postal department, dating, as it did, from 1837 +to the last day of 1891. In 1837 he began his +connection with the Bristol Post Office. He went +to Manchester as chief clerk in 1865, but was away +only six years, and returned in 1871 to assume the +postmastership of his native city. It is interesting, +as showing the enormous increase in the postal +traffic, to recall the fact that when Mr. Sampson<!--[114.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +joined the Corn Street office in 1837 the premises +were only twenty feet square, there were only +fifteen clerks and postmen all told, and no one was +allowed to have his letters from the boxes whilst a +mail was being sorted.</p> + +<p>For his wide experience, his ability, and high +integrity his work was greatly valued by leading +officials in the postal service; whilst his sincerity +and kindliness of disposition endeared him to +employés of every grade over whom he had +control.</p> + +<p>As the postman came to Mr. Sampson's door one +morning, it was seen that the man was too ill +to discharge his duties. Mr. Sampson thereupon +begged the man to come into his house and rest, +and he himself, with the aid of his son, delivered +every one of the letters at its destination, afterwards +seeing the poor man safely home. That kind +act was indicative of Mr. Sampson's general consideration +for those over whom he ruled.</p> + +<p>On the resignation of Mr. Sampson, it was +generally felt that he should not be allowed to retire +into private life without taking with him tangible +evidence of the goodwill and respect of those with<!--[117.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +<!--[116.png]--> +whom he had been associated. This feeling found +expression in a gratifying manner, and the services +he had rendered the commercial community during +his postmastership were gracefully recognised by +the Chamber of Commerce presenting him with an +address illuminated and engrossed on vellum.</p> + +<p>Exactly at midnight on the last night of 1891 +he was invited, as his last official act, to seal what +is known to Post Office employés as the "London +and Exeter T.P.O., going west"—that is, the mail +bag of the travelling Post Office bound for Exeter. +Mr. Sampson discharged the slight duty devolving +upon him, and received the new year greetings of +his former colleagues, "Auld Lang Syne" being +afterwards sung.<!--[118.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h5>NOTABLE POST OFFICE SERVANTS OF<br /><br /> +BRISTOL ORIGIN.</h5> + + +<p>Probably the most illustrious man of the Post +Office service who had Bristol for a birthplace +was Sir Francis Freeling. Sir Francis was born in +Redcliffe parish, Bristol, in 1764, and was educated +partly at Colston School and in part by the Master +of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School. In an +ancient city record it is stated that he commenced +his official career as "an apprentice" at the Bristol +Post Office, where the combined results of his +education, probity, and talents were soon discovered. +On the establishment of the new system +of mail coaches in 1784, he was appointed to aid +the inventor, Palmer, in carrying his improvements +into effect. Two years later he was transferred to +the General Post Office, London, where, in course +of time, he successively filled the offices of Surveyor, +Principal and Resident Surveyor, Joint-Secretary,<!--[121.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +<!--[120.png]--> +and Secretary from 1798-1836. In a debate in the +House of Lords, in 1836, the Duke of Wellington +stated that the English Post Office under Freeling's +management had been better administered than any +Post Office in Europe, or in any other part of the +world. He possessed "a clear and vigorous understanding +... and the power of expressing his +thoughts and opinions, both verbally and in writing, +with force and precision." For his public services +a baronetcy was conferred upon him on March +11th, 1828, a meet reward for his long, arduous, +and valuable services. He was a warm supporter +of Pitt, but he suffered no political partisanship +to affect his administration of the Post Office. +Freeling's leisure was devoted to the formation of +a curious and valuable library. He was elected a +Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1801, and +was one of the original members of the Roxburgh +Club, founded in 1812. He died while still at his +post on the business of the country which he had so +faithfully served, and was buried in the church of +St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 413px;"> +<img src="images/i119.jpg" width="413" height="375" alt="Sir Francis Freeling, Bart. +Secretary to the G.P.O., 1798-1836." title="" /> +<span class='caption'>Sir Francis Freeling, Bart.</span><br /> +<i>Secretary to the G.P.O., 1798-1836.</i> +</div> + +<p>The inscription on the memorial tablet runs thus: +"To the memory of Sir Francis Freeling, Baronet,<!--[122.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +who was born in this parish the 25th August, 1764, +and who died in Bryanston Square, in the county of +Middlesex, the 10th July, 1836. For more than +half a century his life was devoted to the public +service in the General Post Office, in which for +thirty-eight years he discharged the arduous duties +of Secretary. By unwearied industry in the employment +of great talents, and by unblemished integrity, +grounded upon Christian principles, he acquired +and retained the favour of three successive +Sovereigns, and the approbation of the public. +He has left a name which will be remembered with +honour in his birthplace, and which is cherished +with affection and veneration by his children, who +have raised this monument."</p> + +<p>Sir Francis Freeling was thrice married. By his +first wife, Jane, daughter of John Christian +Kurstadt, he had two sons. He was succeeded in +the baronetcy by the elder, Sir George Henry +Freeling, born in 1789, who matriculated at New +College, Oxford, 17th March, 1807, and was for +some time Assistant-Secretary at the Post Office, +and subsequently Commissioner of Customs (1836-1841). +There is a descendant of Sir Francis in the<!--[123.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +service, and the name may again be read of in Post +Office history.</p> + +<p>The editor of <i>Felix Farley's Journal</i> (Mr. J. M. +Gutch), of 15 Small Street, Bristol, wrote many +letters on "the impediments which obstruct the +trade and commerce of the city and port of +Bristol," under the signature of "Cosmo," in the +years 1822-3. The letters were afterwards published +in book form, and the dedication was—"To +Francis Freeling, Esq., Secretary to the General +Post Office, F.A.S., etc., a native of Bristol, than +whom, whenever opportunity has occurred, no +citizen has exerted himself more in the promotion +of the public and private welfare of this city, the +following letters are dedicated, and this humble +opportunity gladly embraced of testifying the +obligations and sincere respect of his obedient +servant, <span class="smcap">The Author</span>."</p> + +<p>A Postmaster-General has not emanated from our +western city, but Mr. Arnold Morley, late General-in-Chief, +is the son of one who worthily represented +Bristol in Parliament for many years, the late highly-respected +Mr. Samuel Morley, the legend on whose +statue near Bristol Bridge tells us—"Samuel Morley,<!--[124.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +Member of Parliament for this city from 1868 to 1885. +To preserve for their children the memory of the +face and form of one who was an example of justice, +generosity, and public spirit, this statue was given +by more than 5,000 citizens of Bristol."—"I believe +that the power of England is to be reckoned not by +her wealth or armies, but by the purity and virtue +of the great men of her population."—<span class="smcap">S. Morley.</span></p> + +<p>Although Sir Francis stands out pre-eminently, +there is a long list of Bristol officers who have gone +forth and gained Post Office laurels. First on that +honourable roll may be mentioned J. D. Rich, who, +over half a century ago, first hung up his hat in the +Bristol Post Office, a "furry" hat of the old stovepipe +kind, as he tells the story. Mr. Rich showed so +much ability in meeting the requirements of the times +at Bristol that he rose to the position of president +clerk. In 1848, on the recommendation of the Surveyor +General, he was removed to Bath, as peculiarly +fitted to assist Mr. Musgrave, who from his advanced +age was unequal to the duties, and the result was +apparent in a great improvement of the local +service. That Mr. Rich won golden opinions was +proved by a memorial for his appointment to<!--[125.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +succeed Mr. Musgrave, addressed to the Postmaster-General, +and signed in a short time by more than a +thousand citizens. The memorial was, however, +unavailing. Mr. Rich, after performing various +services under five other provincial postmasters, +found himself at last in the enviable position of +lord of postal matters in Liverpool, and Surveyor +of the Isle of Man. On retiring from the Service +recently, he was made a Justice of the Peace in +recognition of his distinguished services to the city. +Mr. Kerry, telegraph superintendent, became postmaster +of Warrington, Mr. Harwood of Southport, +Mr. Carter (chief clerk) of Southampton, Mr. Brown +(telegraph assistant-superintendent) of King's Lynn, +Mr. Rogers (postal assistant-superintendent) of +Newton Abbot, Mr. Walton of Teignmouth, Mr. +Righton of Penzance, and Mr. Barnett (chief clerk +for twenty years) of Swansea.</p> + +<p>Several officers of the Bristol Post Office have +entered telegraph services abroad. Mr. J. Wilcox is +in the service of the Western Australian Government +at Perth, and Mr. W. A. Devine in that of the +British South Africa Chartered Company at Fort +Salisbury. Mr. C. Harrison is employed at Pretoria,<!--[126.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +and was carrying on his vocation of telegraph +operator at that town at the time of the Jameson +raid. Mr. Keyte has become assistant storekeeper +under the British Government in Chinde, on the +East Coast of Africa.<!--[127.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h5>POST OFFICE BUILDINGS.</h5> + + +<p>There is record of a Post Office having been +established in Bristol by the Convention Parliament +in 1670, but the site is unknown, and +probably the postmaster had post horses—not +letters—to attend to. In the year 1700 Mr. Henry +Pine, the postmaster of the day, was one of the +parties to an agreement for leasing a piece of land +"with liberty to build upon the same for the conveniency +of a Post Office." The wording of the +said agreement shows that the old-fashioned form +of building was not in every instance (as it now +seems to us to have been) so grotesquely shaped +from fancy, or, perhaps, from a desire to economise +ground space, for it is therein expressly stated that +the building to be used for a Post Office was to +have the second storey extended to a truss of +eighteen inches over the lane, for the purpose of +enabling people to stand in the dry; for there was<!--[128.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +no indoor accommodation for the public provided in +those days. "Let the imaginative reader," wrote +an imaginative writer years ago, "picture to himself +our great-great-grandfathers in doublet and ruff, +standing in a row under the eighteen-inch truss, +while the worthy postmaster, Pine himself, with +perhaps one assistant, was sorting the contents of the +mail bag. Doubtless," wrote he, "they grumbled +when it rained that the said truss was not half +a dozen inches wider, and many a person as he +became saturated in his time of waiting for his +letters growled out his intention of doing something +very desperate to the powers that were."</p> + +<p>In the "Bargain" books of the Corporation is +the following memorandum relating to the foregoing:—</p> + +<p>"<i>22nd June, 1700.</i> Then agreed by the Surveyors +of the city lands with Henry Pine, deputy postmaster, +that he, the said Henry Pine, shall have, +hold, and enjoy the ground whereon now stands a +shedd having therein four severall shopp seituate +in All Saints' Lane, and as much more ground at +the lower end of the same shedd as that the whole +ground shall contain in length twenty-seven foot,<!--[129.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +and to contain in breadth from the outside to the +churchyard wall five foot and a half outward into +the lane, with liberty to build upon the same for +conveniency of a Post Office (namely) The first +storey to go forth into the said lane to the extent +of that ground and no farther, and the second storey +to have a truss of eighteen inches over the lane or +more as the said Surveyors shall think fitt that +persons coming to the Post Office may have shelter +from the rain and stand in the dry. To hold the +same from Michaelmas next for fifty years absolute +in the yearly rent of 30s. clear of taxes...."</p> + +<p>This agreement must have been afterwards +modified. For some reason or other, Pine paid +no rent until Michaelmas, 1705, when a sum of 25s. +was received by the Chamberlain, and "The post +house produced the same yearly sum until 1742 +when the rent was raised to £3."</p> + +<p>The site of the little Post Office alluded to was +required in 1742 in connection with the building +of the Exchange, and the Post Office was transferred +to a house in Small Street, in later days +occupied as the printing office of the <i>Times and Mirror</i> +newspaper.<!--[130.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> + + +<p>There seems to have been some informal understanding +that when the Exchange was finished a +suitable site would be provided by the Corporation +for postal business, and in August, 1746, a Committee +reported to the Council that they had contracted for +the erection of "a house intended to be made use of +as a Post Office, certain workmen having agreed to +build and find all the materials at the rate of £60 +per square (<i>sic</i>); while Mr. Thomas Pine (nephew +to Henry, the former postmaster) had offered to +become the tenant at £40 a year, which he alleged +is the highest rent he is able at present to pay." +The Council approved of the proposal, recommending +the Committee to get as much rent as was practicable. +The house, which was of scanty dimensions, cost +£700 exclusive of a ground rent of £15 a year given +for the site. Only the ground floor was set apart +for postal business, Mr. Pine residing on the +premises. The first year's rent (£43) was paid in +1750. Between 1750 and 1815 the building must +have been considerably enlarged, for in the latter +year the Post Office is spoken of as a handsome +and convenient building of freestone, near to the +western end of the Exchange, to which it has a wing<!--[131.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +projecting forward into the street; and there is +another building, exactly similar to it, at the eastern +end, which is occupied for a stamp office. In 1827 +there was a contemplated removal of the Post Office, +and it was deemed proper by the Chamber of +Commerce to come on the scene by presenting a +memorial to the Postmaster-General; it is stated that +the timely remonstrance no doubt contributed to +relieve the public of the inconvenience of such +removal. Colonel Maberly, the Secretary to the +Post Office, advised Lord Lichfield in 1838 that as +the ground-floor portion of the Post Office premises +occupied by the solicitors was necessary for the extension +and improved accommodation of the office, no +time should be lost in giving the several sub-tenants +notice to quit, and Mr. Hall or the postmaster +should be instructed to communicate with the +Corporation as to the means of effecting such +alterations as might be requisite. His lordship gave +authority to that effect. In 1839 the Corporation +granted the Government a new lease of the premises +and of additional ground behind for the purpose of +having the Post Office enlarged. The annual rent +previous to this new arrangement had risen to £100.<!--[132.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The building alluded to is that now rented by +Messrs. Corner and Co. as a tea warehouse. Few +indeed, even of the oldest citizens will remember +the Bristol Post Office as located there, and the old +square open public lobby where the letters were +given out through barred windows. Only the ground +floor was utilised, and the area, of the site was but +21 ft. by 20 ft. A door opened from the passage +by the Exchange into a very small public lobby. +In this lobby was the letter-box, and here all +business with the public—viz., giving out private +letters, taking in letters prepaid in money, and the +issuing and paying of money orders—was transacted +by clerks standing in the office behind a glass partition. +The prepayment of letters by means of +postage stamps was not introduced till some months +after penny postage was established. There was +not at the time a continuous attendance of clerks +at the glass partition. At two of the slides in the +partition there were small brass door-knockers, and +on the public knocking a clerk appeared; from the +inside office and attended to the wants of the +applicants. When letters for the private box renters +were being sorted a blind was drawn down. When<!--[133.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +the mail was ready the blind was drawn up, and +three clerks attended to disperse the crowd which +had gathered during the half-hour or so while the +office was closed. The small space behind the +public lobby sufficed for the stamping, sorting, and +other necessary duties. One man, history saith, +amongst the crowd generally got to the front +without difficulty; he was a flour-dusted messenger +from the Welsh Back!</p> + +<p>In 1847 the Money Order Department had +grown amazingly, and a separate room had to be +provided for its accommodation. This caused the +removal of certain solicitors from the first floor to +make room for the postmaster's office, the one +formerly held by him on the ground floor being +converted into a money order office. In 1855 the +shop on the north side of the entrance to Albion +Chambers from Small Street was taken by the +Post Office and converted into a money order office, +it being found that the department devoted to this +purpose at the general office in Exchange Buildings +was not sufficiently commodious or convenient.</p> + +<p>It is on record that in 1863 the Post Office +authorities offered £10,000 towards erecting a new<!--[134.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +Post Office if the citizens would consent to contribute +£2,000 more. A meeting of some gentlemen +took place in the committee-room of the Council +House to take the proposition into consideration, +but owing to the small number of persons that +attended further deliberation was postponed to a +day not named. Some of the leading citizens were +of opinion that it would be wise to defer any decision +on the subject until the intention of the Government +as to granting a criminal assize for Bristol was +known; for should the answer from head-quarters +be in the affirmative, it would be necessary to build +a new court somewhere, in which case the Guildhall +would perhaps suit as a Post Office. Nothing +appears to have come of the negotiations, and the +business of the Post Office was removed on the 25th +of March, 1868, to the new office erected in Small +Street on the site where it is now carried on. This +original portion of the structure covers 11,000 +square feet. The purchase of the site was completed +on the 21st December, 1865. It is stated in +a legal document that the bricks, stones, and material +on part of the site belonged to the Bristol Chambers +Co. Limited. Where the sorting office stands there<!--[135.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +formerly flourished a fine mulberry tree. There +appears to have been no ceremonial in the way of +laying a foundation stone, and the antiquarian of the +distant future may be disappointed in not discovering +the usual coins deposited on such occasions.</p> + +<p>In fifteen years the need arose for more space, and +that then the Bristol public manifested a keen interest +in the position of the Bristol Post Office was indicated +by an animated debate which took place in our +Council Chamber; and as this book affects to be in +part a history as well as a narrative, it is thought +well to give the report of the proceedings a full +record herein, under permission from the proprietors +of the <i>Bristol Times and Mirror</i>:—<br /></p> + + +<p class='center'> +<i>Friday, January 2nd, 1885.</i><br /><br /> +<span style='font-size: small'>"THE SITE FOR THE POST OFFICE.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>"The <span class="smcap">Town Clerk</span> said that as the next part of +the report referred to the site for the Post Office, he +would read a letter he had received from Mr. Lewis +Fry, M. P., which was as under:—</p> + +<p style='text-align: right'> +"'Goldney House, Clifton Hill,<br /> +<i>30th December, 1884</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"'My dear Sir,—As I observe that the question +of the site of the new Post Office will come before<!--[136.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +the Council on Thursday, I think it best, in order to +avoid any misunderstanding, to ask you to state to +the Council that the matter is not to be considered +as a proposal made by the Postmaster-General or the +first Commissioner of Works. The exact position of +the matter is this, that Mr. Shaw-Lefevre, soon after +his visit to Bristol, requested me to intimate to the +Corporation that in case they desire the change of +situation to Baldwin Street, he is ready to entertain +any proposal which they may make to him with that +object, provided it be upon the basis of an exchange +of properties as mentioned in the report of the +Finance Committee.</p> + +<p> +"'I am, yours truly,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Lewis Fry</span>.<br /> +The Town Clerk of Bristol.'<br /> +<br /></p> + + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Robinson</span> said he would like to say a word +or two on the subject of a new Post Office, as the +wording in Mr. Fry's letter referred to the subject +of the proposed change in the position of the Post +Office. They did not want change for change's +sake (applause), and if they could do without it +they would be glad to do so, but sometimes change +became a necessity (applause). He would wish to<!--[137.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +say a word or two with reference to the provisions +for the postal arrangements in Bristol, as to the +inconvenience that the officials and the public were +subject to, and a word as to the great increase in +postal matters in the city and in the country generally. +He wished to convey to them the magnitude of the +question and the very growing character of the +communications by letters, parcels, and newspapers, +which were being circulated through the medium of +the Government and through the Post Office. He +the previous day called upon Mr. Sampson, the head +official of the Bristol Post Office, and he might say +that his ability was only exceeded by his courtesy +(applause). He gave him all the information he had +asked for, and he showed him over a considerable +part of the building. In the course of the interview +he gave him no opinion as to the site, and he did +not think it wise to ask him. All he asked him, was +as to facts—as to the present accommodation. He +described the condition of the office as being one of +congestion, and that they were put to all kinds of +shifts, and that the sorting and minor offices were +inadequate for their respective purposes (hear, hear). +He saw a room where eighty postmen were engaged<!--[138.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +in partial sorting. It was upstairs and was approached +by winding stairs with only a 21-inch tread, +and the room was utterly inadequate for the purpose. +Letters had to be sent to Clifton to be sorted +because of the want of space in the Post Office. +Mr. Sampson said more particularly that a large hall +was necessary on the ground floor for an entrance, +from which the various subsidiary offices should be +entered. Then he said that a good frontage was +desirable. Some people had suggested tunnelling +and going to the other side of the street, and others +had suggested a viaduct. Offers of property had +come from different people, so that the want of +further accommodation seemed to be recognised not +only by the Post Office itself, but outside. The +present office was erected in 1868, and had the +officials been sanguine, or known that the business +would have increased as it had, they probably would +not have selected the present site. The work of the +office had perfectly outgrown the capacity of the +place. Since 1868 new departments had been +opened, and new duties had been created, and they +wanted more room. The telegraph work was added +in February, 1870, and the sale of revenue stamps<!--[139.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +and payment of stamps as money had also been +added. The parcel post came into operation in 1883. +They did not desire an extravagant outlay. The +increase of the population was 1 per cent., and the +letters increased 3 per cent. They were not asked +to buy a whole street. He felt it would be admitted +that the telegraphic despatches formed the essential, +if not the primary, part of the arrangements of the +Post Office. He was informed that the site in +Baldwin Street was more convenient and closer to +the warehouses and offices which greatly used the +present telegraphic advantages than the present site +in Small Street (a voice: 'No'). Well, he gave his +word for what he had heard. He maintained that +the Council had a supreme moment at the present +time. They had a gentleman at the head of the +Post Office who had viewed the new site, and now +they found that the Post Office authorities were in +the humour to make the outlay they had better +embrace the opportunity. His resolution was: +'That, considering the want of adequate space in +Small Street for postal and telegraphic arrangements, +it is desirable that a new Post Office be +erected in Baldwin Street, on the site recently<!--[140.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +viewed by the Postmaster-General, if equitable +arrangements can be made with the Government for +the transfer of the property.' If the Government +were not prepared to lay out money for the site, +they could let them have the property on a ground-rent, +without an outlay being made. It would not +cost less than £20,000 to £25,000 to enlarge and +improve the present Post Office, and he maintained +that that sum would go a great way towards erecting +a new Post Office in Baldwin Street. They would +not always be able to get sites; and they could not +always buy sites as they could oranges and nuts +(laughter). In America people ran after him and +asked him to buy land. Not so here. He repeated +that they had Mr. Shaw-Lefevre looking favourably +upon the new site, and he thought it desirable that +they should take a bold step—such a step as +indicated in the resolution—and put up a building +which not alone should be noble, but commodious +(applause).</p> + +<p>"Mr. Alderman <span class="smcap">Edwards</span> seconded the resolution. +He was glad that the matter had been laid before +the Postmaster-General. A great deal had been +said about the present site being more useful and<!--[141.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +convenient than the proposed, but he felt that the +difference was very small indeed. The sites were +within a minute or two of each other. In Baldwin +Street they had a road 60 ft. wide, and if Small +Street were altered, however much, they would not +widen it half as much as that. As to the positions +of the banks, some of the important ones were +nearer Baldwin Street than the other street. At +any rate, the Old Bank, Stuckey's, and the National +Provincial Banks were nearer Baldwin Street than +Small Street. The speaker then named several large +warehouses which were, he urged, closer to the +proposed site than Small Street. At Baldwin Street +they had an acre of ground for the present or future. +He would not give the land to the Post Office +authorities, but he suggested that they should be +liberal towards them in their offer. If the Post +Office authorities wished to give them the old office +in exchange for the site, it might be utilised by the +Corporation.</p> + +<p>"Mr. C. <span class="smcap">Wills</span> supported the resolution. He +would advance one or two reasons why they should +make the best terms they could with the Postmaster-General. +That the present Post Office was inconveniently<!--[142.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +small was generally admitted, and he +maintained that if the proposed additions were made +to the existing building, the extra facilities would +not meet the ever-increasing demands on the Post +Office for more than six or eight years. The various +departments of the present building were too small +for development and carrying on the important work +of a Post Office. Personally, he would as soon for +the Post Office to be in one street as the other, but +he felt it would redound to the credit of the city +to see a fine building erected in Baldwin Street. If +they had the Post Office there it would enhance +the value of the other sites in the thoroughfare. +Very shortly they would have the sixpenny telegrams, +and then the increase in telegraphic communication +would be very great indeed, and the +present building would soon become inadequate to +the demand. Then, again, they saw that the +present Postmaster-General did not intend to give +up the parcels post, and the development of this +branch of the Post Office work would be very great +indeed. Then, again, there would be increased +vehicular traffic to the Post Office; and could this, +he asked, be carried out to the comfort of the<!--[143.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +citizens in Small Street? The turning point arose +from Mr. Shaw-Lefevre visiting the Chamber of +Commerce recently. That gentleman visited the +site in Baldwin Street, and he, no doubt, saw that +the site would be better and superior to the one +in Small Street.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Pethick</span> said that they had come to a +turning point in the history of the city of Bristol. +The question was whether they should continue +the system of compression that they had suffered +from for so many years. Small Street was a narrow +thoroughfare; it was only a back lane to Broad +Street. ('Oh! oh!') It was called Small Street +and had a carriage way of only 9 ft. ('No, no.') +He must repeat that at one point in Small Street +the carriage way was only 9 ft. wide.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Daniel</span> protested against Mr. Pethick +saying that Small Street was the back lane to +Broad Street, and that the carriage road was only +9 ft. (hear, hear). The narrow part of Small Street +would come down when the improvements to the +Post Office took place.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Pethick</span>: I state facts—what the street is +to-day.<!--[144.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p> + + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Daniel</span>: But is the narrow part you speak +of the entrance to Small Street?</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Pethick</span>: It is the approach from Bristol +Bridge, <i>viâ</i> the Exchange, for mail carriages and +other traffic, and all must pass through the narrow +part, which is only 9 ft. wide. Even if this were +taken away, Mr. Pethick continued, they would +still have a narrow space to pass through. The +whole would not be 14,000 superficial feet; and +above all, with so bad an access, they proposed to +enlarge the present building.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Alderman <span class="smcap">Proctor Baker</span>: It is not +proposed.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Pethick</span> observed that in Baldwin Street +they had a good carriage way, and they would have +a front and back entrance to a new building. He +hoped no little or narrow parochial spirit would be +put forward in this matter. The difference of the +distance of the two sites was so small as to be +insignificant, and he trusted they would endeavour +to get a handsome and commodious building erected +on the Baldwin Street side of the city.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Alderman <span class="smcap">Proctor Baker</span> said they were +indebted to Mr. Robinson for his interesting details,<!--[145.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +but he did not think they were details for the +Council to study, but for the study of the Government. +The Post Office was a Government undertaking, +and carried on for profit by the Government, +and it was on their shoulders, and theirs alone, to +provide proper premises. There were two questions +involved in the resolution before them, and if it +could be so arranged he should like a separate +opinion being taken. One question was the actual +position of the future Post Office—whether it was +to be in Small Street or Baldwin Street. The +other question was whether the Council was prepared +to sell to the Post Office the land in Baldwin +Street and receive in exchange the building in Small +Street. As regarded the question of convenience +there was very little to be said on either side; but +with regard to the other matter he thought they +should not agree to exchange the land for the +present Post Office building. If they took over +the existing building, it could only he pulled +or used for public offices. Already they had a +population of 200,000 persons, and the area of +the city was to be extended; and if they believed +in the progress of the city they must expect it<!--[146.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +by-and-by to be the centre of a quarter of a million +of people. It would be impossible, as it would be +discreditable, for them to attempt to carry on that +great municipality in such buildings as they now +had. The chamber in which they were assembled +was in a bad condition; the air at that moment was +as foul as it could be; and if they took over the +present Post Office and applied it for the purposes +of the municipality, they would perpetuate the +present discomfort, inconvenience, etc., of having +divided offices, and postpone for half a century the +erection of a large municipal building, in which +all their offices would be. As to Baldwin Street +and Small Street sites, there was much to be said +on both sides; but if it was proposed to take in +exchange the Post Office building for their land +the Council should vote against it (hear, hear). +He sincerely trusted they would not take over a +building which would keep up the inconvenience +they now suffered from (hear, hear).</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Lane</span> said it seemed to him that they were +simply asked the question whether the Council were +desirous that there should be such a change in the +position of the Post Office. Every argument for<!--[147.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +the change was a thoroughly good one which should +weigh with them. Selfish considerations and every +consideration should be banished (applause), and +they should consider it in the interest of the city +and in the interest of the development of the trade +of the future. The opinion of the postmaster was +a great argument in favour of larger premises.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Inskip</span> argued that the representatives of +the ratepayers were not there to carry out the +bidding of the postmaster. It might be wise and +proper for him to communicate his views to the +department with which he was connected, but it +seemed unreasonable to ask members of the Council +to vote for what he was in favour of. He ventured +to suggest that the arrangement proposed by the +report would be unlawful, and to enter into the +exchange would be an unlawful proceeding. They +acquired land in Baldwin Street under the Public +Health Act for carrying out improvements, and he +could not see how it could be said that the buildings +in Small Street would be required for the purpose +of improvements. Before they entered into the +exchange they ought to obtain power by Act of +Parliament. If they entered into a speculation of<!--[148.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +that sort they would be transgressing the law of the +land. With regard to the matter of convenience, if +they took the outlying districts of the city they +would see that the people who lived there went to +the Post Office after the branch offices were closed, +and they would see that Small Street was appreciably +more convenient for the outlying population +than the Baldwin Street site could possibly be +(applause). Then as to the piece of land which +would be obtained, the argument of Mr. Pethick +was a strong one to retain it. The Guildhall was +there, and it had been promised for years that Small +Street should be improved, and that improvement +would be accomplished if the Government had +No. 3, Small Street, which would be set back, and +they would have done a great deal to redeem the +promise made some years ago (applause).</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Dix</span> said he was very much obliged to Mr. +Robinson for his figures. They all felt that there +had been a great growth in the postal arrangements +of the country, and that there would be a great +growth in the future; and if it had been shown to +him that they could not have a good building in +Small Street by having the one there altered by the<!--[149.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +authorities, and that they could have a proper one +in Baldwin Street, he would say let them go to +Baldwin Street; but it did not come before them +in that light. They were anticipating that the +postal authorities could not make a proper building +in Small Street; but he could not see how Mr. +Robinson and those who advocated the Baldwin +Street site came to such a conclusion. If they had +the buildings in Small Street, that street would be +improved, which had been anticipated for years, +and they would have the Post Office close to the +Guildhall and that great place of commerce—the +Commercial Rooms (applause). He argued that the +city did not want the property in Small Street—it +would be useless to them; and he hoped they would +pronounce against it going forth to the Postmaster-General +that it was the wish of the Council to alter +the site (applause).</p> + +<p>"Mr. S. G. <span class="smcap">James</span> said he did not think that they +should be saddled with a building that would not +be any good to them. He suggested that it should +be represented to the Government that the building +would be a good one for a Stamp and Excise Office, +and that it would be convenient to have those offices<!--[150.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +moved from Queen Square to the building in Small +Street. He thought that would be a very wise +suggestion to make to the Government.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Daniel</span> said he viewed the proposition to +shift the Post Office as one of the most solemn and +weighty that had been considered by the Town +Council for years (hear, hear). By common consent, +and by the development of the city trade, where the +Post Office now was the centre of commerce, +and they should hesitate very much before they +changed it (hear, hear); and the Council, being +trustees of the property owned by the city, and +looking at the extent of that property in the neighbourhood +of the Post Office, and the outlay made +on it by the city, he could not understand why +they made the suggestion to run away from Small +Street (applause). They had under arbitration paid +to the bank £9,600 for a piece of land, and that +was surely not to keep the street as a narrow lane. +If the present Post Office were retained, the +authorities would take the houses that would be +put in a line with the Post Office, and two-thirds of +Small Street would be converted into a wide street—and +it was only to shave off the Water Works<!--[151.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +offices and adjoining building, and then they would +have a good wide street (hear, hear). The Corporation +during the last twenty years had spent in the +neighbourhood not less than £50,000, and if by +establishing the Post Office in Baldwin Street they +would enhance the value of the adjoining property, +so taking it away from the centre of the city would +depreciate the property there. It would not be +doing justice to the citizens to take it away from +Small Street and remove it to a remote spot like +Baldwin Street. ('Oh, oh!' and laughter.) It was a +remote spot, and he did not know that a street +through which were a tram line and continual cab +traffic was the best place for a Post Office. He +believed a quiet street would be the better place. +He farther argued that the proper place for the +Post Office was where it was—in the neighbourhood +of the Assize Courts, where the County Court was +held all the year round, and the assizes and sessions +were held, and at the back of the Commercial +Rooms, to which there were upwards of 600 +subscribers.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Alderman <span class="smcap">Naish</span> said that what weighed +with him was that the Government had not applied<!--[152.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +for a better site. He apprehended that Mr. Shaw-Lefevre +was perfectly satisfied with the accommodation +he could get on the present site. He had +seen the draft of the Bill promoted by the Government +for taking possession of a building under the +compulsory powers at a fair valuation. Someone in +Bristol wished them to go somewhere else. All +Mr. Shaw-Lefevre said was that if the citizens +wanted to go elsewhere they must take the old +building. The Postmaster-General did not suggest +the removal, but somebody else did (hear, hear). +The Postmaster-General knew his business, and he +probably considered that the present office could be +enlarged so as to provide all the accommodation +necessary. They could thus have a good public +improvement in the centre of the city, and at the +same time provide for the postal requirements. +They were simply asked to go to a street in which +certain people were interested, which, although a +large thoroughfare, had two lines of tramways +running through it. He hoped the Council would +not agree to the proposal.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Matthews</span> said if the question was put to +them simply, did they require more postal accommodation?—they<!--[153.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +would unhesitatingly say that +they did; but the question of site was a totally +different matter. They had not gone into the +question whether another site would not be a +better one than the Baldwin Street one. He +moved that the question of a site be remitted to +a committee, with instructions to report to the +Council, and that the committee consist of the +Mayor, Aldermen Spark, Harvey, and Naish, and +Messrs. Townsend, C. F. Hare, Barker, and Inskip.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Levy</span> considered that the city was indebted +to those who suggested the Baldwin Street site. +There could be no two opinions about the matter +(cries of 'Oh,' and laughter). They had seen an +amusing correspondence in the papers about it. He +would not do anything to injure the <i>Times and Mirror</i> +for a moment (laughter). In Baldwin Street a Constitutional +Club had been established, and the <i>Times +and Mirror</i> might consider that institution (laughter).</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Whitwill</span> thought they should simply confine +themselves to an expression of opinion as to the +desirability of Baldwin Street site, for he should be +strongly opposed to the exchange (hear, hear).</p> + +<p>"Mr. H. G. <span class="smcap">Gardner</span> said the position in Small<!--[154.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +Street was preferable to him, but they ought to sink +personal convenience. The Chamber of Commerce +suggested the matter, and he looked on that body +as young Bristol.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Robinson</span> said he only meant that the +property should be taken over if an equitable +arrangement could be come to. He would drop the +last part of his resolution, and it would now read +as follows:—'That, considering the want of adequate +space in Small Street for the postal telegram arrangements, +it is desirable that a new Post Office be erected +in Baldwin Street on the site recently viewed by the +Postmaster-General.'</p> + +<p>"The motion was then put with the following +result:—<i>For</i>: Aldermen Lucas, Edwards, Jose, +Spark; Messrs. Moore, Robinson, James, Pethick, +Wills, Bartlett, Fear, Bush, Townsend, C. Gardner, +Jefferies, H. G. Gardner, Low, Lane, Levy, Garton, +Derham, Whitwill, Barker—23. <i>Against</i>: The +Mayor; Aldermen Morgan, Smith, Naish, Fox, +Jones, Hathway, Harvey, Cope-Proctor; Messrs. +Terrett, Dix, Gibson, Alsop, Francis, Bastow, A. +Baker, C. F. Hare, C. B. Hare, Harvey, C. Nash, +Hall, Lockley, Daniel, Matthews, Follwoll, Sibly,<!--[155.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +Inskip—27. Aldermen Proctor Baker and George +and Mr. Dole did not vote.</p> + +<p>"Mr. <span class="smcap">Levy</span> asked if the Postmaster-General made +an offer it would be entertained.</p> + +<p>"The <span class="smcap">Town Clerk</span> said he supposed that any +offer from the Postmaster-General or anybody else +would be considered."</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 275px;"> +<img src="images/i157.jpg" width="275" height="434" alt="The Bristol Head Post Office in 1899. +From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol." title="The Bristol Head Post Office in 1899. +From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol." /> +<span class="caption">The Bristol Head Post Office in 1899.</span> +<i style='font-size: small'>From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol.</i> +</div> + +<p>The Council dropped the matter of removal, and +an enlargement of the Post Office was commenced +in 1886 on 5,500 square feet of ground on which +the Rectory House of St. Mary Werburgh formerly +stood. The enlargement was completed in 1889. +The structure was designed by the Surveyor of Her +Majesty's Office of Works. In making his plan in +1868 no doubt the Surveyor thought he was building +for, at least, fifty years; and so he set back his +building to form a square structure, instead of +following the line of street as laid down by the +city authorities in their Act of Parliament. The +new part of the building had to conform to the city +line, and had, therefore, to be built at an angle +with the old office, which detracts from the general +appearance. The Post Office building in Small<!--[156.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> +Street stands on a site 17,300 square feet in extent; +and now, thirty-one years from the opening of the +new office and ten years from its enlargement, +further extension is necessary, and the erection of a +second or supplementary office larger in dimensions +than the present structure is about to be proceeded +with.</p> + +<p>As the work in the Post Office goes on through +the whole day and night, the air in the working +rooms became vitiated and over-heated when lighted +with gas. In 1896 the effectual remedy of abandoning +the use of gas and adopting electric light was +carried out. The Corporation provides the current. +The lamps used are 4 arc lamps, of approximately +750 candle-power each, and 450 glow lamps of 8, +16, or 25 candle-power.</p> + +<p>Two million gallons of water a year are used to +keep the buildings clean.</p> + +<p>As the Post Office, from its size, if not from its +architectural beauty, dominates Small Street in +some measure it may be well here to introduce +particulars from an ancient manuscript in the City +Library, which show that Small Street has been +a street ever since Anglo-Saxon times. About<!--[159.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +<!--[158.png]--> +Small Street and St. Leonard's Lane lived some of +Bristol's greatest merchants. For hundreds of years +there was not within the walls of Bristol a more +fashionable street than Small Street. Many of the +mansions there had good gardens. In the reign of +Charles II. there were only six houses on the west, +or Post Office, side of the street. Amongst the +worthies who resided there were the Colstons, the +Creswicks, the Kitchens, the Seymours, the Esterfields, +the Codringtons, the Haymans, the Kilkes; +John Foster, the founder of the almshouse on St. +Michael's Hill; Nicholas Thorne, one of the +founders of our Grammar School; and Thomas +Fenn, attorney, who in 1762 succeeded to the +Earldom of Westmoreland. It is not indicated +whether he was related in any way to William +Fenn, who was postmaster, 1778-88, but it might +have been so, for William Fenn must have been a +person of some note or the appointment would not +at his death have been conferred on his widow. In +Small Street, too, more Royal and noble visitors +have lodged and received hospitality than in any +other street in Bristol. The Earl of Bedford and +his son were received there in 1569, and Robert<!--[160.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +Dudley, Earl of Leicester, one of Queen Elizabeth's +favourites, and the Earl of Warwick, in 1587; the +latter lodged at Robert Kitchen's. In 1643 King +Charles I., with Prince Charles and the Duke of +York, lodged there, so did Oliver Cromwell and his +wife in 1649; and James II., with George, Prince +of Denmark, and the Dukes of Grafton, Beaufort, +and Somerset, in 1688. Queen Catherine was entertained +at Sir Henry Creswick's house in 1677, +where Sir Henry, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, +the good and great Duke of Ormonde, lodged for +several days in 1665. We learn that Small Street +was selected for the reception of these illustrious +visitors "by reason of the conveniency of the street +for entertaining the nobility."<!--[161.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h5>THE LOCAL POST OFFICE IN EARLY DAYS.<br /><br /> +SIR ROWLAND HILL.—RECENT PROGRESS.</h5> + + +<p>It is pleasing to look back to the time, little +more than one hundred years ago, when Bristol +was the premier provincial post town. It had +long ranked next to London in wealth, in population, +and in its Post Office. Bristol has, however, +in a postal sense, yielded place to other towns, and +now ranks after Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, +and Manchester.</p> + +<p>Dipping into history, it is found that there was +a Post Office at Clifton a hundred years since. At +about the time of the Battle of Waterloo it was +situated near Saville Place, in a small tenement. +The post keeper was a knight of the shears, who +sat cross-legged at his work on a shop-board in the +window, whilst his better-half sold "goodies." The +"Staff" consisted of this pigeon pair, and the +work of carrying the bags to and from Bristol,<!--[162.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +and of delivering the missives, was undertaken +by them conjointly.</p> + +<p>The year 1793 was signalised by the extension to +Bristol of the penny post for local letters, that is, +letters for Bristol city, its suburbs, and neighbouring +villages. That post covered a wide area ranging +from Thornbury and Wotton-under-Edge in the +North, to Temple Cloud, Chewton-Mendip, and +Oakhill in the South; eastward in the direction of +Box, and westward to Portishead. This institution +had until then been established nowhere else but +in London and in Dublin; but Birmingham, Edinburgh, +and Manchester were granted the privilege +at the same time as Bristol. During the year +1794-95 the penny post brought a clear gain to +the revenue:—in Bristol of £469, in Manchester +of £586, and in Birmingham of £240. Notwithstanding +these gains, the Post Office authorities +concluded that neither at Liverpool nor at Leeds, +nor at any other town in the Kingdom, would a +penny post defray its own expenses.</p> + +<p>There is little more on record about local Post +Office details for some years; but we learn that in +April, 1825, an evening delivery of post letters was<!--[163.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> +ordered to Kingsdown, Montpelier, Wellington +Place, and Catherine Place, Stoke's Croft, all the +year round; and to Lawrence Hill, West Street, +Gloucester Lane, in the parish of St. Philip and +Jacob, from 1st of March to 1st of November in +each year. A receiving house for letters was +established at the corner of West Street on May +20th, 1825; and also one in Harford Street, New Cut. +In December, 1827, the population of Bristol was +estimated at 50,000 persons; and in August, 1831, +the number of persons the Post Office had to serve +was 59,070.</p> + +<p>Evans's <i>New Guide; or, Pictures of Bristol</i>, published +in 1828, furnishes the next record. It stated +that "the London mail goes out every afternoon at +twenty minutes past 5, and arrives every day at 9.0 +in the morning. Bath: Out every morning at 7.0 and +10.0, and at twenty minutes past 5 in the evening; +arrives at 9.0 morning, and a quarter before 5 and +a quarter before 7 in the evening. Sodbury, +through Stapleton, Hambrook, Winterbourne, and +Iron Acton: Goes out at twenty minutes before 10 +in the morning; arrives at half-past 4 in the +evening. Thornbury, through Filton, Almondsbury,<!--[164.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +and Rudgeway: Goes out twenty minutes before +10 in the morning; arrives at half-past 4 in the +evening. Bitton, through New Church, Kingswood, +Hanham, and Willsbridge: Goes out at 10.0 in the +morning; arrives at half-past 4 in the evening. +Exeter and Westward: Out every morning between +9.0 and 10.0; arrives every evening between 4.0 +and 5.0. Portsmouth, Chichester, Salisbury, etc.: +Out at half-past 5 in the afternoon; arrives every +day previously to the London mail. Tetbury and +Cirencester: Out every morning at half-past 9; +arrives every evening at 5.0. Birmingham and +Northward: Out every evening at 7.0; arrives every +morning between 6.0 and 7.0. Milford and South +Wales: Out every day at half-past 9; arrives at +half-past 3 in the afternoon. The Irish mail is +made up every day, and letters from Ireland may +be expected to arrive every day at half-past 3. +Jamaica and Leeward Islands, first and third +Wednesday in the month; Lisbon, every week; +Gibraltar and Mediterranean, every three weeks; +Madeira and Brazils, first Tuesday in each month; +Surinam, Berbice, and Demorara, second Wednesday +in each month; France and Spain, Sundays, Mondays,<!--[165.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +Wednesdays, and Thursdays; Holland and Hamburgh, +Mondays and Thursdays; Guernsey and +Jersey, Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Letters +for all parts may be put into the Post Office at +any time, but should be delivered half an hour +before the mail is made up. Letters delivered later +than half an hour previous to the departure of +the respective mails to be accompanied with one +penny. Payment of postage will not be received +unless tendered full half an hour before the time +fixed for closing the bags. Letters for Axbridge, +Weston-super-Mare, and adjacent places are sent +and received by the Western mail. Letter bags +are made up daily, after the sorting of the London +mail, for Bourton, Wrington, Langford, Churchill, +Nailsea, Clevedon, and their respective deliveries. +The letters must be put in by 9.0 o'clock. The +return to Bristol is at 4.0 in the afternoon. Letters +may be put into the receiving offices for all parts +of the kingdom, and the full postage, if desired, +paid with them. Letter carriers are despatched +regularly every day (Sundays not excepted) with +letters to and from Durdham Down, Westbury, +Stapleton, Frenchay, Downend, Hambrook, and<!--[166.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +Winterbourne; and also to Brislington, Keynsham, +and other places. The delivery of letters at Clifton +is each day at 10.0 and 6.0. Letters should be in +the offices at Clifton and the Wells for the London +and the North mails by 4.0."</p> + +<p>It may be interesting to state, what the rates of +postage from this city were in 1830. Thus: Australia, +11d.; Buenos Ayres, 3s. 5d.; Canary Islands, 2s. 6d.; +Cape de Verde Islands, 2s. 6d.; Chili, 3s. 5d.; +China, 11d.; Colombo, 3s.; Cuba, 3s.; East Indies, +11d.; Havana, 3s.; St. Helena, 11d.; South +America, 3s. 5d.; Van Dieman's Land, 11d.; whilst +for the Continent the rates were considerably higher, +thus: Austria, 2s. 2d.; Belgium, 1s. 11d.; Corsica, +2s. 2d.; Denmark, 2s. 3d.; Flanders, 2s. 2d.; +France—Calais, 1s. 5d.; Germany, 2s. 3d.; Gibraltar, +2s. 6d.; Holland, 1s. 11d.; Italy, 2s. 2d.; Malta, +2s. 6d.; Poland, 2s. 3d.; Prussia, 2s. 3d.; Russia, +2s. 3d.; Spain, 2s. 2d.; Turkey, 2s. 2d. At that +period the Inland Rates were very high, and +the cost was regulated thus: From any Post +Office in England or Wales, to any place not +exceeding 15 miles from such office, 4d.; above 15 +to 20 miles, 5d.; 20 to 30 miles, 6d.; 30 to 50 miles,<!--[167.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +7d.; 50 to 80 miles, 8d.; 80 to 120 miles, 9d.; 120 +to 170 miles, 10d.; 170 to 230 miles, 11d.; 230 to +300 miles, 12d. And one penny in addition on each +letter for every 100 miles beyond 300. Thus a +letter from Bristol to Cirencester cost 7d.; Cheltenham, +8d.; Banbury, 10d.; Leeds, 11d.; Hull; 12d., +and so on. Now a letter four ounces in weight +can be sent from one end of the land to the other +for a penny, and a parcel one pound in weight for +threepence.</p> + +<p>The Bristol ex-Postal Superintendent, Mr. H. T. +Carter, carrying his mind back over his forty years +of diligent and zealous service, recalls the time +when the mails for the not far-distant village of +Shirehampton were conveyed in a cart drawn by a +dog, the property of rural postman Ham. The cart +was not large, but of sufficient size to carry postman +and mail bags. The dog, of Newfoundland breed, +got over the ground at a rapid pace. Ham was +addicted to drink, but nevertheless, whether he was +drunk or sober, asleep or awake, in stormy or fine +weather, the dog took him and the mails to their +proper destination.</p> + +<p>A venerable man now living at Earthcott Green,<!--[168.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +a hamlet within ten miles of our great city, well +recollects the time when he received his letters +through Iron Acton, at a special cost to him of 2d. +each, with a delivery only every other day. The +plan was for an additional penny to be charged on +all letters sent out by rural posts for delivery, and +in addition to this penny an extra charge was levied +on all letters delivered from sub-Post Offices to bye +houses or places beyond the several village deliveries. +In some cases recognised men or women attended at +the Head Office, Bristol, once or twice a week to +take out letters for delivery in the remote country +regions—of course for a "consideration."</p> + +<p>The Bristol district shared in the representations +in 1838 of the hardships borne by poor people in +respect of the heavy charges for the conveyance of +letters. The postmaster at Congresbury deposed +thus:—"The price of a letter is a great tax on poor +people. I sent one, charged eightpence, to a poor +labouring man about a week ago; it came from his +daughter. He first refused it, saying it would take +a loaf of bread from his other children; but, after +hesitating a little time, he paid the money, and +opened the letter. I seldom return letters of this<!--[169.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +kind to Bristol, because I let the poor people have +them, and take the chance of being paid; sometimes +I lose the postage, but generally the poor people +pay me by degrees." Then the postmaster of +Yatton stated as follows:—"I have had a letter +waiting lately for a poor woman, from her husband +who is at work in Wales; the charge was 9d.,—it lay +many days, in consequence of her not being able to +pay the postage. I at last trusted her with it." Of +the desire of the poor to correspond, a Mr. Emery +gave evidence, stating "that the poor near Bristol +have signed a petition to Parliament for the +reduction of the postage. He never saw greater +enthusiasm in any public thing that was ever got up +in the shape of a petition; they seemed all to enter +into the thing as fully and with as much feeling as +it was possible, as a boon or godsend to them, that +they should be able to correspond with their distant +friends."</p> + +<p>Uniform penny postage came in 1840. The +Bristol citizens, of course, found it no cheaper than +before to send a single letter to places in their own +neighbourhood, but a light enclosure could be put +in without extra charge, though the weight had<!--[170.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +to be brought down from four ounces to half an +ounce.</p> + +<p>It may not be out of place to mention in these +pages that one of the penny postage stamps of the +very earliest issue after the penny postage system +came into operation in 1840 was made use of for +the prepayment of a letter sent by His Grace the +Duke of Wellington to H. Nuttall Tomlins, Esq., +of the Hotwells, Bristol. It was sent six days +before stamps and stamped covers were first +used by the general public, the Duke, as Prime +Minister, having no doubt been supplied in +advance with stamps, one of which he attached +to his letter, to give a surprise to his friend +Nuttall Tomlins. The envelope, with the stamp +still upon it, is now in the possession of a well-known +philatelist in London.</p> + +<p>The allusion to the "Penny Post" naturally calls +to mind its originator. On the hill slope of the +still pleasant rural village of Stapleton, four +miles from Bristol Post Office,—once a Roman +settlement, and in later days the head-quarters of +Oliver Cromwell during the siege of Bristol,—the +great postal reformer, Sir Rowland Hill, frequently<!--[171.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +spent some of his leisure time with his brother, +the late Recorder of Bristol, Mr. Matthew Davenport +Hill. There is in the Bristol postal service at +the present time a mail officer who recalls that, in +his very young days, it was his mission to set out +from Heath House to fetch the morning letters for +Sir Rowland from the Stapleton Post Office. He +tells how he had to ride the old pony at a rapid +rate, as, even in those days, Sir Rowland's time was +valuable, and if his letters were late he had to +curtail his "constitutional," which usually consisted +of a three-mile sharp walk, with cap in hand instead +of on head, over Purdown, past Stoke House, +returning through Frenchay.</p> + +<p>In December, 1844, Sir Rowland Hill, in connection +with the National Testimonial to him as the +author of Penny Postage, recorded the circumstance +that he had received a letter from Mr. Estlin, an +eminent surgeon of Bristol, giving an account of +proceedings in that important city anterior to any +movement in London. Sir Rowland believed it was +in Bristol, and from Mr. Estlin, that the testimonial +had its origin. The sum presented from Bristol to +the national collection amounted to about £300.<!--[172.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The celebration of the Jubilee of Penny Postage +in 1890 took the practical turn in one respect of +increasing the Rowland Hill Benevolent Fund. +Bristol contributed its quota of £72 14s. 6d., made +up in great measure of public subscriptions. When +the grand celebration took place on July 2nd, at +the South Kensington Museum, with the Duke and +Duchess of Edinburgh present at the conversazione, +Bristol took its part, and immediately after a signal +from South Kensington was received over the telegraph +wire at 10 o'clock three hearty cheers for +Her Majesty were given, the postmaster leading. +The Post Office band then struck up the National +Anthem, and cheers for the Queen were at once +taken up by a body of about 200 postmen who had +assembled in the Post Office yard.</p> + +<p>As in 1847 the state of things at the provincial +offices generally was not regarded as satisfactory, +Sir Rowland Hill, in accordance with the wish of +the Postmaster-General, visited Bristol on April +1st in that year. He found that the first delivery +of the day, by far the most important of all, was +not completed until 12 o'clock; the letter-carriers, +as he was informed, often staying after departure<!--[173.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +from the office to take their breakfast before commencing +their rounds. He was able to show how +at a small cost (only £125 a year) it might be +completed by 9.0. The office itself he found small, +badly lighted, and ill ventilated. The day mail +bag to London was nearly useless, its contents +for London delivery being on the morning of his +inquiry only sixty-four letters, thirty-seven of which +might have been sent by the previous mail on the +mere payment of the extra penny. His impression +regarding this mail, both in and out of the office, +agreed exactly with his evidence in 1843; viz., that +all day mails, to be efficient for their purpose, should +start as late as was consistent with their reaching +London in time for their letters to be forwarded by +the outgoing evening mails. The satisfaction Sir +Rowland felt in such improvements as he had been +able to make on the spot was much enhanced by +his receiving at the termination of his visit the +thanks of both clerks and letter-carriers for the new +arrangements. It should be said that Sir Rowland +Hill did not by his action cast any reflection upon +Mr. Todd Walton, junior, as he was at pains to say +that, regarded as a specimen of the administration<!--[174.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +of provincial Post Offices at the time the Bristol +specimen was by no means an unfavourable one. +At that time there were only about 20,000 letters, +etc., delivered in a week.</p> + +<p>The Bristol Chamber of Commerce took no +notice of the Post Office for nearly twenty years +(1835-1855), but in the latter year it did so, for +its records of the annual meeting of 31st January, +1855, with John Salmon, President, in the chair, +shew the following, viz.:—</p> + +<p>"The Post Office questions of salaries, internal +arrangements, and local inquiry, are still in the same +position as they were six months ago, except that, +after repeated further applications to the Postmaster-General, +your Committee extracted, on the 10th +December last, a renewed promise from his lordship +that 'no time should be lost in making the enquiry +at the Bristol Post Office.' As the inefficiency of +the public service arises from the unjust treatment +of the employés and defective internal arrangements +of the local office, your Committee cannot desist, notwithstanding +the tedious and disagreeable nature of +the task which they have undertaken, from insisting +on these repeated promises being redeemed."<!--[175.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> + + +<p>Then, under the same presidency, at the next +half-yearly meeting in the same year, it was stated +that "Subsequent to the date of the last report, +your Committee discovered that the Postmaster-General +had caused a private local enquiry to be +made with respect to the classification and salaries +of the officers of the Bristol Post Office."</p> + +<p>There was this further remonstrance:—</p> + +<p>".... It would have been more satisfactory +to your Committee if the Postmaster-General had +fulfilled his promise to the deputation who waited +upon him on the 30th of January, 1854, to hold +a local enquiry at which they should be present, as +there were several other matters connected with the +internal arrangements of the Bristol Post Office +(particularly the money order department, which is +still very defective) with respect to which they were +desirous of making some suggestions."</p> + +<p>Then followed a copy of the report made to the +Postmaster-General by Mr. Tilley, who conducted +the enquiry, also a statement of the proposed +Establishment.</p> + +<p>At the Chamber's next annual meeting on 30th +January, 1856, with James Hassell, the president,<!--[176.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +in the chair, the Post Office is again reproved +thus:—</p> + +<p>"No further reply than the official printed +acknowledgment and promise of attention has yet +reached your Committee respecting the memorial +on the subject of the Welsh mail, the West India +mails, etc.; but past experience and general repute +do not lead them to anticipate prompt redress from +the Post Office authorities. It required repeated +applications, extending over a period of about +eighteen months, to obtain a remedy for the +grievances set forth in our former memorial; and +even now the Money Order Department is not +completed, and probably similar perseverance will +again be required, as it is now more than a month +ago the memorial relating to the West India mail +was presented."</p> + +<p>It was thought worthy of note in the <i>Bristol +Mirror</i> of November 5th, 1831, that "500 letters +were brought yesterday from Clifton for the general +post." In demonstration of the strides which the +Post Office has made, it may be mentioned that in +the "fifties," in addition to the Post Office at +Clifton, the only offices were the branches at<!--[177.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +Haberfield Crescent and Phippen Street, with four +collections a day, and the receiving houses at +Ashley Road, Bedminster, Hotwells, and Redland, +with three collections a day. The city only boasted +at that time of pillar letter boxes at Arley Chapel, +Armoury Square, Bedminster Bridge, Bristol Bridge, +Castle Street, Christmas Steps, College Green, Freemantle +Square, Kingsdown, Milk Street, Railway +Station, St. Philip's Police Station, Kingsland Road, +Whiteladies Road, and Woodwell Crescent, with +three collections daily. Now there are 167 Post +Offices in the district. On the Gloucestershire side +there are 99, at 41 of which telegraph business is +carried on; and on the Somersetshire side 68, 27 +of which are telegraph offices. In addition telegraph +business is carried on for the Postmaster-General +at five railway stations on the Gloucestershire +side and five on the Somersetshire side. +Licenses to sell postage stamps are held by over +a hundred shopkeepers.</p> + +<p>There are now 350 pillar and wall letter boxes +provided for public convenience.</p> + +<p>It may be mentioned in passing that during the +strike amongst the deal-runners in Bristol, when<!--[178.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +men were brought from other towns and housed +and fed at "Huntersholm" (a large wooden +building erected specially in one of the timber +yards), and allowed out under police supervision, +a stamp license was applied for and granted, to +meet a large demand for postage stamps which +these men made in consequence of having to send +their wages home weekly to their families.</p> + +<p>In detail, but without complication by mention of +the names of all the districts, the local improvements +for the seven years from March, 1892, to February, +1899, inclusive, were as follows:—New post offices +established, 33; telegraph offices opened, 18; money +order and savings bank business extended to 17 +offices; postal orders sold at 6 additional offices; +new pillar and wall boxes erected, 142; new or +additional day mails from 34 districts; and out +to 44 districts; new extra deliveries established in +65 districts, and two extra deliveries in 7 districts. +Free delivery extended in 35 rural districts, and +the ordinary second or third delivery extended in +44 rural districts; morning delivery accelerated in +63, and the day delivery in 8, rural districts. A +later posting for North mail in 6, and for the<!--[179.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +night mail in 58, rural districts. New collections +established in 73, and a later collection in 30, rural +districts.</p> + +<p>Increased facilities in the postal world are almost +invariably followed by augmentation of business. +It certainly has been so in the Bristol district, for +there has been a marvellous development in the +last seven years. The letters delivered have +increased by 60 per cent., and those posted have +grown at the rate of 55 per cent. Parcels have +increased by 25 per cent. There has been +a similar marked increase in all branches of +business. The three preceding periods of seven +years were comparatively "lean" periods, for the +increase in the number of letters during the whole +twenty-one years was actually less than during the +seven last years. The increase is altogether out of +proportion to the growth of population, and it +is far in excess of the general increase of letter +correspondence throughout the country generally, +which has been only at the rate of 22 per cent. +during the period as against Bristol's 60 per +cent. It is hoped that this may be taken as a sure +indication of the well-being of the trade of Bristol,<!--[180.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +and as a sign that there is quickened life in the +commerce of the good old city. At all events, it +shows that the local Post Office organization is quite +abreast of the times, and that the facilities afforded +are appreciated and are fully taken advantage of.<!--[181.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h5>BRISTOL AS A MAIL STEAMER STATION FOR IRELAND, +WEST INDIES, AMERICA, AND CANADA.</h5> + + +<p>From the archives of the Bristol Chamber of +Commerce it transpires that from the very first +constitution of the Chamber in 1823, it had before +it a scheme for the conveyance of mails between +this port and the South of Ireland by direct steam +packet. It was considered that such a service would +be highly advantageous to the city, and correspondence +on the subject from time to time took +place with the Post Office Department. Allusion +is made to it in the Chamber's Annual Report in +January, 1824; again in 1828, when the President +of the Chamber, Mr. Joseph Cookson, had a conference +with the leading officer of the Post Office; +and once more in 1829. The case is so fully and +ably set forth in the Board's Annual Report of the +26th January, 1829, that its reproduction <i>in extenso</i> +cannot fail to be of deep interest to the citizens of<!--[182.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +the present day as their attention is often drawn to +the steamship traffic. It ran thus:—</p> + +<p>"The transmission of the mails direct from Bristol +was earnestly pressed upon the attention of the +Postmaster-General in the year 1823, on which +occasion the Chamber minutely investigated the +practicability, safety, and general advantages of the +measure, the material points of which were embodied +in a memorial, accompanied by a list of queries and +replies. The Civic Corporation, the Society of +Merchant Venturers, and the Bristol Dock Company +each presented similar memorials.</p> + +<p>"In resuming the enquiry, the Board have resorted +to the channels best calculated to convey accurate +information. The managing proprietor of the +steam packet establishments at this port, Captain +Dungey, an individual on whose experience and +judgment reliance may be placed, and other persons +of practical knowledge, have been consulted on the +subject. All concur in establishing the fact that +the voyage to and from Dunmore may, with general +certainty, be accomplished by efficient steamboats +in from 24 to 26 hours during the eight summer +months, and in from 26 to 30 hours in the four<!--[183.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> +months of winter; that the instances of exceeding +this scale would not be more frequent than at the +present station, the navigation of the Bristol +Channel being protected by the coast on either side, +and consequently less influenced by severe weather +than the Irish Sea.</p> + +<p>"The earlier arrival of the London mail and its +later departure, as altered some time since, accords +materially with the proposition for making Bristol +a packet station. By the present regulations, the +London mail arrives in Bristol at five minutes past +9 in the morning; and leaves at half-past 5 in +the evening; it is capable of being still further +accelerated by taking the two last stages in the +direct line through Marshfield, instead of passing +through Bath. According to the present arrangements, +the Irish mails may with ease and convenience +to passengers be despatched from the mouth of the +Bristol river, five miles from the Post Office, every +day at half-past 10, and those from Ireland, if +arriving by 4.0, be forwarded to London the same +evening. The time saved by this route as compared +with that of Milford would be, at least during the +summer months, equal to one whole day for the<!--[184.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +purposes of business, since the arrival at Dunmore +would be in the morning instead of evening, and +the departure at noon instead of at an early hour +of the morning as at present.</p> + +<p>"The present slips at Lamplighter's Hall and +Broad Pill now serve for landing passengers from +the packets on special occasions; with very trifling +expense they may be made efficient for passengers, +and not more objectionable than the present accommodation +for crossing the estuary of the Severn—carriages, +horses, baggage, and heavy goods might +at an earlier hour be put on board at the Bristol +Docks, which the boat would leave at the height +of tide in order to be in waiting for the mails +at the place appointed for receiving them. At +Lamplighter's Hall an hotel is established, which, +with the contiguity to the city, would ensure to the +public a supply of all the accommodation a packet +station would require. These are the facilities +which can at present be afforded. At no very +distant date the accommodation will, in all +probability, be yet further increased, first, by the +erection of a pier with hotel and establishment at +Portishead on the Somersetshire side of the Avon,<!--[185.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +which the Corporation of the City have for some +time had under consideration with a view to +promote the convenience of passengers by the +steam vessels and thus encourage the intercourse +between this city and the South of Ireland. In aid +of the present enquiry they have directed a survey +and report by Mr. Milne, the engineer, on the +practicability and probable cost of the proposed +pier. Secondly, and arising also from this scheme, +is a plan for erecting a bridge across the Avon, by +the application in part of a fund amounting to +nearly £8,000, held by the Society of Merchant +Venturers in trust under the will of William Vick, +deceased, for the especial purpose; with the formation +of an improved line of road by Mr. Gordon, Mr. +Miles, and other landed proprietors on that side of +the river, for the short distance to Portishead. +These several improvements the respective parties +interested are disposed to effect, and which any +impelling motive, such as the establishment of +a regular mail packet station, may induce them +immediately to undertake. The accomplishment of +these works would render Portishead a most eligible +station. It is protected from weather, is a safe<!--[186.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +anchorage, would have ample depth of water at +any state of the tide, the landing would be instant +on arrival, and it would be supplied with every +convenience and accommodation for passengers.</p> + +<p>"The Board believe an important saving of +expense to Government would result from establishing +Bristol as a mail packet station. The great +deficiency on the Milford station in the receipts as +compared with the expenditure arises from the very +limited number of persons who avail themselves of +that line of communication. The land journey of +twenty hours at a fare of £3 10s., followed by a +twelve hours' voyage by open sea at a further +expense of £1 10s., with the inconvenience frequently +sustained in crossing the estuary of the Severn, +deters people from taking the Milford route by +choice. The general introduction of steam packets, +the degree of perfection in sailing to which they +have been brought, the regularity and safety with +which the voyages are performed, the accommodation +to passengers, and the moderate scale of fares, +have contributed to effect of late years a material +change in the general opinion on steamboat conveyance. +The long voyage by sea is now generally<!--[187.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +preferred to a long journey by land and the shorter +one by sea. The number and efficiency of the +Bristol boats, and the economy in the fares, induce a +large proportion of travellers to take the direct +course from Bristol. Indeed, to so great an extent +has this preference operated that the contractors for +conveying the mail throughout the whole line from +Bristol to Milford are understood to have given +notice of their intention to determine their engagement, +on account of the gradual decrease in the +number of passengers and the consequent loss they +incur. A similar statement appears in the report of +the Postmaster-General on the memorial of the +innkeepers on the Holyhead route.</p> + +<p>"In favour of Bristol it may be fairly stated that, +at a comparatively trifling expense, the port may be +made commodious for a packet station; that the +present strength of the establishment at Milford +would serve, with some addition, for that of Bristol; +that the difference in price of coal at Portishead +would reduce the expense of sailing the packets from +that station; that Bristol affords every prospect of +increase of receipt, whilst at Milford it must, for the +reasons before stated, necessarily decrease; that the<!--[188.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +demands of a large commercial city, with its populous +adjoining and connected districts, will create a traffic +for boats making quick and regular voyages, which +Milford, from its position, never can acquire—the +conveyance of fish and provisions alone could be +made to yield a revenue of consequence. Numerous +other sources of receipt would arise from the conveniency +of its regularity and expedition. Indeed, +so much are the Board impressed with the belief +that the traffic would be extensive and productive +that they venture to anticipate it may, at no very +distant period, relieve the Government from any +further charge than a comparatively nominal sum +for the transport of the mails. The Board are +induced also to put the proposition in a national +point of view. They feel that the more closely +Ireland can be brought into direct and active communication +with this country, the more rapid will be +its course of improvement. The introduction of +steam navigation has, at this port, given an energy +and extension to the Irish trade that far exceeds any +previous expectations; each succeeding month brings +a vast increase of import and a corresponding export, +to the material benefit of each kingdom, and the<!--[189.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +more complete the intercourse can be established the +more important will the trade become.</p> + +<p>"The port of Bristol, from its position, possesses +numerous capabilities for a mail packet station. Its +contiguity and means of land and water communication +with the capital; its being the principal +shipping port for the manufacturing districts of +the South-west part of the kingdom; its close connection +and water communication with Birmingham, +Worcester, and other large towns in the centre of +the kingdom; the convenience of its floating +harbour; the reduced scale of its local tolls—all +these circumstances combine to give Bristol a +superiority over other places on the coast, whether +the subject he viewed as regards the economy of +the Post Office Department or the accommodation +of the public.</p> + +<p>"The Board have placed the subject of the +Commissioners' enquiry in the several points of +view which appear to them fairly to arise upon +the investigation and consideration it has received, +and they shall feel sincere gratification if, on this +or any future occasion, they should in the least +degree prove of assistance to a department of<!--[190.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +Government, or should otherwise by their exertions +conduce to the advancement of the public +interests.</p> + +<p> +"<span class="smcap">Thomas Stock</span>, President.<br /> +July 7th, 1828."<br /> +<br /></p> + + +<p>A strong memorial (under the hand of Thomas +Cookson, President) was forwarded to the Postmaster-General.</p> + +<p>Francis Freeling, Secretary, in his reply for the +Postmaster-General, refused to admit that the port +of Bristol did afford the requisite facilities for a +station for His Majesty's packets. When the projected +works were carried out the matter would be +reconsidered by the Government.</p> + +<p>Replying further, Mr. Freeling, on the 2nd +March, alluded to the impossibility of despatching +the mails at a fixed time every day in the year, +and said that that presented insurmountable objections +to the choice of Bristol as a station for His +Majesty's packets. He said that the first requisite +for a packet station was that the port should afford +the means for embarking and landing the mails +at all times of tide and under all circumstances of +weather.<!--[191.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The Bristol Dock Directors and a Standing +Committee of the Society of Merchants considered +the matter, but did not see their way to press it +under the chilling response received from the +Postmaster-General.</p> + +<p>The Board did not give up the case, for in +the Annual Report 28th January, 1833, it was +stated that the proposition for establishing at this +port a mail packet station by steam vessels to the +South of Ireland was being diligently pursued, and +that the House of Commons having appointed a +Committee to enquire into the communications +between England and Ireland, a favourable +opportunity was presented of again urging the +advantages Bristol port was calculated to afford.</p> + +<p>The numerous appeals, representations, and +enquiries did not result in the manner desired, +and to this day the mails from the South of +Ireland for Bristol and its district follow the +same route <i>viâ</i> Waterford and Milford Haven, the +only difference being that from the latter port to +Bristol the service is carried on by rail instead +of by road.</p> + +<p>Bristol became a mail packet station eventually,<!--[192.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +as steamships carried the American mails between +this port and New York for several years, commencing +in 1837, the year of Her Most Gracious +Majesty's accession to the throne. The <i>Great +Western</i>, constructed under the direction of Brunel, +the famous engineer of the Great Western Railway, +was chiefly used in the service.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 445px;"> +<img src="images/i193.jpg" width="445" height="355" alt="The "Great Western." +The First Steamer which carried Mails from Bristol to New York." title="The "Great Western." +The First Steamer which carried Mails from Bristol to New York." /> +<span class="caption">The "Great Western."<br /> +The First Steamer which carried Mails from Bristol to New York.</span> +</div> + +<p>On the 31st May, 1838, writing from 19 Trinity +Street, Bristol, Mr. Claxton, managing director to +the <i>Great Western</i>—which was then, nearly due,—asked +the Bristol postmaster whether a consignee +at New York might charge the foreign postage on +letters to parts on the Continent with which no +arrangement, similar to that then existing between +France and England, had been made. The idea +was that such letters might be put into a separate +bag, and the foreign postage from Bristol be handed +over to the local Post Office. He wrote that notice +had been given by the Chamber of Commerce of +Liverpool that masters of ships need not send +anything but letters to the Post Office on arrival. +Mr. Todd Walton replied on the next day to the +effect that the agent should only direct letters to +Mr. Claxton's care to forward from such persons<!--[195.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +<!--[194.png]--> +as he could refer to in case of errors. Then followed +a long communication from Mr. Walton to Colonel +Maberly, Secretary to the Post Office, the gist of +which was that a difficulty existed in preventing +illegal conveyance of ship letters; that the commanders +of vessels did not receive money with +letters to any great extent; that the public prints +stated that 1,600 letters were received on board +the <i>Great Western</i> besides those sent from the +Post Office; that an immense number of letters +was collected at the Great Western office; and that +as the <i>Great Western</i> and <i>Syrius</i> were regularly +established, and other vessels of the same description +were preparing, unless some means were taken +to protect the revenue, it could not fail to suffer +very considerably.</p> + +<p>The <i>Great Western</i> brought to England 5,500 post +letters and 1,770 post papers, which, had that conveyance +not been offered, would most likely have been sent +by private ships. Mr. Walton conceived it would be +very advantageous to the revenue to contract with +those superior vessels to carry mails, so as to render +the latter chargeable with package rates; and he +submitted that ship letter mails should be made up<!--[196.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +at Bristol, the same as at London and Liverpool, +for all vessels leaving this port. About 5,500 ship +letters were brought to the Bristol Post Office +annually, and he had no doubt that vast numbers +were carried from Bristol in the same manner; but +with the exception of those by the <i>Great Western</i>, +no mails had ever been made up here for foreign +countries. The Secretary, replying for the Postmaster-General, +said it did not appear to Lord +Lichfield that cognizance need be taken of the +suggestion conveyed in Mr. Claxton's letter of the +31st May, for the transmission through this country +of letters from the United States addressed to those +foreign countries upon which the postage must be +paid here before they can be forwarded to their +destination. The Post Office could have no objection +to such letters being addressed to the care of +Mr. Claxton or any other agent in this country who +would pay the foreign postage and send them on +to their destinations. The letters in question, would, +of course, be subject, so far as the Post Office was +concerned, to the ship letter rate to Bristol, and +when re-posted, to the inland and foreign rates +forward.<!--[197.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The postmaster's proposition for making up mails +to be forwarded by the steam vessels charged with +packet rates of postage was out of the question; +but with regard to making up ship letter bags for +foreign countries, so strangely neglected at this +great port, the postmaster was to embrace every +opportunity in his power of despatching ship letter +bags by sailing as well as by steam vessels. There +is no official record, however, of any such ship letter +mails having been forwarded from Bristol.</p> + +<p>In the year 1841 a Royal Commission was +appointed to enquire into the question of the +most suitable port for the embarkation and debarkation +of the West Indian Mails. The committee +consisted of Mr. Freshfield, Lord Dalmeny, Lord +Viscount Ingestre, Captain Pechell, Captain Duncombe, +Mr. Chas. Wood, Sir Thomas Cochrane, +Mr. John O'Connell, Mr. Cresswell, Lord Worsley, +Mr. Gibson Craig, Mr. De Horsey, Mr. Oswold, +Mr. Richard Hodgson, and Mr. Philip Miles, who +was prominent as representing Bristol. Much +evidence was given in favour of the ports of Bristol, +Dartmouth, Devonport, Falmouth, Plymouth, Portsmouth, +and Southampton respectively. The case<!--[198.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +of Bristol was strongly supported by Lieut. J. +Hosken, R.N., commander of the <i>Great Western</i> +screw steamer from Bristol to New York, and +Lieut. C. Claxton, R.N., the Bristol Harbour Master.</p> + +<p>The principal reasons put forward in favour of +our old port were: that the Bristol Channel was +navigable at all states of the tide and in all weathers; +that there was good anchorage in the Kingroad; and +that although Bristol was not quite so near to +Barbadoes, the first island of call, as some of her +rival ports, yet it admitted of quicker transmission of +mails between London and the northern towns than +any other English port. The arguments in favour +of the Bristol port were not strong enough to induce +the committee to report in its favour.</p> + +<p>From the "forties," when the American mail +service was withdrawn from Bristol, no foreign or +colonial mails left the port until the autumn of +1898, when Mr. Alfred Jones, the enterprising +managing director of the firm of Messrs. Elder, +Dempster & Co., made arrangements for carrying +private ship mails from Avonmouth to Montreal +by a weekly service of steamers. The Bristol +merchants found it convenient to make use of this<!--[199.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +ship mail system for the conveyance of their invoices, +bills of lading, and advices, as, by travelling +in the same ship as the goods which they related +to, their delivery in time to be of use in connection +with the ship's load was ensured. The first vessel +to carry such a ship mail was the s.s. <i>Montcalm</i>.</p> + +<p>When it was in anticipation at the Bristol Post +Office that the ship mail service might be resumed +in 1899 on the breaking up of the ice in the Gulf +of St. Lawrence, there came a cablegram from the +Canadian Government intimating that a contract +had been entered into with Messrs. Elder, Dempster +and Co.; and, heigh presto! Avonmouth at once +became the port of departure and arrival of the +steamers carrying the direct Canadian mails. The +suddenness of the event naturally created quite a +stir after Bristol had been so long waiting, and the +mail services outwards and inwards were watched +with close attention by the public. The first +steamer to run under the new contract was the +s.s. <i>Monterey</i>. She left Avonmouth on the 23rd +July, but time had not admitted of arrangements +being made for her to carry the mails from +Avonmouth, which were therefore picked up at<!--[200.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +Queenstown. The s.s. <i>Ikbal</i> took the next trip, +leaving Avonmouth on the 30th July. The parcels +from the whole of the kingdom, including Ireland, +were circulated on Bristol, and made up here in +direct mails for Montreal, Quebec, Hamilton, +Kingston, Toronto, Winnipeg, Prince Edward +Island, Hawaii, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Nova +Scotia, British Columbia, Kobe, Nagasaki, and +Yokohama. The notice to the Bristol Post Office +was very short, but the necessary arrangements +were smartly made to meet the emergency. Mr. +Kislingbury, the divisional superintendent of the +Great Western Railway, ever ready to heartily +co-operate with the local Post Office, had a +special tender placed in readiness for the +reception of the mails at Temple Meads +and they were despatched by the 9.50 a.m. +train to Avonmouth. On the part of the Dock +authorities, the general manager, Mr. F. B. Girdlestone, +had provided an engine to take the brake-vans +containing the parcel mails direct from the +Docks junction to the pier head. The system was +fully tried, for the mails had to be taken from the +train to the steam-tug <i>Sea Prince</i> to be conveyed to<!--[203.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +<!--[202.png]--> +the steamer, which was moored in Kingroad, having +arrived too late to enter the dock. The mails +weighed close upon three tons, and were contained +in fifty-five large hampers. In the following week +the s.s. <i>Arawa</i> (a sixteen-knot boat, 440 feet long) +carried the mails, which were taken by train alongside +the ship in dock; and which consequently, +although five tons in weight, were put on board +under much more favourable circumstances than in +the preceding week, when the steamer had to lie out +in the Kingroad. It is noteworthy that the <i>Arawa</i> +took out 400 emigrants.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i201.jpg" width="400" height="167" alt="R.M.S. "Monterey." +First Liner in The New Canadian Mail Service. +From a photograph by G. M. Roche, Esq., Dublin." title="R.M.S. "Monterey." +First Liner in The New Canadian Mail Service. +From a photograph by G. M. Roche, Esq., Dublin." /> +<span class="caption">R.M.S. "Monterey."<br /> +First Liner in The New Canadian Mail Service.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>From a photograph by G. M. Roche, Esq., Dublin.</i> +</div> + +<p>Subsequent steamers used for carrying on the mail +service were the <i>Montfort</i>, <i>Monteagle</i>, and <i>Montrose</i>.</p> + +<p>The arrangements for the new service worked +very smoothly from the outset, thanks in no small +measure to Mr. Flinn, the local general manager +for Messrs. Elder, Dempster & Co., who facilitated +in every way the Post Office and Customs operations. +The trial so far has proved that the use of Avonmouth +as a port for the Canadian mail traffic is +attended with advantages on this side of the ocean, +but greater facilities for embarking and disembarking +the mails at Avonmouth are absolutely necessary.<!--[204.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h5>POSTAL SERVICE STAFF; ITS COMPOSITION, DUTIES, +RESPONSIBILITIES.—VOLUME OF WORK.</h5> + + +<p>In 1855 the Bristol Post Office staff consisted +of a postmaster and fifteen clerks, with sixty-four +letter carriers. Over 1,500 people of all +grades, including sub-postmasters and their assistants, +are now employed; and the annual bill for +salaries, wages, and allowances of men, women, +and boys amounts to little short of £100,000. It +will thus be seen that the Post Office ranks as +one of the largest employers of labour in the +western city.</p> + +<p>The head office is centrally situated both for +the receipt and despatch of the letter correspondence. +It is not very far from a point known as +"Tramway Centre," upon which the tram services +of the city converge. It plays an important part +with regard to the Bristol postal system, as out of +a total of 833,000 letters posted weekly in the city<!--[205.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> +delivery area—exclusive of 55,300 Clifton posted +letters—221,000 letters are posted at the head +office itself, and the total posted within a radius +of a mile is 652,290, or more than three-fourths of +the whole. In addition to the 888,000 letters posted +weekly in Bristol city and Clifton, there are 108,000 +letters posted in the suburban and rural districts. +The posting every Sunday consists of 35,000 letters.</p> + +<p>The greater extent to which the well-to-do classes +in Bristol use the post than their less fortunate +brethren may be gathered from the fact that the +average yield of letters, newspapers, etc., per day +per box in the Clifton district is 128 per cent. higher +than in Redland and Cotham, and 179 per cent. +higher than in Redcliffe; and in the Redland +and Cotham district 22 per cent. higher than in +Redcliffe.</p> + +<p>The mails are chiefly conveyed between the head +office and the principal railway station by horsed +carts.</p> + +<p>About 7,000,000 "forward" letters—that is, +letters neither posted nor delivered locally, but +passing through the Bristol Post Office—are dealt +with annually.<!--[206.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The parcel post, started in 1883, has done well +in Bristol. Nearly three-quarters of a million of +parcels are posted in the district annually. The +greater part of the parcel despatching duties is +performed at a separate parcel office on the Temple +Meads Railway Station premises. People often +avail themselves of the parcel post for obtaining +a regular weekly supply of produce. A joint of +beef from Scotland, weighing just under eleven +pounds, invariably reaches Bristol at the week end, +and a package of butter from Dublin is observed +every Friday in the Bristol parcel depôt on its way +to Weston-super-Mare.</p> + +<p>The London mail is, naturally, the most important +mail which leaves Bristol. In the course of the day +fifty-five mail bags are forwarded, containing about +20,000 letters; the trains used being those leaving +at 3.10 a.m., 7.50 a.m., 9.35 a.m., 11.40 a.m., 12.13 +p.m., 1.54 p.m., 3.0 p.m., 3.43 p.m., 4.45 p.m., 7.22 +p.m., and 12.45 a.m. So numerous are the London +and "London forward" letters in the evening, that +three clerks are engaged from 5.0 p.m. to midnight +in sorting them. In the opposite direction fifty mail +bags are received from London daily, containing<!--[207.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +about 30,000 letters. Birmingham comes next in +the importance of exchange, thus: twelve mail bags +go out daily, containing 5,500 letters, and ten bags +come in, with 4,500 letters. The neighbouring city +of Bath figures next, with ten outward mail bags +daily, containing 4,200 letters, and ten inward bags, +containing 2,700 letters. The same three cities also +stand in the forefront in respect of the import and +export of parcels, 870 parcels being received from +London and 550 parcels sent thereto daily. Birmingham +sends 190 parcels and takes a like number; +whilst Bath sends 160 and takes in return 250 +parcels daily.</p> + +<p>The members of the permanent staff have fallen +on better days than their predecessors of old times. +They are granted holidays varying in periods +according to rank, from the twelve working days +allowed to the telegraph messengers to the month +enjoyed by the superintending officers. Medical +attendance is afforded gratuitously, and full +pay is, as a rule, given during sick absence, and +under special circumstances sick leave on full +pay is allowed for six months, and a further six +months on half-pay. After that time, if there<!--[208.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> +appears to be little or no chance of recovery, a +pension or gratuity is given. The appointment of +medical officer to the Post Office was in 1862 conferred +upon Mr. F. Poole Lansdown, who has held +the post ever since. For the last four years the +average sick absence per year has been ten days for +males and seventeen days for females per head; and +during the last seven years the average mortality +amongst the established officers of the Service has +been two per annum.</p> + +<p>Uniform and boots are provided by the Department +for the postmen and telegraph messengers, at an +annual cost of about £2,000.</p> + +<p>Good-conduct stripes are the reward to all full-time +postmen, established or unestablished, of +unblemished conduct. A stripe is awarded after +each five years' meritorious service, and each man is +eligible for six stripes, each of which carry one +shilling a week extra pay. The value of the stripes +is taken into account in calculation of pensions.</p> + +<p>Of the 1,500 persons of all grades alluded to +there are in the postal department a superintendent, +24 superintending officers, and 154 male and 8 +female clerks.<!--[209.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The selection of candidates for situations in the +Bristol Post Office as sorting clerks and telegraphists, +both male and female, was for many years vested +entirely in the postmaster, and persons were given +temporary employment without passing any educational +test as to their special fitness for Post Office +employment. It so happened that not infrequently +a clerk would be employed in a temporary capacity +for some years, and finally be rejected by the +Civil Service Commissioners on educational or +medical grounds. In 1892, however, a special +preliminary educational examination was instituted. +All candidates of respectable parentage, of good +health and character, were allowed to sit at this +examination, the successful ones being taken into +the office and trained for appointment to the +Establishment. The Civil Service Examination +had, of course, to be undergone before an appointment +could be obtained. In 1896 a new system +was introduced, whereby a Civil Service certificate +had to be obtained before a person was taken +into the office. This obviated the necessity of +holding the preliminary educational examination, +but the postmaster still exercised the privilege of<!--[210.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +nominating candidates to the situations. The open +competitive system of examination was commenced +last year, and the appointments are now open to +general competition.</p> + +<p>There is a term of probation in the Post Office, +and details of the duties devolving on postal clerks +may not be without interest to the Bristol public. +The business, with its multitudinous ramifications, +takes a long time to learn thoroughly. To become +a perfect all-round postal clerk a man must possess +intelligence, must be cool, fertile in expedient, have +a retentive memory, and withal be quick and active. +He must know how to primarily sort, sub-divide, +and despatch letters. He must have a good +knowledge of Post Office circulation and be able +to bear in mind the names of the smallest +places—hamlets, etc.—in the kingdom, the varying +circulations for different periods of the day, and +the rates of postage of all articles sent through +the post. Be must be able to detect the short-paid +letter, and to deal with the ordinary letter, the +large letter, the unpaid, the registered, the foreign, +the "dead," insufficiently addressed, the official, +the fragile, the insured, the postcard (single<!--[211.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +and reply), the letter card, the newspaper, +the book-packet, and the circular (the definition +of which is very difficult). He is responsible +for the correct sortation of every letter that he +deals with, and he has to be expert in tying letters +in bundles. He has to cast the unpaid postage and +enter the correct account on the letter bill; take +charge of registered letter bags and loose registered +letters, and advise them on the letter bill; see to the +correct labelling, tying, and sealing of the mail bags +he makes up; check the despatch of mails on the +bag list; dispose of his letters by a given time, the +hours of the despatch of mails being fixed. In +consequence, he often has to work under great +pressure in order to finish in time. The postal clerk +has to surcharge unpaid and insufficiently prepaid +correspondence; to see that all postage stamps are +carefully obliterated, that the rules of the different +posts are not infringed; to attend to the regulations +relating to official correspondence. He has to +decipher imperfectly and insufficiently addressed +correspondence, search official and other directories +to trace proper addresses. In addition to all this +he has in turn to serve at the public counter, and<!--[212.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> +there attend to money order, savings bank, postal +order, and other items of business of the kind.</p> + +<p>As an illustration of the perspicacity of officers +of the Post Office in the Western Division of the +Kingdom and of the postmen of Bristol, may be +cited the circulation through the post and prompt +and safe delivery of a letter from Plymouth bearing +as its only address the magic letters "W. G.," with +cricket hat, stumps, and ball, so dear to the +individual who bears the initials.</p> + +<p>Delay in delivery of articles sent by post, however, +not infrequently takes place in consequence of +misdirection. A parcel was addressed to a reverend +gentleman at "Publow Church, near Bristol," and +as it could not be presented at the fine old structure +itself, the postman took it to the adjoining vicarage, +where, in the absence of the vicar, it was taken in +by a servant upon the inference that it might be +intended for some future visitor. It turned out, +however, that the address was inaccurate, and that +the parcel was actually intended for a village some +miles from Bristol, on the other side, having for its +name Pucklechurch.</p> + +<p>Occasionally there is very slow transmission in<!--[213.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +these speedy days. A rather remarkable case +occurred here of a postcard having occupied nearly +eight years in travelling between Horfield Barracks +and the premises of a firm in Stokes Croft,—a +distance of less than two miles. The missive was +posted and stamped on the 10th July, 1890, and +trace of it was lost until it turned up at Bournemouth +and received the impression of the stamp of +that office in April, 1898, whence it was sent to +Bristol and delivered. There were no other marks +to indicate its long detention.</p> + +<p>Not infrequently the Post Office has to contend +with difficulties arising from want of thought on the +part of the trading community. Recently there +was a somewhat unusual occurrence at the Bristol +Post Office. A sack containing samples of biscuits +in small tin boxes was received. Around the tins +flimsy paper was tied, on which the addresses were +written. The paper had become so frayed in +transit that scarcely a single wrapper was complete, +and when the tins were turned out of the sack there +were showers of small pieces of paper like a snowstorm. +In order that the samples might reach +their destinations, the addresses were, as far as<!--[214.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> +practicable, re-copied, and the samples sent out. +Nearly every one of the 500 packets received was +then sent out for delivery without delay, no doubt +to the astonishment of those who received the +biscuits in envelopes from the Returned Letter +Office.</p> + +<p>In the sorting office all through the twenty-four +hours there is work going on. As one batch of +officials goes off duty another comes on, and these +relays never cease—not even on Sundays, Christmas +Days, or Bank Holidays. The sorting office is at +its busiest from 5.15 to 6.45 in the evening, and +from 8.30 p.m. till midnight. Then postmen enter +hastily, one after another, with bags from the +branch offices and pillar-boxes, which are immediately +taken charge of, opened, and the contents +shot out. The postmen rapidly arrange the small +letters face upwards, pack them in "trays" of 400, +pass them over to the stamping department; the +stampers obliterate Her Majesty's head, and record +the hour, date, and place of departure, with one +and the same stroke of the stamp, at the rate of a +hundred a minute. The stamped letters are placed +on sorting tables, where the first division takes<!--[215.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> +place. Those for Bristol and neighbourhood are +assigned to a compartment for further sortation, +and the outward correspondence is sorted out into +the different "roads" by which it will travel. +Letters for small places are sent to the mail trains, +where they are sorted to their respective stations +as the locomotive is whirling them along at the +rate of fifty miles an hour. Many of the larger +towns, such as Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, +Leeds, Exeter, Plymouth, Reading, Bath and +Swindon, have their own bags made up at Bristol. +Newspapers, packages, and book packets are sorted +separately, and subsequently put into their respective +bags. By-and-by the country postbags come +pouring in, and no sooner are they opened than +the letters they contain are subjected to the same +analytical treatment.</p> + +<p>In a week 2,600 separate bags (or sacks containing +several bags) are sent away from the Bristol +Post Office over the Great Western and Midland +Railway systems. The weight is 21 tons, or an +average of over 18 lbs. per bag or sack. Of the +total number, 500 of the bags, with an average +weight of nearly 14 lbs. each, are for places within<!--[216.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> +the Bristol district, and 300 of them are sent to +London, with a total weight of 4 tons 33 lbs., or an +average of 30 lbs. per bag or sack. The bags and +sacks received in Bristol from all quarters are about +equal in number and weight to those going outwards. +Those from London weigh 6 tons 3 cwt. +44 lbs.—an average of 51 lbs each.</p> + +<p>In order to simplify the disposal of the letters in +London, they are not sent up unsorted from Bristol, +but are divided into thirty-seven labelled bundles +or separate bags, a bundle or bag being made up +for each London district, for each great railway +out of London, for several foreign divisions, for +seventeen large provincial towns, and even in such +detail as for Paternoster Row and Wood Street.</p> + +<p>It is not often that ships of war appear in Bristol +waters. Indeed, the old inhabitant saith that it +is fifty years since a warship anchored in the +vicinity. The recent visit of a squadron calls +therefore for a passing mention. Such an event +took place during the British Association Meeting +in September, 1898. The ironclads composing the +squadron were H.M.S. <i>Nile</i>, <i>Thunderer</i>, <i>Trafalgar</i>, +<i>Sans Pareil</i>, and the gunboat <i>Spanker</i>. The vessels<!--[217.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> +anchored in Walton Bay, midway between Clevedon +and Portishead. In these pages the interest attaching +to them must necessarily be centred in their mail +arrangements. Nearly a thousand letters a day +were received at Clevedon for delivery to the fleet. +The ships' postman from each ship came ashore by +launch three times a day to fetch the letters. +Launches were specially employed to fetch telegrams +on signal being given by flag from the end of +Clevedon Pier.</p> + +<p>A first aid class in connection with the St. John's +Ambulance Society was formed by members of the +Bristol Post Office staff in 1894, and there was an +average attendance of twenty members, under the +skilled direction of Dr. Bertram Rogers, of Clifton. +Of the members who presented themselves for +examination at the termination of the course of +lectures, eight were successful, and were presented +with certificates at the Society's Annual Meeting, +held at the Merchant Venturers' Technical College; +and in the following year they qualified for the +Society's much-prized medallion of efficiency. At +the conclusion of the course, Dr. Bertram Rogers +was presented with an ivory-handled and silver-mounted<!--[218.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> +malacca cane, subscribed for by members +of the class. A writing-case was also presented to +Mr. Blake for organising the class.</p> + +<p>The want of a gymnasium in or near the Post +Office premises is greatly felt, but the staff do not +neglect opportunities of improving their health in +other ways. Cycle Clubs have been in active +operation; the Cricket Clubs come off victorious +in many matches; and the Electric Swimming Club +has been attended with great success.<!--[219.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h5>CHRISTMAS AND ST. VALENTINE SEASONS.</h5> + + +<p>A century ago the Christmas card was unthought +of; whether it will be a thing of the +past in the year 2000 cannot be foretold. The +preparations made to meet the annually recurring +pressure involve much forethought and considerable +labour, and have to be in progress for a long time +prior to Christmas. The time occupied in getting +the instructions ready for the staff and making all +arrangements incidental to the season is equivalent +to more than the entire duty of a clerk for a whole +year. Nothing whatever is left to chance; for +unless the arrangements are organised in full +detail, the work could not go on with the clock-like +smoothness which is necessary to ensure a +successful issue. At Christmas many people find a +difficulty in deciding what to give their friends. +The difficulty in the Post Office is how to convey +Christmas gifts from friend to friend, from relative<!--[220.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +to relative, and the solution is found in the extensive +preparations alluded to. They consist of many +and various ways of affording means of rapid +circulation and facilitating the traffic. Thus arrangements +are made as regards London for direct +bags to be made up at Bristol for each of the +eight principal district offices, and separate bags +for the inclusion of all the London sub-district +letters throughout the day. At normal times such +bags are made up only for the night mail and +heaviest despatches. All foreign letters are sent +in separate bags, so as to keep them apart on +arrival in London from the inland Christmas +missives. Then, in the reverse direction, London +relieves the Bristol office by making a direct +bag for the tributary office of Clifton by every +mail, instead of by two mails only. To further +facilitate matters, the parcels and letters for the +environs of Bristol are kept separate from those +for town delivery at all the large offices sending +parcel baskets and mail bags here, and Bristol +reciprocates by adopting the same plan for towns +with which it exchanges mails. Even the expedient +of putting specially-lettered neck-labels on the bags<!--[221.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> +to indicate their contents is adopted. Where, ordinarily, +bundles of letters are made up for particular +towns, direct bags take their places, and where, +ordinarily, letters are sent in bulk from many +towns separate bundles are made up for each +town: thus, letters from Bristol for Brighton, +which are usually dealt with in London, are +forwarded in a direct bag to pass through the +metropolis unopened. The individual attendances +of the ordinary staff are increased from eight hours +to twelve, fourteen, and sixteen hours per day. All +holidays are suspended for the time being, which +enables some telegraphists to undertake postal duty; +clerical labour is stopped, outside help is obtained, +and altogether additional labour provided for to +the extent of 50 per cent. over the normal staff. +Although there is such a large augmentation +numerically, the value of it cannot be judged in +that way, as it takes a long time to make a +really efficient postal officer, and the novices who +are engaged, although willing enough, can do little +more than undertake manual labour. Many army +reserve men and army and navy pensioners are +engaged to assist on the occasion. The weather is<!--[222.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> +always a potent factor. The ordinary types of mail +vehicles, contracted for by the Bristol Tramways +Company, and always well turned out by Mr. G. +Matthews, have to be supplemented at the Christmas +season by the employment of large pair-horse +trolleys, which, are used not only for the conveyance +of mails between office and railway station, but are +also sent round the town to pick up the heavy +parcel collections from the numerous sub-offices.</p> + +<p>The great unpunctuality of the mail trains which +invariably sets in early in the Christmas week +causes no little inconvenience, particularly as +regards the mails from the North of England, +and the merchants are therefore not slow to avail +themselves of the Post Office new system, under +which, for a small fee, they can get their letters +brought by delayed trains delivered by special +messenger promptly on their arrival at the Head +Post Office. The extra posting of letters and +parcels for places abroad, intended for delivery +about Christmas Day, begins to manifest itself +early in November.</p> + +<p>A great number of people appear to think that +Christmas cards and other printed matter may be<!--[223.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> +sent by book-post in covers which are entirely +closed, except for small slits cut at the sides. +These packets are liable to charge at letter postage +rates unless they are made up in such a manner as +will admit of the contents being easily withdrawn for +examination. To educate the public in the matter +of full prepayment, it has become necessary for the +Department to be particularly vigilant in surcharging +the Christmas missives which contravene +the regulations, and the Bristol clerks have the +unpleasant task of raising an impost on letters +during the Christmas season which infringe the +Postmaster-General's not severe regulations. The +custom of sending Christmas cards in open envelopes +is increasing.</p> + +<p>With regard to telegrams, the public have +recently received at the hands of His Grace the +Duke of Norfolk the great benefit of being allowed +to have their telegraphic messages delivered up to +distances of three miles without payment of any +charge whatever for porterage. In this neighbourhood, +the concession has resulted in an increase +in the number of messages for delivery over a mile, +especially at Christmas. During the Christmas<!--[224.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> +season there is always a decrease in the number +of business telegrams, but that is in some measure +made up for by a large number of telegrams being +sent by the public who are travelling to keep +holiday, and in this connection more use is made +of the telegraph than the telephone service. The +decrease in the volume of work admits of telegraphists +aiding their brother officers on the postal +side.</p> + +<p>The inflow of Christmas cards is pretty evenly +dispersed over the earlier days of the season, but +the great rush comes on the night of the 23rd and +the morning of the 24th of the month. Letters up +to four ounces in weight are now conveyed at the +small cost to the public of a penny. So far as this +city is concerned, letters and book-packets over two +ounces in weight, which are now blended in one post, +are quadrupled in number at the Christmas season. +This increase in the letter packets has the effect of +retarding the postmen in effecting their deliveries, +inasmuch as they have to search in their bags for +the packages which they cannot carry tied up in +consecutive order. The trouble arising therefrom +is somewhat mitigated, however, by the circumstance<!--[225.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> +that the charged letters are less numerous than +heretofore, owing to the large increase in the weight +which is now carried for a penny. The Christmas +season is departmentally regarded as consisting of +the days from the 20th of the month to Christmas +Day, the 25th, inclusive. From the most reliable +calculations that the officials are capable of making, +it would appear that during the Christmas period +no fewer than 2,000,000 letters are dropped by the +residents into the 500 receptacles dotted here and +there over Bristol's large postal area. The letters +distributed by Bristol's regular postmen, with their +250 followers, are a million and a half, in each +case about an extra week's work to be got through +in three days.</p> + +<p>Some 20,000 letters and parcels find their way to +the Bristol Returned Letter Office as the flotsam +and jetsam of the Christmas postings. They consist +of letters without addresses, letters addressed +in undecipherable caligraphy, letters for people +dead, gone away, and not known; parcels of poultry +and game without name of sender or addressee. +Certainly handwriting does not improve, hence all +these failures and embarrassments to the Post Office.<!--[226.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The articles for transmission by parcel post +handed in at the head Post Office, branch, offices, +sub-offices in town, suburbs, and villages, reach +the total of 40,000, being about four times as +numerous as at ordinary periods. The rural +districts alone produce 8,000 parcels. The parcels +delivered number 35,000, being treble ordinary +numbers. Ten thousand of these parcels are +delivered in the villages. Nearly a thousand large +hampers of parcels are exchanged between London +and Bristol, and of these some forty contain foreign +parcels alone.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the vastly increased numbers, +it becomes noticeable at Bristol, year by year, that +there is a diminution of parcels conveyed by parcel +post containing articles of good cheer: the geese, +the fowls, and the game having decreased, plum +pudding's, however, being as much in evidence as +ever. The reduction in the parcel post rates which +took place in 1897 has had a very marked effect +upon the parcel post traffic, and the increase, +particularly in the heavy weights, has been very +great. On the other hand, the reduction in the +rates of charge for the conveyance of post parcels<!--[227.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> +has had the effect of bringing about a decrease in +the number of parcels weighing under 2 lb.</p> + +<p>As showing that the postal deliveries at the +Christmas season are arranged as well as the extraordinary +circumstances will admit, and that the +public on its part can appreciate the difficulties to +be contended with, it may be worthy of mention +that complaints of delay are rarely made.</p> + +<p>The Postmaster-General is not unmindful of his +duty in providing sustenance for his legions at the +busy season, and refreshments are supplied for the +permanent staff without stint. There are no trams +running on Christmas Day, so that the postmen with +their heavy loads are much worse off than on ordinary +days, when, with lighter loads, they can ride to and +fro on the tramcars. There are some pleasing social +features which are worthy of record. For instance, +the ladies of the Clifton Letter Mission have for +some years past sent "A Christmas Letter" and +Christmas card to each of the 150 telegraph +messengers employed in the Bristol district. The +ladies who manage the society known as the Postal +and Telegraph Christian Association invariably send +to every postman in the Bristol district a sympathetic<!--[228.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> +and seasonable letter, accompanied by a pretty +Christmas card and the best of all good wishes. +The staff of the Bristol Post Office usually pay the +compliments of the Christmas season to their postal +friends elsewhere in the form of a prettily-designed +card.</p> + +<p>Christmas Day of 1898 is rendered memorable in +postal annals from the circumstance that on that +day the postage on letters to and from many of our +colonies and foreign possessions was reduced from +the modest sum of 2½d. per half-ounce to the still +more modest sum of 1d. per half-ounce. Bristol +has a not inconsiderable colonial and foreign correspondence. +British India takes 550 letters, etc., on +the average weekly; the Dominion of Canada, 450; +Newfoundland, 110; and Gibraltar, 100; the other +countries to which the reduced rate of postage has +been applied take 500 in the week.</p> + +<p>One of the many changes that have taken place +in the manners and customs of the people as +affecting the Post Office is very noticeable as +regards the observance of St. Valentine's Day. +Thirty years ago the votaries of the patron saint, +in their thousands, vied with each other, year after<!--[229.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> +year, to honour his memory, and make the Post Office +the medium of sending to every close friend some +kind of love token, ranging from the artistic production +at one guinea, down to the humble penny +fly-leaf which contained the simple but expressive +pleading, at the bottom of a neat woodcut, "O come, +true love, be mine." Only too often, however, the +day was made the occasion to strike a blow at the +fickle lover by means of some gross caricature. +On the eve of St. Valentine the energies of the staff, +which was limited as compared with now, were +formerly greatly taxed to get rid of the enormous +piles of packets which flooded the various receptacles +in the city. All this is, however, changed; +the occasion now passes by almost unnoticed in the +sorting office and by the postmen.<!--[230.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h5>PUBLIC OFFICE: ITS BUSINESS—THE SAVINGS BANK—PUBLIC +COMMUNICATIONS.</h5> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i231.jpg" width="500" height="310" alt="The Public Hall, Bristol. +From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol." title="The Public Hall, Bristol. +From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol." /> +<span class="caption">The Public Hall, Bristol.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol.</i> +</div> + +<p>The public office of the Bristol Post Office is +very commodious (50 ft. by 44 ft.), and affords +ample counter accommodation to the citizens for +properly conducting their Post Office business. It +is markedly superior as regards size and fitting-up +to almost any other provincial office, and indeed its +equal in those respects is scarcely to be found in +all London. In contrast to the spacious public +hall of the Bristol Post Office and the civility +of its clerks, the writer's first impressions of the +postal service of his country were by no means of +a pleasant character. When quite a small child, +he was entrusted by his mother with the mission of +conveying a small rose-coloured and delicately-perfumed +letter to the Post Office in a world-famed +Warwickshire town—an errand of which he was +"no end" proud. Timidly he knocked at a little +wicket in the window of the house to which he<!--[233.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> +<!--[232.png]--> +was directed. Almost immediately the wicket was +thrown open, and a very red visage appeared. +"What do you want?" "Will you put a stamp +on this letter, sir, please?" "No! What the +devil do you mean by bringing letters like this? +'Tisn't big enough. It'll get lost in some hole or +corner." Frightened at this "Giant Grim," a +hasty retreat was made, and the irascible old postmaster +was left to do as he liked with letter and +penny.</p> + +<p>The penny combined postage and Inland Revenue +stamp was introduced in 1881. A new series of +postage stamps was issued in 1884, and the present +series in January, 1887.</p> + +<p>In the year 1833 the value of the postage +stamps obtained from London for distribution +in the Bristol district was £33,844; in 1862 it +had only grown to £35,720; but in 1898 it +had reached the more prodigious proportions of +£171,000, of which sum those stamps of the halfpenny +denomination were of the value of £30,700, +and in number 14,735,000; and the penny stamps +in value £85,775 and in number 20,586,000. +Stamps of other denominations were issued<!--[234.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> +thus:—1½d., 207,360; 2d., 205,920; 2½d., 207,000; +3d., 364,320; 4d., 277,680; 4½d., 16,000; 5d., +147,120; 6d., 534,600; 9d., 51,200; 10d., 27,840; +1s., 82,320; 2s. 6d., 2,800; 5s., 2,588; 10s., +688; 20s., 550 and £5, 4. Post-cards, embossed +envelopes, newspaper wrappers, telegraph forms +and other articles of the kind were of the value of +£14,334. At the earlier period the postmaster of +the day was allowed 1 per cent. on the value +of the stamps sold, in addition to his salary. It is +not so now!</p> + +<p>Under the system inaugurated in 1880 the postal +orders issued and paid at the Bristol public office +counter number nearly half a million in the year. +The money orders paid at the counter preponderate +over those issued—the amounts respectively being +£237,000 and £34,000. These sums include the +amounts received in respect of telegraph money +orders—the Department's new departure of 1890. +The Government insurance and annuity business +commenced by the Post Office in 1865 is making +progress in Bristol, and the same may be said +of the system started in 1880 of investments in +Government stock through Post Office medium.<!--[235.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The first Post Office Savings Bank in the district +was established at the Clifton Branch Post Office on +the 16th September, 1861, the year in which savings +bank business was commenced throughout the +country generally. Several accounts were opened +on that day, and the amount deposited was £35 4s. +A similar institution was opened in the city in March, +1862, at the Money Order Office, then located in the +corner shop in Albion Chambers, Small Street, +opposite the present Head Post Office. From such +small beginnings a vast savings bank business has +grown up. The sum standing to the credit of +depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank in the +Bristol postal area at the end of 1895, when the last +account was published, was nearly £2,000,000, +deposited by some 100,000 separate individuals. +The deposits made at the head office in Small Street +reached close upon £400,000, and the other part of +the amount is made up thus: Gloucestershire side—Town +Post Offices, £659,085; rural Post Offices, +£192,934. Somersetshire side—Town Post Offices, +£215,295; rural Post Offices, £91,944. The estimated +amount due to depositors in the Post Office Savings +Banks throughout the whole country on the 21st<!--[236.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> +December, 1898, was £123,155,000, and the amount +due to trustees of Savings Banks on November 20th, +1898,—the latest date on which the figures were +made up—was £50,634,655. The Bristol Savings +Bank was closed in 1888, and its 12,814 accounts +were transferred to the Post Office Savings Bank. +The amount of money involved was a little over +half a million.</p> + +<p>During Mr. Fawcett's administration at the Post +Office, thrift on the part of the nation was encouraged +in every possible way. Then was inaugurated the +now familiar system for facilitating the placing of +small sums in the Post Office Savings Bank by +means of postage stamps affixed to a Post Office +form as penny after penny is saved until an amount +of one shilling is reached, the minimum for a Post +Office Savings Bank deposit.</p> + +<p>A case occurred at a Bristol Post Office fifteen +years since, in which a young servant girl, in her +desire to be thrifty under the system alluded to, +craftily obtained the key of the letter box from +the secret place in which the sub-postmaster kept +it, and abstracted a number of circular letters on +School Board business, and took off the stamps for<!--[237.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> +attachment to the Savings Bank slips. She was +sentenced to a term of imprisonment, which, on +account of her youth, was limited to six months.</p> + +<p>Amusing incidents sometimes occur to break the +monotony of counter work. For instance, a woman +applied for a postal order, and when it was handed +to her, the clerk, acting upon the official instructions, +recommended the good lady to take the number +before sending the order away. A few days afterwards +she appeared at the Post Office with the order +and complained that payment had been refused +because the order had been mutilated. The clerk +on examining the order found that the direction to +"take the number of the order" had been acted on +literally. The number had been carefully cut out, +and retained in the possession of the applicant. It +was some time before she could be made to realize +her mistake. In another instance early one fine +autumn morn a young couple presented themselves +at the public office of the Bristol Post Office and +begged in earnest language that they might be +supplied with a marriage license. The request could +not, of course, be complied with, but the applicants, +much to their satisfaction, were informed where they<!--[238.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> +could obtain the needed document. On another +occasion some money was observed on the counter, +and on the very small child near it being asked +what was required, "Two ounces of tea and a +pound of sugar" were at once demanded. This +mistake no doubt arose from the fact that the +business carried on in the late Post Office building +in Exchange Avenue is that of a tea dealer. It +is a rule of the Service that letters should not be +delivered from the <i>Poste Restante</i> except to the +actual addressees or to other persons bearing +authority to receive the letters on behalf of the +addressees. A request was made at the Bristol Head +Post Office for the delivery of letters to a person +other than the addressee, which person could not +produce the necessary authority to act as recipient. +The excuse given for non-production of authority +was that the addressee was asleep. The enquirer +having been advised to get authority when the +addressee awoke, rather astonished the counter clerk +by saying that such awaking would not take place +until Saturday, the day of application being +Tuesday. It transpired that the application was +made in respect of letters for a person who was<!--[239.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> +undergoing a state of hypnotism at a Bristol music +hall. The touching incident occurred at the Bristol +Post Office of a poor woman—pressing want having +come upon her at last—who had to withdraw a +shilling which she had thirty years previously +deposited in a trustee savings bank which was +taken over by the Post Office. She had to receive +one penny by way of interest for the use of her +mite for thirty years. Some years since a collector +of old issues of crown-pieces presented seventy of +such coins, in a good state of preservation, at the +Bristol Post Office counter as a Savings Bank deposit. +The depositor, after taking the trouble to accumulate +these old coins, had come to the conclusion that an +annual interest of eight shillings and sixpence would +be more useful to him than an occasional inspection +of the coins. Few people know so little about Post +Office matters as an individual from over the Severn +who recently asked for a postage stamp. "Do you +want a penny or a halfpenny stamp?" asked the +clerk. "I want a South Wales stamp," was the +reply of Taffy. Then the surprise of the counter +officer must have been great when, on counting up +his money, he found that on one of the shillings<!--[240.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +the legend "Baby" boldly appeared impressed +where the Queen's head is usually found, the coin +having evidently been used as a brooch.</p> + +<p>The Department, in communicating with the +public, prescribes that its officers should subscribe +themselves as the public's most obedient servants, +and on some of the printed forms which have to +be returned in answer to queries raised by the +Department the same style is adopted for the +public to use. One dignified gentleman returned +his form, from which he had erased "Your +obedient servant" and substituted "Yours respectfully," +adding a marginal note to the effect that +he was not the servant of the Department, but that +the Department was his servant.</p> + +<p>The postmaster of Bristol is addressed by the +public in various ways, as for instance: "Postmaster +General," "General Postmaster," "Bristol +Postmaster," "H.M. Chief Postmaster," "To the +Postmaster in State, Small Street, Bristol," "Head +Post-Master and Surveyor of the Bristol District," +"Head Master, Post Office," "Post Office Master," +"Postmaster-in-General," "Master General, Post-Office," +"Mr. ——, Esq., Post M.G.," "Mr. ——,<!--[241.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> +Esq., Post Office General," "To the Reverend Sir +Postmaster, Bristol, England."</p> + +<p>It is astonishing how many Foreigners and +Colonists apply to the Bristol Post Office respecting +their relations, or for information as regards trading +matters. The former questions are sometimes +answered, but the latter are handed over to the +courteous secretary of the Chamber of Commerce +to deal with.</p> + +<p>Very unusual was the circumstance of the receipt +at the Bristol Post Office in 1895, anonymously, of +a sum of ten shillings in postage stamps as conscience +money, and, oddly enough, the next day +threepence in stamps was received in the same +anonymous manner and for the same purpose. +These two instances were the first and the last.</p> + +<p>The difference between romance and fact is +exemplified by an article which appeared in a +monthly magazine as follows, viz.:—</p> + +<p class='Title'><br /> +"A PUBLIC SERVANT."<br /> +</p> + +<p>"Her Majesty possesses one more faithful public +servant than she is aware of, though its name does +not transpire in the list of the Ministry. Every<!--[242.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> +night at the General Post Office, Bristol, a spirited +mare attached to the red mail-cart is brought, at a +quarter before midnight, to fetch the bags of letters, +&c. She stands perfectly still, waiting while the +mails are sealed and tossed one by one into the +vehicle. At the five minutes before twelve, however, +should all not be ready for departure, her +driver sings out 'Any more for the down train?' by +way of hurrying the officials. No sooner does the +mare hear those words than she begins to dance +and curvet, showing in every possible way her +anxiety to start and her sense of the importance of +her duties. But if by any chance the first stroke of +midnight should sound before they are ready to +proceed to the station, she takes matters into her +own hands, and nothing will then hold her in. +Those who have to do with this clever and beautiful +creature are very proud of her, on account of +the example she sets of punctuality and attention +to the affairs of the nation."</p> + +<p>The real facts on which this incident is founded +were, that the horse (not mare) remained in the +Post Office yard quietly from 11.10 p.m. until<!--[243.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +midnight on one particular night only, and not +generally, and when the loading of the van commenced +the horse became restive, the final slamming +of the van doors causing it to start off for the street. +In consequence of a repetition of this restlessness on +another night, and "kicking-in" the front of the +van, the horse was taken off the Royal Mail +Service.<!--[244.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h5>TELEGRAPHS, TELEPHONES, EXPRESS DELIVERY.</h5> + + +<p>The Saxon King, Edmund I., doubtless never +conceived, when he held court (<span class="smcap">A.D.</span> 940-946) +at his palace in the village of Pucklechurch, seven +miles from Bristol, that in generations to come +there would exist, as there does now, a telegraph +office within a few yards of the site of his castle, +whence a question could be wired to the ends of +the earth, and a reply obtained in the short space +of a few hours. Probably at that remote period +a journey from Pucklechurch to the north of +Scotland would have been considered as great an +achievement as that in recent days of Dr. Nansen +in his endeavour to get to the North Pole.</p> + +<p>The first actual working telegraph was erected +in 1838 between Paddington and West Drayton on +the Great Western Railway, and in the following +year Wheatstone and Cook constructed a telegraph +line from Paddington to Slough. Mr. Brunel then<!--[245.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> +wished to extend the line to this city, but the +shareholders would not support him to that extent. +In 1852, however, the Great Western +Railway Board had the line constructed through +to Bristol. By means of it messages could, at that +later date, be forwarded to and from most parts +of the kingdom from the office at the Bristol +Railway Station. Arrangements were put in progress +for extending the wires into the centre of +the city, in order that greater facilities might be +afforded to those parties who might wish to +avail themselves of the means of inter-communication, +and before the end of the year the wires +were laid from the railway station to the Commercial +Rooms, and subsequently three telegraph offices +were opened in the city, viz.: the Electric and +International, on the Exchange; the Magnetic, in +Exchange Avenue; and the United Kingdom, in +Corn Street. A telegraph line was laid to Shirehampton, +and the committee of the Commercial +Rooms subscribed £30 a year towards its maintenance.</p> + +<p>It is recorded that in 1859 the firm of Messrs. +W. D. and H. O. Wills, tobacconists and snuff<!--[246.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> +manufacturers of this city, laid down an electric +telegraph wire between their warehouse in Maryport +Street and their manufactory in Redcliff Street, +whereby the partners and employés, although +engaged in different parts of the city, were enabled +to converse with each other as readily as if occupying +the same counting-house. The wire was used +solely for their own business.</p> + +<p>In 1862 a turnpike road telegraph was spoken +of as being in course of construction between +Bristol and Birmingham.</p> + +<p>Mr. James Robertson, the senior assistant superintendent +o£ the Bristol Telegraph Office, during +his forty-two years' service, thirteen of which were +passed in the employment of the Electric and +International Telegraph Company, has had many +experiences. He has culled from his "ancient +history" the fact that the amount of telegraph +business transacted by the E. and I. T. Co. at +Falmouth, Plymouth, Bristol, and London (Lothbury, +head office) on March 10th, 1858, at the +respective times of day stated, was:—Falmouth, +8 messages, handed in by 10.20 a.m.; Plymouth +at 10.36 had managed to transmit 7; Bristol, at<!--[247.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> +noon, 39; and Lothbury had received 116 by 12.17 +p.m. Plymouth transmitted for Falmouth, and +Bristol for Plymouth. Bain's chemical recorder +was the system used on the Falmouth wire, the +double needle on the Plymouth and Bristol, and +"Bains" and needles on Bristol-London circuits. +The average delay on messages at Plymouth was +eighty-three minutes and at Bristol fourteen minutes. +The charge at the time from Falmouth to London +was four shillings for twenty words, addresses +free. The present proprietor of <i>Lloyd's Newspaper</i>, +Mr. Thomas Catling, records an incident in which +Mr. Robertson was concerned. Mr. Catling was +the only London newspaper reporter who visited +Windsor on the eventful night when the deeply +lamented Prince Consort breathed his last on +14th December, 1861. On reaching Windsor by +the last train from London he learned that His +Royal Highness had passed away about twenty +minutes previously. Having obtained at the Castle +particulars of the sad event, Mr. Catling hunted +out the residence of the clerk of the Electric and +International Telegraph Company. On ringing him +up, the clerk pleaded that before going to bed he<!--[248.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> +had been taking gruel and hot water to get rid +of a bad cold. He, however, got up and proceeded +with Mr. Catling to the telegraph office in High +Street, whence intelligence was wired to London. +Mr. Catling preserved the receipt of that message +as a souvenir of the occasion. Mr. Robertson +was the telegraph clerk who arose from his bed +to perform the service in the dead of night.</p> + +<p>On the transfer of the telegraph business from +the companies to the State early in 1870, the +Post Office, Bristol, engaged sixteen clerks from +the Electric and International Telegraph Company, +five from the United Kingdom Company, and six +from the Magnetic Company. Additional clerks +were employed by the Post Office as soon as the +volume of work could be gauged, but in the meantime +the transferred clerks had to do practically +double duty. The officials taken over from the +companies were located in the Small Street Post +Office, but it was not until January, 1872, that +room could be found there for the entire staff, +which had then grown to be ninety clerks and fifty +messengers. The telegraphic system soon after the +Government took to it was extended in this district<!--[249.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> +to twenty of the principal villages. In the first year +of Post Office working there were 450,000 messages +dealt with here, and now the yearly number is +3,500,000. The sixpenny telegram was introduced +in 1885. The local telegraph service now has a +staff consisting of a superintendent, 23 superintending +officers, 140 male and 44 female telegraphists, +eight telephonists, and 155 telegraph messengers. +Telegrams are delivered from the head office, two +branch offices, fifteen town sub-offices, forty rural +sub-offices, and four railway stations. The head +office has 600,000 messages delivered from it +annually, the branch and town sub-offices 220,000, +and the rural districts 74,000. Of the latter +(74,000), about 8,000 are delivered at distances of +from one to three miles, and 350 at distances over +three miles. After 8.0 p.m. all the messages in +the town area are delivered from the head office. +The Duke of Norfolk's 1897 concession of free +delivery of telegrams for all distances under three +miles has been appreciated by all those concerned.</p> + +<p>The telegraph gallery has direct telegraphic +connection with the undermentioned towns: Bath, +Birmingham, Bridgwater, Cardiff, Cheltenham,<!--[250.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> +Chippenham, Clevedon, Cork, Exeter, Glasgow, +Gloucester, Guernsey, Jersey, Leeds, Liverpool, +London, Manchester, Newport (Mon.), Oxford, +Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, +Swindon, Taunton, and Weston-super-Mare, and +thirty-two smaller towns.</p> + +<p>Bristol plays a not unimportant part in the Post +Office telephone trunk line system, commenced in +1896. It has direct trunk lines to Bath, Birmingham, +Cardiff, Exeter, Gloucester, London, Newport, +Sharpness, Taunton, and Weston-super-Mare. The +conversations held by the public through the +medium of these lines number 4,000 weekly.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i251.jpg" width="500" height="314" alt="The Telegraph Instrument Room, Bristol Post Office. +From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol." title="The Telegraph Instrument Room, Bristol Post Office. +From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol." /> +<span class="caption">The Telegraph Instrument Room, Bristol Post Office.</span><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>From a photograph by Mr. Protheroe, Wine Street, Bristol.</i> +</div> + +<p>The well-ventilated and well-lighted telegraph +instrument room is on the upper floor, and extends +from end to end of the building. In it there are +102 telegraph instruments of various kinds in use, +viz.: 5 A.B.C.'s, 19 double-plate sounders, 30 +sounders, 28 duplexes, 5 quadruplexes, 5 Wheatstone +sets, 7 repeaters or relays, 2 concentrators +and 1 hexode. Divested of technicalities, it may be +said that telegraphing on the A.B.C. instruments +is effected by alphabetic manipulative keys, which +are depressed by the fingers of the left hand of the<!--[253.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> +<!--[252.png]--> +sender at the same time that a handle is turned +with the right hand, and a corresponding effect is +produced on the dial plate of the receiver. The +double-plate sounder is read by sound from two +small metal hands striking right and left against +two pieces of metal. In sending, the working is +by means of keys manipulated by the hand. The +sending upon the sounder instrument, which is that +chiefly used, is done by a small key with handle +being depressed and released according to the dots +and dashes of the Morse alphabet. The signals by +which messages are received and read by the ear +are produced by a bar of soft iron striking upon a +steel point placed between two coils of wire. With +the A.B.C., double-plate sounder, and sounder, only +one message can be sent or received on the wire at +one time; but the duplex sounder instruments are so +constructed that two messages can be sent on the +wire—one in each direction—at the same time. +Double-current duplex instruments are in use for +telegraphing to busy towns such as Plymouth, +Exeter, Cardiff, Swansea, &c., &c. The quadruplex +consists of two duplex sets upon one wire. Upon +these circuits two distinct messages may be sent<!--[254.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> +simultaneously from each end. The hexode has six +instruments at each end of a single wire, enabling +twelve clerks to operate at the same time—six at +each end,—and thus admits of a single wire doing +so much work as six wires worked with the ordinary +sounder instrument.</p> + +<p>At times of pressure when race meetings are +going on, or during the cricket and football seasons, +the ordinary methods of working are supplemented +by extraordinary means, thus: the duplex working +between Bristol and Manchester is augmented by +Manchester connecting there a Bristol wire with a +Newcastle wire: Newcastle in like manner further +connecting the line with Glasgow, Glasgow with +Edinburgh, Edinburgh with Dundee, and Dundee +with Aberdeen. Then at the Bristol end, instead +of working by means of the ordinary keys, Wheatstone +working is resorted to, viz.: the messages +instead of being "keyed" are "punched," the +punching process being performed by means of +iron punching sticks upon an apparatus called the +"perforator." The sticks are rapidly worked by +skilful operators upon three steel keys, which, when +struck, mechanically draw a strip of white paper tape,<!--[255.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> +at the same time perforating holes which indicate +signs in accordance with the Morse alphabet system. +These slips thus "punched"—which, by-the-by, +very much resemble the perforated slips used in +connection with the organette instrument—are +passed through a Wheatstone "transmitter," and +buzzed through so rapidly that 400 or 500 words +can be sent in a minute. The signals are simultaneously +reproduced upon blue slips in the form +of dots and dashes at Manchester, at Newcastle, +at Glasgow, at Edinburgh, at Dundee, and at +Aberdeen. The message recorded on the slips is +broken off at about every hundred words to form +a "press" page at the receiving offices for writing +up by the telegraphists, a large number of whom +can be employed on the work at the same time. +When this process is resorted to the battery power +for the wire has to be greatly increased. The +repeater instruments are worked in like manner, +except that the system is permanent instead of +occasional. The concentrator is a recent invention, +and is used for the purpose of economising +force and apparatus, and of minimising delay and +table space. By its means the wires for eighteen<!--[256.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> +to twenty offices, which use the same form of +telegraphic instrument, are led into a special +switch-board, and each wire as it is required is +"switched" through to a telegraph instrument, +at which a clerk is ready to send or receive the +message. Thus the telegraphist is "fed" by the +operator at the concentrator, and has to send a +message to any one of the thirty towns instead of, +under ordinary working, to only three or four towns.</p> + +<p>In place of over 700 batteries with 3,500 cells of +the Bichromate, Daniel and Leclanche type in use at +the Bristol telegraph office for many years, a system +of accumulators or storage batteries has been +brought into operation. The power for charging +the accumulators is generated on the spot by a +Crossley's gas engine driving a dynamo. The +accumulators number 250, and each has seven +divisions. The hexode instrument between Bristol +and London requires a voltage of 400 dry cells. +There are two complete sets of accumulators, each +with separate connecting wires to the instrument +room. One set is in use at a time. The system +of accumulators has been introduced for the +purposes of economy and saving of space.<!--[257.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span></p> + + +<p>It may be interesting to the uninitiated to learn +that in telegraphy the earth plays the part +of a return wire; thus the circuit between Bristol +and Birmingham is rendered complete by earth. +The wires connected with the two towns indicated +are brought into the test boxes at the respective +places, and there connected to a single wire at +each town which finds earth by means of a zinc +plate buried some twelve feet in the soil near or +under the Post Office buildings.</p> + +<p>Occasionally when people have been out for a +drive or a cycle ride, and their eyes have been +delighted with the grand scenery to be found +around Bristol, they look, as they journey homewards, +to the Government poles and to the many +wires therefrom suspended, and wonder which are +telegraph wires, which are telephone wires, where +they all lead to, and between what points messages +are sent and conversations held. Such travellers +returning to Bristol by way of Almondsbury would +see the wires on the one side (telegraphs), which run +from Bristol to Falfield, Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, +Gloucester, Liverpool; London to Swansea, Newport, +and Cardiff; Birmingham to Exeter; Plymouth to<!--[258.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> +Liverpool; and (telephones) Bristol to Birmingham, +Gloucester, Cardiff; and on the other side of the +road (telephones) Horfield, Fylton, Almondsbury, +Newport, Cardiff, Gloucester and Birmingham. In +some instances there are two or three wires for the +same place. The telegraph, and telephone wires +cross and recross each other at frequent intervals +along the road, and the whole sets of wires cross +from side to side of the road between Fylton and +Almondsbury.</p> + +<p>Alternative routes for the wires are adopted where +practicable, so that in case of a break-down on one +line communication may be kept up on the other.</p> + +<p>By way of illustration of such alternate routes, it +may be mentioned that the two wires from the Head +Post Office in Small Street for Swansea run underground +to Stapleton Road, at which point they are +brought above ground and diverge, one running to +Wee Lane, thence to Ashley Hill, Horfield, Almondsbury, +Alveston Ship, Falfield and Berkeley, up to +the Severn Bridge; and the other branching off at +the end of Stapleton Road, and carried along the +Fishponds and Chipping Sodbury roads nearly to +Yate, and down the Tortworth road to just beyond<!--[259.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +Falfield, where it joins the other Swansea and South +Wales wires, and passes over the Severn Bridge into +Wales.</p> + +<p>The telegraph and telephone wires in this district +are chiefly erected and maintained by soldiers of the +Royal Engineers. Sixteen military telegraphists, +members of the Royal Engineers, are attached to the +Bristol Post Office, and kept in training for telegraph +service with the army. Twelve of them are now—November, +1899—in South Africa on active service, +in connection with the troubles in the Transvaal.</p> + +<p>In the great hurricane which occurred in January, +1899, the telephone and telegraph wires radiating +from Bristol were blown down in all directions. In +consequence Bristol was entirely cut off from direct +telephonic communication with Birmingham for 21 +hours, and had only one wire instead of two for 9¼ +hours; from Bath for 18 hours, and had only one +wire instead of two for 5½ hours; from Cardiff for +18 hours, and had only two wires instead of three +for 10½ hours; from Weston-super-Mare entirely +for 24½ hours; from Taunton for 28½ hours; from +Exeter for 27 hours; from Sharpness for 26 hours. +There was only one wire instead of two to Gloucester<!--[260.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> +for 26¼ hours, to London for 6 hours, and to Newport +for 20¾ hours.</p> + +<p>The trunk telephone lines were more or less +interrupted for a week, caused by the working +parties engaged on repairs.</p> + +<p>The telegraph wires for the counties of Gloucester, +Somerset, Monmouth, Warwick, Shropshire, Worcester, +Wilts, Devon, Cornwall and Lancashire were +those chiefly deranged.</p> + +<p>It is believed that there is only one telegraph +cable in the Bristol district, and that cable does not +belong to the Postmaster-General. It crosses the +river Avon at a point adjacent to Pill and Shirehampton, +and was used by the Commercial Rooms +in connection with reports of the arrival of vessels. +Up to the time of its introduction, as already stated, +"warners" were employed. The last of the old +running "warners" were Gerrish and Case. These +men lived at Pill, and on hearing news from pilots-men +of the arrival of a ship in the Bristol Channel +they started off on foot to Bristol and <i>warned</i> the +merchants and wives of sailors of the vessel's arrival +in the Channel, getting, of course, fees for their +trouble,—a guinea from the merchants, and so on,<!--[261.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> +down to the shillings of the sailors' wives,—and fifty +years ago these fees were willingly paid, and the +heavy postages too. The runners were men of some +little mark.</p> + +<p>The Post Office at Avonmouth, a Bristol sub-office, +is much used for telegraph purposes by persons on +board vessels passing up and down the Kingroad in +the Bristol Channel. The Bristol Corporation placed +outside the port a large white notice board with +"<span class="smcap">TELEGRAPH OFFICE</span>" painted upon it in black letters, +to attract the attention of mariners. The messages +are chiefly received from vessels with cargoes consigned +to Sharpness, which in neap tides have often +to lie in the roads for days.</p> + +<p>Telegrams for vessels lying in Kingroad are often +taken out by boat at midnight or in the early hours +of the morning. This is often in consequence of +the tide not serving, or being too strong for the +boatman to go out at seasonable hours.</p> + +<p>Lundy Island, in the Bristol Channel, is connected +with the mainland by a submarine cable, which is +considered to be one of the most perfect of its kind. +Letters for Lundy, from Bristol and elsewhere, are +carried across by boat from Instow once a week. The<!--[262.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> +nearer small islands of Flat Holm and Steep Holm +have cable telephonic communication with Weston-super-Mare. +The telephone, which is carried into +the Weston Post Office, is rented by the War Office +Authorities, who allow the islanders the use of it. +Letters from Bristol for the Flat Holm are conveyed +by way of Cardiff. The island is rented from the +Cardiff Corporation by a farmer who resides upon it. +His son, who lives in Cardiff, daily visits the island +in a yacht, and conveys the letters for the Trinity +House officials and residents. For the Steep Holm, +Bristol letters are sent from Weston-super-Mare; the +services to the island being tri-weekly—Tuesday, +Thursday and Saturday,—and are performed by a +contractor, who goes across on behalf of the War +Office. The Steep Holm is inhabited by military +men only. In a manuscript of 30th March, 1825, +it is described as "Stipe Holme." One of the first +serious efforts in connection with the plan of telegraphing +through space without connecting wires +was conducted between the diminutive island of +Flat Holm and the shore, a distance of about five +miles; and between Penarth and Brean Down, a +distance of nine miles. An interesting illustration<!--[263.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> +of the system of wireless telegraphy was given, +under the direction of Mr. W. H. Preece, C.B., +F.R.S. (now Sir W. H. Preece, K.C.B., F.R.S.), +at the Clifton College conversazione, held in honour +of the learned British Associates during the meeting +of the Association at Bristol in 1898.</p> + +<p>The telegraph staff have seldom had their skill +and smartness more thoroughly tested than on the +memorable Monday evening in February, 1893, +when press messages of great length relating to the +introduction of the Home Rule Bill were sent over +the wires. Twenty minutes after Mr. Gladstone +rose to speak in the House of Commons the first +instalment of the special summary of his speech +reached this city. The conclusion of the summary +was received at two minutes to 7. The verbatim +report commenced to arrive at 4.49, and the last +instalment reached the Bristol Office at 8 o'clock. +The total number of words in the messages sent to +Bristol was nearly 40,000.</p> + +<p>During the early potato season telegraphing is +very brisk with Jersey. Bristol is the only large +office besides London which has direct communication +with the island. Some idea may be gathered<!--[264.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> +of the extra labour entailed on the telegraph service +from the fact that in the month of June, 1899, no +fewer than 20,904 telegrams passed between Bristol +and Jersey, the normal number being only 5,800 +monthly. Five or six telegraph operators are +usually sent during the season to Jersey from +Bristol.</p> + +<p>In Bristol about 700 firms use abbreviated +telegraphic addresses.</p> + +<p>The telegraph money order system, started in +1889, is exhibiting marvellous developments in the +local service.</p> + +<p>The express letter delivery service, which came +into operation in 1891, is very useful to the public. +By means of this agency the Post Office distributes +by express messenger 300,000 letters and parcels +annually. Of that number Bristol contributes +7,000 services. Bicycles and tricycles are now +delivered for the public from any telegraph office +in Bristol and district by special messenger at a fee +of 3d. per mile, without any charge for weight. +The messengers are not permitted to ride upon the +cycles, except by the permission of the senders, +but will wheel them up to a distance of three miles.<!--[265.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></p> + + +<p>An express delivery messenger has been used, +ere now, for the convoy of a traveller from point +to point in a town unknown to him or her. The +Post Office is often required to assist even more +closely in the domestic relations of life. Recently a +gentleman from America wrote to the Clifton Post +Office to enquire whether a certain near relative +of his could be found, as he was very anxious to +see her before return to America. He enclosed a +shilling stamp for a reply by telegraph, and begged +for urgency. The relative was found and her +address given. The applicant's ardour to see his +relative cooled, or his stay in the country was +abridged, for instead of paying the proposed visit, +he begged the Post Office officials to expend five +shillings, which he sent, in the purchase of cut +roses for his relative. Of course, this was outside the +round of Post Office duties, but the clerks obligingly +attended to it, with the aid of a telegraph +messenger who was off duty at the moment.</p> + +<p>Occasional mistakes are not to be wondered at +when people write illegibly. Through the improper +formation of the capital letter, D, in the proper +name Dyster, has in telegraphing been turned into<!--[266.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> +O, and the name made Oyster, with the result of +misdelivery of the telegram to a firm of fishmongers +having "Oyster" as an abbreviated address. It +must have been extremely painful to an anxious +parent to receive a telegram summoning him to a +nursing home far distant, in terms that his "sow +was worse," and begging him to come at once; +the telegraphist having made the slight mistake of +transcribing "w" for "n." The gentleman who sent +a telegram to his town house in the West End of +London asking that his covert coat might be +forwarded to him was no doubt considerably +astonished when his butler returned the telegram +to him by post asking for an explanation, and +he found that the text of it was "Pigs, <sup>9</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub>, <sup>8</sup>⁄<sub>9</sub>, +and 8/-." The error was occasioned in connection +with the use of multiple addresses for a bacon-trading +firm's telegrams. In another instance a +curious complication resulted through imperfect +spacing on the part of the signalling telegraphist, +thus:—A telegram written by the sender as "To +----, Fore St., Northam, Bideford. Be in +attendance Public Offices," was transcribed thus:—"To —— forest, +Northam, Bideford. Be in at<!--[267.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> +ten dance Public Offices," and, owing to the +number of words counting the same as the number +signalled, the inaccuracy was not discovered until +a repetition had been obtained from the office of +origin on application of the addressee. It was +printed in a Midland newspaper that at the +presentation of a sword of honour to the Sirdar +the Common Councilmen attended in their "margarine +gowns," and, of course, the error of using +"margarine" for "mazarine" was put down to +the carelessness of the telegraph clerk. A telegram +was sent indicating arrival at 8 Mostyn Crescent, +in a favourite North Wales town. At one stage +in transmission "Mostyn" became converted into +"mostly," and at the next office of transmission +"Crescent" became "pleasant," and the telegram +when delivered read "Arrived 8 mostly pleasant." +The Prime Minister who had informed his audience +that "there was no prospect of an immediate +general election, that they had a working majority, +and the Government was of good cheer," would not +have been pleased had he seen that the last word in +the telegram posted up in the Bristol Commercial +Rooms had been transcribed as "of good cheek."<!--[268.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span></p> + + +<p>A telegram, "Have arranged for Sunday. Dening," +with the first two words struck out, and "arrangement +complete" substituted underneath, was handed +in at a telegraph office by a well-known and +much respected Bristol clergyman. At the forwarding +office the message was unfortunately read +"For Sunday Dinning arrangement complete," the +erasure and addition not having been properly +understood and the proper name misspelt. At +the delivering office the message again suffered +alteration, and became "For Sunday dining +arrangements complete." It may readily be supposed +that the addressee was somewhat astonished +at the peculiar text of the message.</p> + +<p>The following is from the Bristol <i>Times and +Mirror</i> of February, 1893, and has reference to +a little inaccuracy on the part of a telegraph +assistant employed at a Bristol sub-post office. +The incident itself is correctly reported:—"Garraways, +12 o'clock. Dear Mrs. B.—Chops and +tomato sauce. Yours Pickwick," settled the hash +of a well-known character; and a wire, "Going to +Bath to meet girl. Not back to dinner," had, +very nearly, a similar effect on the domestic<!--[269.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> +relations of one of the smartest solicitors in our +city. The telegraph has had, in its time, much +to answer for, "but never aught like this." +When Puck said: "I'll put a girdle round about +the earth in forty minutes," he little thought +what mischief he might do. It was only the +other day we read how a stray dropped line +destroyed a horse, killed a cow, and cut off the +head of a nigger; but these accidents were a +trifle compared with what might have happened +if the message first quoted could not have been +explained. The learned gentleman it appears has +a brother, by name Gilbert, familiarly known in +the circle as "Gil." The latter, having business +in Bath, wrote asking his relative to dine with +him at the "Christopher." The learned advocate +at once accepted; but, being a thoroughly domesticated +man, telegraphed to his better-half: "Going +to Bath to meet Gil; not back to dinner." Then +came in the "cussedness" of the wire which substituted +"girl" for "Gil," and hence the temporary +ructions when the happy husband, having succeeded +with his latchkey, sought repose.<!--[270.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h5>TELEGRAPH MESSENGERS.</h5> + + +<p>The telegraph messengers in uniform employed +in the Bristol district number about 160. They +have a literary institute, a drum and fife band, +hold swimming classes, etc. That there is need +of night classes may be inferred from the following +specimens of telegraph messengers' orthography and +syntax:—</p> + +<p>(1) "Supt, Sir, I will try to be more careful in +the pass. Yours obed, H. P——."</p> + +<p>(2) "Supt, Sir, I having asked where the message +was ment for and they told me to go up the road +where I should see a chemist shop where I should +find it about there and I having could not find it I +asked, a gentleman which he said it was farther up +the road and I left it with cotton the undertaker +which he said it was quite right.—G. H——."</p> + +<p>(3) "Supt, sir, I will try to be more extint in the +future as this is the truth.—M. T——."<!--[271.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span></p> + + +<p>(4) "Supt, Sir, I much regret not returning my +report But I left it home in my other Pocket in +my overcoat which is home drying which was wet +through on Saturday last. Yours obed H. E——."</p> + +<p>The institute was inaugurated at a public meeting +at the Colston Hall on the 1st December, 1892, +which was attended by a large and influential +gathering of citizens. Upon the platform were the +Mayor of Bristol (Mr. W. R. Barker), who presided, +the Very Rev. the Dean of Bristol (Dr. Pigou), Mr. +Charles Townsend, M.P., Rev. R. Cornall, Mr. R. C. +Tombs (the postmaster), Mrs. R. C. Tombs, Dr. +Lansdown, jun., Miss Synge, Miss Pollock, Messrs. +John Harvey, Arthur Baker, E. G. Clarke, H. Lewis, +C. H. Tucker, R. L. Leighton, W. H. Lindrea, J. R. +Bennett, E. Sampson; also Messrs. A. J. Flewell +(superintendent of the telegraph department), +W. H. Gange, J. Robertson, J. S. Gover, J. J. +Mackay, H. T. Carter (superintendent of the postal +department).</p> + +<p>It was explained that the telegraph messengers +were engaged at from thirteen to fourteen years of +age, and the lessons they had learned at school +had chiefly been supplemented by a knowledge<!--[272.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> +acquired in the streets. The object was to counteract +street influences by providing elementary +instruction, recreation, and interesting literature. +There was no desire to educate the boys to such +a pitch that Jack would think himself better than +his master, but to take care that they should not +degenerate. It was announced that the hours of +labour had just been reduced from sixty-two to +fifty per week, which would be a great boon to +the boys. It was further stated that a private +appeal had been made, not in vain, to a few of +Bristol's most generous citizens, and that through +their kindly aid, with subscriptions from the +members of the staff and the grant which it was +hoped to earn from the Education Department, the +institute would be carried on without pecuniary +embarrassment. The description of the institute's +work was as follows:—</p> + +<p>1. The institute would be open to the telegraph +messengers and to junior officers of the postal and +telegraph service, the charge to each member to be +one penny per week.</p> + +<p>2. The institute would be carried on in a room +at the General Post Office.<!--[273.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span></p> + + +<p>3. In connection with the institute an evening +school would be held, the educational session to +last from October to May. An annual examination +of the members of the classes would be held.</p> + +<p>4. In addition to the three elementary subjects,—reading, +writing, and arithmetic,—classes would +be arranged for the study of Scripture, geography, +drawing, composition, and shorthand.</p> + +<p>5. For the purpose of recreation certain games +would be provided.</p> + +<p>6. In connection with the institute there would be +a library, which had been formed by means of books +generously given by the citizens of Bristol.</p> + +<p>7. The library would be open to any established +or unestablished officer of the postal and telegraph +service at a slight subscription per month.</p> + +<p>8. A penny savings bank would also be started.</p> + +<p>The Chairman said he gladly consented, to preside +that evening, because the object of the meeting was +one in which he took deep interest, and one which +he felt sure would commend itself to a very large +number of his fellow-citizens. He thought he +might say that everything connected with the postal +service was peculiarly interesting to them all, and<!--[274.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> +anything they could do to ameliorate the lot of +those who daily rendered them such important +service they would be very glad to do. He thought +it would not be well to make the movement too +"goody" in its character, or too educational, so he +was glad to see that there was a lighter side to the +scheme.</p> + +<p>Mr. Charles Townsend, M.P., Mr. Arthur Baker, +Mr. Harold Lewis, Miss Synge, and members of +the postal and telegraph, staff, also spoke.</p> + +<p>Then, the Dean of Bristol addressed the telegraph +messengers, and said he really should have been +disappointed if he had not been invited to attend +the meeting. It was a pleasant part of his +privilege in ministering in Bristol to be asked to +take a share in such an interesting gathering as +they were holding that evening. One of the best +features of this institute was that it would assist +them to put their leisure to the most profitable +use.</p> + +<p>The educational work has been progressing +steadily ever since its inauguration, and much +good has resulted from it to the messengers.</p> + +<p>Ever ready to give their countenance to entertainments<!--[275.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span> +for the benefit of the community, their +Graces the late lamented Duke, and the Dowager +Duchess, of Beaufort, as their first public act after +coming to reside at Stoke Park, near our city, +attended a concert at the Redland Park Hall, +which was held for the purpose of benefiting the +funds of the Telegraph Messengers' Institute. +Later on, May 21st, 1898, they were kind enough +to attend an annual meeting and a prize distribution +at the Colston Hall. The late Duke, +who presided on the occasion, said it was a +great pleasure to him to be present. He had +witnessed a good deal of the care and discipline +with which the Post Office messengers were looked +after. Like everybody who had a great deal of +correspondence, he had the privilege of having +the services of the best regulated Post Office in +the world. They also had in this country the +privilege of being able to use the best regulated +telegraph service. They might be perfectly sure +that if a man wanted to send a telegram, when once +he put it into the hands of the postal officials, +however ill-written or badly addressed it might be, +it was very probable that the telegram would reach<!--[276.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> +its destination. Those who had a good deal of +correspondence were deeply indebted for the splendid +organisation of the Bristol Department. They were +also very much indebted to the telegraph clerks, +who deciphered the scrawls handed them, and who +transmitted the messages. They were deeply +indebted also to the boys for the way in which +they refrained from stopping to play marbles, and +did their duties with great zeal, and delivered their +messages at the proper places and to the proper +persons. They would understand that they were +Government officers, and that they had to discharge +important duties. He could personally say that +those duties were thoroughly well carried out in +the city of Bristol and its neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>The Duchess of Beaufort then distributed the +prizes, after which a telegraph messenger presented +Her Grace with a basket of choice flowers.</p> + +<p>The Bishop of Bristol addressed the lads, and +urged them to do their duty thoroughly when on +duty, and to enter heartily into healthy play when +off duty. In doing their duty they should remember +one or two things. They might be charged with +the delivery of a message which was a matter of<!--[277.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> +life or death; it might be one regarding which +thousands of pounds depended; or it might be +one of little importance. But, whatever it was, +it was not for them to enquire, but to deliver the +message with punctuality and promptness. Having +spoken of the discipline and training telegraph +boys received, he observed that of all telegraph +boys, for punctuality, steadiness, courtesy, and +politeness, the Bristol boys were about the best. +He urged them also to live pure lives and observe +complete honesty, that they might become worthy +citizens of whom the country might be proud. +He was glad to hear the name of the lady (Miss +Pollock) who conducted the scriptural class so +cordially received, which showed that the lady and +her work had taken hold of the hearts of the boys. +The excellence of their work as boys, and as men, +and the enjoyment of their lives, in the best sense, +depended upon their becoming God-fearing. He +should be pleased to give a prize in connection +with the Scripture class.</p> + +<p>The letters of the Bishop, written with reference +to the occasion, should not be left unchronicled. +They ran as follows, viz.:<!--[278.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> +—</p> + +<p class='right'> +"Church House,<br /> +Dean's Yard, S.W.,<br /> +<i>May 10th, 1898</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Postmaster</span>,—I am speaking at Bath +on the afternoon of the 20th, and am engaged to +stay the night. But I think your proposal so +important that I am writing to my host, Mr. S., to +ask if he has engaged friends to meet me. If he +can excuse me, I will, if all be well, come to you +and say something.</p> + +<p> +"Yours very truly,<br /> +<span class="smcap">G. F. Bristol</span>."<br /> +</p> + +<p class='right'> +"The Athenæum,<br /> +<i>May 12th, 1898</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Postmaster</span>,—I have arranged to +return to Bristol on the evening of May 20, and +if all be well can be with you. Send me a card +of place and hour.</p> + +<p> +"Yours very truly,<br /> +<span class="smcap">G. F. Bristol</span>."<br /> +</p> + +<p>The following extract from a letter in which His +Grace wrote concerning the meeting, is indicative<!--[279.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> +of the interest which he took in matters affecting +the postal and telegraph services of Bristol, viz.:—</p> + +<p class='right'> +"Stoke Park,<br /> +Stapleton, near Bristol,<br /> +<i>21st May, 1898</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Mr. Tombs</span>,—I must write you a few lines +of thanks for the very pleasant evening you gave +us last night. Both the Duchess and I enjoyed it +very much. I was remarkably struck with the +appearance of your boys: such nice, clean, smart-looking +youths. What a difference drill makes to +lads! They have already a smart—soldierlike, I +should call it—appearance, and I am sure it +tends to sharpen their minds as well as to +straighten their bodies.</p> + +<p> +"Believe me to remain,<br /> +Yours truly,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Beaufort</span>."<br /> +</p> + +<p>The messengers little thought as they listened to +the Duke's encouraging words, addressed to them +on the occasion of the meeting, that they would<!--[280.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> +before a year had passed away be sending a modest, +humble, but loving tribute, in the form of a wreath, +which was thought worthy to be suspended over the +pulpit in Badminton Church at the Duke's obsequies, +in juxtaposition with a wreath of mammoth +proportions sent by the officers of the 7th Dragoons +(the Duke's old Regiment).</p> + +<p>The Bristol telegraph messengers have cause to +remember that bright Saturday afternoon in 1895 +when, preceded by their drum and fife band, they +marched out to Burfield, Westbury-on-Trym, the +country residence of Sir (then Mr.) R. H. Symes, +the Mayor of Bristol. They were there enabled to +have a few hours of recreation and pleasure, and +to forget the busy hum of the city with its turmoil +and heat. Following the excellent example, Mr. +Arthur Baker, of Henbury, and other country +gentlemen have invited the boys out on Saturday +afternoons, to encourage them to keep banded +together for good purposes, and to maintain that +<i>esprit de corps</i> which is so necessary in a body of +youths drawn together after the manner of the +Telegraph Messengers' Class.</p> + +<p>A most memorable occasion was that in 1897,<!--[281.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> +when the messengers were inspected by Lieutenant-Colonel +MacGregor, of the 24th Middlesex R.V.C., +London. They mustered at the Post Office, and, +under the direction of Inspectors Mawditt, Appleby +(late 29th Regiment and sergeant-major Scinde +Volunteers), and Cook (late Royal Marines), and +headed by their drum and fife band, marched to +the Artillery Drill Ground in Whiteladies Road +where, in presence of many visitors, military and +civilian, they were put through manual exercises, +physical drill to music, and then reviewed on the +parade ground. In the speeches which followed +the boys were complimented on their efficiency and +smart appearance. It was on this occasion that it +was announced the Postmaster-General had obtained +the sanction of the Treasury for a grant of money +in order to encourage telegraph messengers' institutes +and drill in the large towns. Under this +scheme, prizes for proficiency in drill and general +good conduct are awarded—a system which has +since been found to work admirably.<!--[282.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h5>LETTER DELIVERY SYSTEM.<br /><br /> +POSTMEN: THEIR DUTIES AND RECREATIONS.</h5> + + +<p>The extent of the Bristol postal establishment +in 1775 may be gleaned from the reply given +by the Postmasters-General to a memorial complaining +that there was only one letter carrier for +the delivery of all the letters received in Liverpool. +The answer was that only one letter carrier was +maintained in any provincial town, including the +premier city of Bristol, and that they did not think +themselves justified in incurring for Liverpool the +expense of another. An additional Bristol postman +was, however, appointed between then and January, +1778. In 1792 there were four letter carriers at +Bristol, but only two appear to have been allowed +by the Department, the other two being employed +as extras, and provided for, probably, by an extra +charge on the letters delivered. The Bristol letter +carriers were not supplied with uniform clothing +until 1858. Then, a hat and coat once yearly,<!--[283.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span> +and a waterproof cape once in two years, were +given to them. The uniform clothing was not +supplied to the auxiliary letter carriers. Bags or +pouches for the men to carry for the protection of +the letters were at that time provided.</p> + +<p>In 1859 the postmen wore scarlet uniform and +issued out from the Post Office three times daily +to traverse the length and breadth of the city in +the distribution of letters. In 1899 the "men in +blue" sally forth six times every day.</p> + +<p>In the postmen's department there are now seven +inspectors and three hundred and seventy postmen. +The delivery of letters in the town district is made +from the head office. There is a branch delivering +office at Clifton, but those at North Street and +Phippen Street were long since abandoned. In +the Bristol postal district, sixty years ago, there +were fewer than 20,000 letters delivered in a week, +or about 1,000,000 in a year—a number now nearly +reached in a week. The letters delivered annually +from the Central Post Office number 31,000,000; +from the Clifton Post Office, 6,250,000; from the +suburban offices and rural offices, 7,300,000. It +is a noteworthy fact that the letters posted in Bristol<!--[284.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span> +for delivery within its own limit form 27 per cent. +of the total number, which percentage is only surpassed +at two or three of the large cities of the +Kingdom. Six deliveries of letters and five +deliveries of parcels are made in the city, with +ten collections. The average number of persons +to whom letters are delivered by each postman in +Bristol (city) is 1,800. There are 666,536 parcels +delivered annually. To each of two firms are +delivered more than one quarter of a million +letters annually, equal to one hundredth part of +the total number of letters delivered.</p> + +<p>The distances from the head office to the extreme +outward terminal City and Clifton delivery points +are as follows:—Westbury Park, 2½ miles; Horfield +Barracks, 3 miles; Ridgeway, 2½ miles; Barton +Hill, 1¾ miles; Arno's Vale, 1¾ miles; Totterdown, +2 miles; Bedminster Down, 2 miles; Ashton Gate, +2 miles; and Clifton Suspension Bridge, 1½ miles. +The trams are used by the postmen, and the +Department pays the Tramways Company a lump +sum in respect thereof. The convenience in this +respect will be enhanced when the electric traction +system is fully introduced.<!--[285.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span></p> + + +<p>In the sorting office the letters are sorted to +the various rounds by postmen dividers, and the +general body of postmen then have to arrange +them at their desks seated on little revolving stools. +The process adopted by the postmen in setting in +their letters for delivery may be explained by the +following example relating to what is technically +known as the "Cotham Brow Walk." The letters +are first primarily divided (upright) into streets, +roads, squares, courts, etc., taken thus—viz.: +(<i>a</i>) Sydenham Road, 1 to 18 (one side only); +(<i>b</i>) Sydenham Hill, 45 to 11, odd numbers (one +side only); (<i>c</i>) Tamworth Place 13 to 1 (one side +only); (<i>d</i>) Arley Hill, 2 to 34 and 5 to 27 (cross); +(<i>e</i>) Arley Park (cross); (<i>f</i>) Arley Hill, 36 and 38 +and 29 to 41 (cross); (<i>g</i>) Cotham Brow, 124 to 88 +and 125 to 27 (cross); (<i>h</i>) Southfield Road, 2 to 28 +and 1 to 27 (cross); (<i>i</i>) Upper Sydenham Road, +38 to 19 (one side only); (<i>j</i>) Springfield Road, 47 +to 85, odd numbers (one side only). Then the +letters for one of the above-named ten divisions or +streets are taken one by one and placed in order of +actual delivery flat on the table; then all are +gathered together and stood upright, the letters for<!--[286.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> +each division being treated in like manner. When +the letters for any one street or road, etc., have +been set in order, fresh batches of letters of, say, +thirty or so, are fully sub-divided by the same +process before being set in with the accumulated +and finished letters. This course is necessary in +order to obviate the postman having to go through +a set of fifty or a hundred letters time after time +as he gets a fresh batch of letters. Two hours +are allowed for the morning delivery and one and +a half hours for other deliveries. As those who +have the longest rounds have the lightest burdens, +they all contrive to finish at about the same time.</p> + +<p>The Clifton Suspension Bridge, which was erected +in 1864 at a cost of £100,000, plays a very unimportant +part in postal affairs, as it serves for the +passage over the Avon of three postmen only, who +cross with letters for the Leigh Woods and Failand +districts. Long Ashton, which has a carriage road +approached by the bridge from the Clifton side, +receives its letters by a postman who crosses by a +ferry lower down the river and reaches his destination +more expeditiously than by crossing over the +bridge.<!--[287.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span></p> + + +<p>A Bristol postman, who was well acquainted with +the locality which he had to serve, met with an +ugly accident through colliding with a lamp-post, +recently erected and not supplied with gas for +lighting up. It had been put up during the +man's interval of duty, so that he came upon it for +the first time when it was shrouded in darkness. +The postmen, having in the discharge of their duties +to be early birds and to be first out and about in the +morning, often pick up articles lost or deposited +overnight. Thus it was that a postman found on +one winter's morn in a Bristol suburb a parcel containing +the dead body of a child, and had to constitute +himself a corpse-carrier for the nonce. It was in this +city of Bristol that the following somewhat amusing +and certainly interesting incident took place. Two +rats were found in combat over a letter, which, delivered +in due course by the postman, had fallen upon +the floor at the entrance to a warehouse, and had been +dragged thence to the spot where the rodents were +engaged in their fierce encounter, the gum on the +flap probably being the attraction. The letter +contained a cheque for £300, and its loss for some +days caused no small amount of consternation and<!--[288.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> +anxiety to the gentleman who should have received +it, and who, it need scarcely be said, at once gave +orders for a letter-box to be attached to his warehouse +door.</p> + +<p>It was well for the Magistrates' Clerk for +the Gloucestershire Division of Bristol that he was +well known to the postman, or assuredly he would +never have received the letter addressed thus: "Mr. +Latchem Laforegat pleace stashun," the proper +address being: "Mr. Latcham, Lawford's Gate +Police Station, Stapleton Road, Bristol."</p> + +<p>Recently many valuable dogs were poisoned in +different parts of the city, and a suggestion +appeared in the newspapers that the postmen +might be urged to constitute themselves amateur +detectives for the discovery of the miscreants, on +the ground that they enter every garden and knock +at every door throughout the length and breadth +of Bristol, and that at early morn and late at +night as well as by day. The postmen are public +spirited, but it is hardly likely that they would go +considerably out of their way for the purpose, considering +the risks which they run from dogs and the +annoyances to which they are subjected to by<!--[289.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> +them. The postmen have to face the snappish +terrier and the ferocious-looking bulldog. Not +infrequently they get bitten, and more frequently +get soundly abused if, for their own protection, +they belabour a dog occasionally, or give it a taste +of their belt for want of a better weapon of +defence or offence. Reciprocity would demand +that if the postmen look out for dog poisoners, +the owners of dogs on their part should take the +utmost care to keep their dogs properly secured +when known to be dangerous or to have a +special dislike to the public servants in blue. +The bold announcement given on the pillar of a +gateway of a residence in a fashionable suburb +of Bristol, "Beware of the bulldog," is not calculated +to give confidence to the postmen who have to +deliver the letters. One poor dog, well known in +the city, fell dead in Small Street; and as the dog +had just been seen to visit the Post Office, and +even to drink from a Bristol Dogs' Home trough +standing in the portico, it was assumed by the +many spectators of the poodle's sad death that he +had come to an untimely end through drinking +poisoned water from the Post Office trough. The<!--[290.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> +vessel was therefore confiscated by an over-zealous +supporter of the Dogs' Home, and the water was +subjected to analysis, but investigation proved that +it was innocuous, although from an examination +it transpired that the dog really had died from +poison, which had, however, been taken in meat.</p> + +<p>A London firm made indignant enquiry as to why +a letter had been returned to them through the +Returned Letter Office, seeing that it was addressed +to a well-known and distinguished baronet living +near Bristol. It turned out that the right hon. +gentleman was himself the cause of the return of +the letter, as he read the contracted words "Rt. +Honb.," in a line preceding his own name, as the +name of "Robt. Hunt," a person who lived near +his mansion, and he gave the letter back to the +postman with the foregoing result. In 1847 a letter +indicative of the times, with the following superscription, +as noticed in the post:—"To the Post +Office, Bristol, Somersetshire, England, 115 miles west +of London, this letter is to be delivered to the Ladey +that transported Jobe Smith and 2 others with him +near Bristol." Members of the public complain +from time to time in indignant terms respecting<!--[291.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> +the loss of letters in the post, but in very many +instances they afterwards write in meeker strain +to say they have discovered the missing letters—in +most unlikely places in their homes.</p> + +<p>At a dinner given by officials of the Bristol Post +Office, the Dean of Bristol bestowed praise on the +postmen for success in conveying ill-addressed +letters to their destination. Dr. Pigou cited their +performances in his own case. He had been +addressed as Pigue, Picken, Pigon, Pigour, +Pickles, Peggue, Puegon, Ragou, and Pagan. +That "Ragou"—not being a name beginning +with "P"—should have reached him, he thought +could only be explained as the result either of a +flash of inspiration or of the recollection of previous +"hashes" of his name; but "Pickles" evidently +got home on the mere strength of its initial letter, +and though, as he complained, it is hard lines to be +addressed as "Dr. Pagan" after having been thirty +or forty years in orders, the written word would +much more nearly resemble his real name than +several of the other addresses which did find him. +"The Head Gamekeeper, the Deanery, Bristol," +was, of course, mysterious. The letter contained<!--[292.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> +a circular advertising wire netting for pheasants, +rabbits, and hares; and when the Dean replied, +pointing out that the only space available on his +premises—an area of 30 ft. by 40 ft.—was too +small to rear pheasants in, he received, a further +circular recommending a trial of "our dog biscuits." +Occasionally, also, the local postmen meet with +letters so peculiarly addressed as that for "Mr. ——, Oction +her and Countent, Corn Street, Bristol," and +another for "Chowl, near Temple," intended for +"Cholwell, near Temple Cloud." The postmen +collect, too, letters peculiarly addressed to other +places.</p> + +<p>There are still a few postmen veterans in the +Bristol Post Office who are toiling on long after +having exceeded their "three score years." Doubtless +these aged men excite sympathy as they are +seen on their daily rounds, and the thought +presents itself to the public mind that the Post +Office is harsh to make them labour when so +far advanced in years. Such is not the case, +however, as the men, unfortunately not being +entitled to pensions, have been allowed to continue +to perform their duties long after pensionable<!--[293.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> +established men would have been retired, either +willingly or compulsorily, under the regulations +which now call for a Civil servant's retirement +to be considered his reaching the age of sixty +years. These old worthies are not Post Office +short-service men; but, as their good conduct +stripes testify, they have for long years served +their Queen and country.</p> + +<p>J. S., one of these life-long toilers, who +worked as an uncovenanted postman for many +years, commenced his career in the navy. When +fifteen years of age (1844) he joined the gunnery +ship <i>Excellent</i> at Portsmouth, Captain (afterwards +Admiral) Chade being then in command. After +serving two years, he was transferred to the old +<i>Conway</i>, then engaged in putting down the slave trade +in East African waters; and after three years on board +that vessel he went to the brig <i>Helena</i>, and was with +her in the West Indies for several years. In about +1854 he was passed to the <i>Britannia</i> for Mediterranean +service. While sailing from Gibraltar to +Malta, S. met with a serious accident. Being considered +a smart young man, he was ordered by +the captain to assist another "A.B." to rig the<!--[294.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> +topgallant yard-arm. While thus at work he fell +from the maintopmast cross-trees into the main +rigging, again to the main chains, and then +overboard—a drop in all of 120 feet. A boat +was lowered promptly, and he was soon picked +up, but he was in an insensible condition. It was +found on examination by the ship's surgeon that +his skull was fractured. He went into hospital +on arrival at Malta, and there he remained six +months. Shortly after the accident, the <i>Britannia</i>, +which was the Admiral's flagship, was ordered to +the Crimea (1855), and not only did the seaman who +took over S.'s gun meet with his death by the +shells from the fortifications at Sebastopol, but the +whole of the gallant tars fighting on the starboard +side of the ship were killed. S. was taken to +London on board the <i>Growler</i> (Sir Charles Wood), +the first steamer he had ever seen, and was +incapacitated for two or three years, but fortunately +he obtained a pension on having to leave the navy. +He was engaged in private life till 1878, when, at +the age of 49 years, he was given Post Office work, +on which he was employed for twenty years, and, +indeed, until he again came to grief through an<!--[295.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> +accident when on duty at Christmas, 1898. On +this occasion he was knocked over by a cart in +Victoria Street, which ran into the parcel handcart +S. was wheeling, and which sent him flying +into the mud and his parcels all about in the +road. This put an end to his Post Office career, +and the old man, with disabled body from his first +accident and somewhat impaired faculty from the +latter, has now sunk back into seclusion, and it is +hoped that he may end his days in peace. Except +for three weeks' illness caused by influenza, he was +never away on sick leave out of his twenty years of +Post Office service. Not once was S. late at work. +He was, he says, always out of bed at 3 a.m., +and so punctual was he known to be that the remark +was often made when he entered the office, that +"We know what time it is without looking at the +clock." On leaving the Post Office service this year +(1899) a small gratuity was awarded him.</p> + +<p>S. T., although in his 71st year, managed up till +quite recently to perform Post Office work for a few +hours daily. From early boyhood up to his 22nd +year, T. was engaged at shoemaking in this city; +then he enlisted and served as gunner and driver in<!--[296.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span> +the Royal Horse Artillery for three years. Having +obtained his discharge from the army, he acted as +policeman on the Great Western Railway for a +few months. At the time of the Crimean War, +T. again enlisted, this time as a seaman and +gunner in Her Majesty's Navy. He was disabled +in action and discharged with a life pension. For +the next twenty-seven years he followed his former +occupation of shoemaking and rounding, working +for about twenty years for one firm in this city. +When 53 years of age, he first obtained employment +in the Post Office, working for a few hours daily, +and receiving 10s. per-week. He is a member of +the Crimean and Indian Veterans' Association.</p> + +<p>A Bristol Post Office benefit society was established +in March, 1861. It became the Bristol +Letter Carriers' Sick Benefit Society in 1862, and +was carried on under that title up to 1890 when +it ceased.</p> + +<p>Early in the year of 1896, the remains of the +late Thomas Rutley, one of the oldest of Bristol +postmen, were interred at Greenbank Cemetery. +About one hundred postmen, headed by the Post +Office band, were in attendance to mark their<!--[297.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> +sympathy, and respect to his memory. The Rev. +Moffat Logan conducted the service. Such a mark +of respect is not always accorded to deceased +Post Office servants. The writer recollects on a +bright summer day having attended the funeral at +Highgate Cemetery of one of the oldest and most +respected superintendents in the Post Office, London. +The good man was so much liked by those who +served under him that he had gained for himself +the name of "Honest John," yet there was only +one other official besides the writer to stand by +his graveside.</p> + +<p>The postmen have a military band, composed of +thirty members of their own staff. The primary +object is to advance the art of music in the Post +Office, and, secondarily, to provide concerts in the +open spaces in Bristol for the benefit of the public. +A grand concert is given by the band every year, +which is usually attended by some 3,000 of the +inhabitants, attracted chiefly by the popularity of +the Post Office and by the fame of artistes so eminent +as Madame Ella Russell, Madame Fanny Moody, +Mr. Plunkett Greene, and others, who have from +time to time been engaged.<!--[298.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span></p> + + +<p>The "D" Company of the 1st Volunteer Battalion +Gloucester Regiment is composed almost exclusively +of members of the Bristol Post Office. For three +years in succession, (1894-5-6), this company won +the first prize in the drill competition and also first +prize and challenge vase in the volley firing competition. +The company challenge bowl and first +prize, and the brigadier's cup and third prize +in the Western District of England, were also won +by the company during the same period. For many +years the Bristol Post Office has had two out of +the nine representatives of the battalion competing +for the Queen's Prize. The company has also been +well represented in all the battalion and county +shooting matches. Of the eight battalion signallers, +five are Post Office men, who have on several occasions +held first place in the Volunteer service annual +examinations.</p> + +<p>The postmen of Bristol maintain for the winter +months two of the old veterans who are under +the auspices of the Crimean and Indian Mutiny +Veterans' Association.</p> + +<p>Mr. Goodenough Taylor, one of the proprietors +of the <i>Times and Mirror</i> newspaper, has kindly<!--[299.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span> +given a Ten Guinea Challenge Cup, to be raced for +by Bristol postmen who use bicycles in connection +with their Post Office business of delivering and +collecting letters. The cup has to be won three +years, not necessarily in succession, before it +becomes the postman's sole property. The terms +under which the competition for the cup is held are +as follows, viz.:—"Competitors to be postmen of +any age or rank; appointed, unestablished, +auxiliary, or sub-postmaster's assistant, of not less +than two years' service, who have never won a +prize in public competition. Competitors to be +certified as having in the course of the preceding +twelve months, under official sanction or direction, +ridden 150 miles in the execution of their official +duties, or to and from the office when attending +duty. The race to be a handicap race of two +miles, to take place on the Gloucestershire County +Ground or other enclosure during each year. +The post-master, assisted by experts in the Post +Office service, to be the handicapper. The handicap +to be framed on points of age, physical ability, +and regard to be had to the weight or kind of +bicycle to be used in competition." Postman<!--[300.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span> +Newman, of Coalpit Heath, was the winner this +year (1899).</p> + +<p>The postmen have a library, consisting now of +some 700 volumes. It was started in 1892. The +writer made an appeal through the local press for +gifts of books to form the nucleus of a library +for the postmen and telegraph messengers attached +to the Bristol Post Office. This appeal was liberally +and promptly responded to by the residents of +Bristol and Clifton. Warmest thanks are due to +the newspaper proprietors for their kindness in +inserting paragraphs relating to the subject, as, +but for their powerful co-operation in the matter, +the movement could not have been brought to a +successful issue. A well-known literary gentleman +at Clifton gave eighty volumes, Mr. Harold Lewis, +B.A., showed his interest in the movement by the +donation of 200 copies; and Mr. J. W. Arrowsmith +has frequently given fifty volumes at a time. The +postmen themselves manage the library, and contribute +small sums weekly towards its maintenance +and further development.<!--[301.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<h5>POST LETTER BOXES: POSITION, VIOLATION, +PECULIAR USES.</h5> + + +<p>The three hundred and fifty pillar and wall +letter boxes are placed at convenient points, +regard being had to the wants of the immediate +neighbourhood that each has to serve—to approach +by paved crossings, to contiguity to a public lamp, +to being out of the way of pedestrians and as far +removed from mud-splashing as possible. At the +same time, the inspectors endeavour to place the +boxes so that they may be an attraction, rather +than an eyesore, to the spot where erected.</p> + +<p>The sign of "The Pillar Box" has been given +to a public-house before which a Post Office +box stands. Occasionally the Post Office letter +boxes are greatly misused. Some little time since +a woman in Bristol was savage enough to drop +oil of vitriol, nitric acid, and other dangerous +fluids into the boxes. She even poured paraffin +into the letter box at a post office, and dropped an<!--[302.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> +ignited match in after it. A conflagration was only +averted by the fortunate circumstance of the postman +clearing the box just in time to extinguish the +commencing fire. The woman's determination is +evidenced from the fact that her hands were severely +burned by the strong acid she used; but, notwithstanding +this, she continued night after night to +carry on her dastardly work. She was found out +after much anxious watching, and having, on trial, +been found guilty, she was sentenced by a lenient +judge to six months' imprisonment. She would assign +no reason for her incomprehensible behaviour even +when asked by the judge in court. Not infrequently, +mischievous children place lighted matches, rubbish, +etc., in the Post Office letter boxes, and in the letter +boxes of private houses and warehouses. The Post +Office officials are always on the alert to discover the +delinquents. It is desirable also that the public, +in their own interests, should call the attention of +postmen and the police at once to any case in which +they may observe letter boxes being tampered with. +It may not be generally known that offences of this +kind are punishable by imprisonment under the +Post Office Protection Act.<!--[303.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span></p> + + +<p>A remarkable case was that of a servant who +was a somnambulist, and who for some time wrote +letters in her sleep, night after night, and took +them to adjacent letter boxes to post. Sometimes +she was fully attired, and at other times only +partially so. As a rule, the letters were properly +addressed, but the girl did not always place postage +stamps upon them.</p> + +<p>Occasionally the postmen have to encounter the +difficulties arising from a frost-bound letter box. +Such a case occurred with a box situated on the +summit of the Mendip Hills. The letter box and +the wall in which the box is built were found by +the postman to be covered with ice, caused by rain +and snow having frozen on them. The door resisted +all his efforts to open it, and he had to leave it for +the night. On making another effort when morning +came, it taxed his ingenuity and that of other +interested and willing helpers to get the box +open. Hot water was tried, paraffin was poured +into the lock, and it was only after a hammer had +been used and a fire in a movable grate had been +applied for a time that the lid could be opened.</p> + +<p>A letter box erected in a brick pillar in a secluded<!--[304.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> +spot on the East Harptree road, about a mile +distant from any habitation, was, late one night, +damaged to the extent of having its iron door +completely smashed off, apparently either by means +of a large stone which lay at its base when the +violation was discovered, or by means of a hammer +and jemmy. Although the adjacent ground, ditches, +and hedges were searched, no trace of the iron door +could be found. As three roysterers were known +to have passed the box on the night in question, +it was assumed that the damage was done by them +out of pure mischief and not from any desire to +rob Her Majesty's mails. Whether such were the +case or not, they had the unpleasant experience of +being locked up over the Sunday on suspicion.<!--[305.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h5>RURAL DISTRICT SUB-POSTMASTERS.<br /> +RURAL POSTMEN. INCIDENTS.</h5> + + +<p>The Bristol postal area is an extensive one, the +distance from point to point being thirty miles, +with width ranging from five to twelve miles. It is +bounded on one side by the river Severn, from a +point about five miles below Sharpness to a point +close to Portishead; thence the boundary stretches +across country to the Mendip Hills, up to Cheddar +Cliffs; then from a point four miles north-east of +Wells to Newton-St.-Loe, near Bath; across the +river Avon, under Lansdown, thence in a line by +Pucklechurch, Iron Acton, and Thornbury across to +the starting-point on the Severn. The large rural +area is for the greater part agricultural in character, +but there are collieries and stone quarries in some +few districts.</p> + +<p>At the Bristol town and rural sub-Post Offices +there are 554 assistants of all kinds employed.<!--[306.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span> +Many rural sub-postmasters act as postmen; in the +main it is a healthy occupation, and proves a very +good antidote to sedentary employment, although +there are hardships to be borne, as the toil has to be +undergone in all weathers—the scorching sun of +summer, the pitiless cold of winter—in rain, hail, +and snow. In connection With the Early Closing +Movement, at some of the outer Post Offices business +is suspended at 5.0 on one day in the week—usually +Wednesday.</p> + +<p>In the suburban and rural districts there are 105 +sub-Post Offices, and 78 of them are letter delivery +offices, served by an aggregate number of 226 postmen. +Of the 78 districts, 42 have two daily deliveries +28 three, and 6 four, with about a corresponding +number of collections.</p> + +<p>The sorting clerks and telegraphists at head-quarters +gain some sort of acquaintance with +sub-postmasters through daily communication by +mail bag and wire; also in the passage of reports +and counter-reports; but occasionally people performing +postal work throughout the extensive +Bristol district are brought into closer harmony +and touch with each other by means of social<!--[307.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span> +functions, such as "outings" and Bristol Channel +steamer trips, when town and country officials +take their pastime in company, and the sub-postmasters +and sub-postmistresses of the Somersetshire +portion of the district get acquainted with those +of the Gloucestershire side, and all with the head +office officials. By these means of friendly intercourse +and interchange of kindly feeling, the +service is much benefited. As an indication of +this exchange of courtesy, the felicitations exchanged +by telegram when the first annual trip by steamer +to Ilfracombe was taken ran thus:—</p> + +<p>"From Postmaster, Bristol.—Pleasant journey +to you. Long may Sub-Postmasterly friendship +continue."</p> + +<p>"From Sub-Postmasters at Ilfracombe.—Telegram +received. Thanks for good wishes. Have +just drank your good health. Pleasant trip. +Regret your absence extremely.—Sub-Postmasters."</p> + +<p>The Bristol Post Office has only recently had +electric light introduced, but the squire of East +Harptree had long before set the good example +of progress by having the Post Office in his village +illuminated by electricity. In the Bristol area very<!--[308.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> +many villages have their little counterpart of the +huge combination shops in London, where the +villager is enabled to procure everything that his +modest income will allow him to purchase. It is +at these village "Whiteleys" that the Post Office +is generally to be found, and a surveying officer +may soon become well versed in the qualities of +bacon, cheese, bread, flour, candles, and get a +knowledge of rakes, prongs, and besoms, without +much difficulty. In other instances no business +except that of Post Office work is carried on.</p> + +<p>The picture of the sub-Post Office at Cribbs +Causeway, five miles from Bristol, may give our +readers who are "in cities pent" an idea of a +delightful place for the sale of postage stamps +and postal orders and the distribution of letters. +This unique Post Office has few houses anywhere +near it, but it serves a large, albeit very sparsely +populated, area. Some of its interest rests in the +fact that it was formerly the half-way inn on the +once important highway from Bristol to New +Passage, for the ferry over the Severn into South +Wales. Some of our elderly readers may probably +recollect it as the stopping stage of the coaches which<!--[309.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span> +ran prior to the introduction of the railway system. +The sub-Post Office, which stands on high ground, +is held by two sisters, who went to it as a health +resort from a farm in the low-lying Severn marsh. +They act as postwomen, and brisk exercise and the +early morning dew has brought such roses to their +cheeks as would be envied by their Post Office +sisters whose fate it is to reside in smoke-begrimed +regions.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 455px;"> +<img src="images/i309.jpg" width="455" height="350" alt="Cribbs Causeway Post Office." title="Cribbs Causeway Post Office." /> +<span class="caption">Cribbs Causeway Post Office.</span> +</div> +<p><!--[310.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span></p> + + +<p>Although some of the Bristol district villages are +situated at a long distance from town and remote +from main roads, yet only one of the Post Offices +presents the primitive condition of having a thatched +roof. None of the rural postmen now avail themselves +on their journeys of the services of that +faithful creature, the donkey; but the last animal +so used was on the road until 1890, when its master, +poor Sims, the Congresbury to Shipham postman, +shuffled off this mortal coil. Times change, and our +manners change with them; so also do our tests +for gold coins. At the Wrington Post Office there +are brass testing weights, for sovereigns and half-sovereigns, +inscribed "Royal Mint, 1843," such as +have not been observed by the writer at any other +Post Office, either in the Bristol district or in +London. A certain sub-postmistress in the district +has for many years been in the habit of keeping +her sheets of reserve postage stamps in a large +Family Bible. Not that she is irreverent—indeed, +she is a pious woman,—but, being a lone widow, +she has kept them in that manner for safety, as +she imagines that no burglar would look for them +in such a depository.<!--[311.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 158px;"> +<img src="images/i311.jpg" width="158" height="251" alt="Mr. Edward Biddle. +(Sub-Postmaster of Rudgeway.) +Photographed by Mr. Protheroe, Narrow Wine Street, +Bristol, from an oil painting." title="Mr. Edward Biddle. +(Sub-Postmaster of Rudgeway.) +Photographed by Mr. Protheroe, Narrow Wine Street, +Bristol, from an oil painting." /> +<span class="caption">Mr. Edward Biddle.</span><br /> +<i>(Sub-Postmaster of Rudgeway.)</i><br /> +<i style='font-size: small'>Photographed by Mr. Protheroe, Narrow Wine Street, +Bristol, from an oil painting.</i> +</div> + +<p>A notable man in his day was Edward Biddle, +on the Thornbury side of Bristol. Mr. Biddle was +sub-postmaster of Rudgeway for over forty years, +and occupied the post until his death in 1889, at +the ripe age +of 91 years, +when he was +succeeded by +his daughter, +and she, in +turn, was succeeded +by his +son, William +Biddle, who +still holds the +appointment. +Prior to becoming +sub-postmaster, +Mr. Edward +Biddle was +"Pike" keeper +at Stone, and used to pay £752 per annum +for his post. There he had to open his gate<!--[312.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> +to no fewer than twenty mail coaches daily, +on their way between Bristol and Gloucester. +At Rudgeway he carried on the joint occupation +of sub-postmaster and innkeeper, at a tavern +where the Post Office business had been conducted +for many years before he succeeded to it; but +the innkeeping business had in course of time +to be given up, under Post Office regulations. +Mr. Elstone, of Alveston House, wrote expressing +his satisfaction that the Post Office was to be carried +on at a private house, and not as previously at a +"roadside pothouse," which all the district considered +a very improper place. At that time +John Blann and other stage carriers drove their +unwieldy waggons, drawn by four strong cart-horses +at a walking pace, along the Gloucester +turnpike road. The waggons were indeed the +goods trains of olden times. The present sub-postmaster, +the son of Edward Biddle, who has +had for many years to use "Shanks's" pony in +the delivery of letters, was engaged in olden +times in going on horseback down to the Passage +to take, in saddlebags, the mails for South Wales +and receive them therefrom. As late as 1850,<!--[313.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span> +letters from Rudgeway for Bristol were impressed +with a stamp thus:—</p> + +<p class='Title'> +BRISTOL<br /> +4 JA 50.<br /> +BY POST.<br /> +</p> + +<p>Mr. James Tiley, the village blacksmith of +Clutton, now an octogenarian, calls to mind that +sixty years ago the letters for Clutton, Temple +Cloud, Stowey, Bishop Sutton and adjacent districts +were delivered from Old Down, a hamlet on the +main coach road from Bath to Wells, distant from +Tyburn Turnpike, London, 121 miles. Mr. Tiley +has had the luxury of paying 10d. for a letter +brought from London by the above means; and as it +was dear to him at the time, it is dear to him now in +another sense as a reminiscence of the past. Mr. +Tiley recalls the sending of letters of the district by +waggoners to Bristol or Bath to save the postage, +and slyly remarks: "So stupid were the waggoners +that as often as not they brought the letters back +again, having forgotten to—what Post Office people +now term—'properly dispose of them.'" Also that +Joseph Tippett, a postman of the olden time, was +brutally assaulted on Stowey Hill, and nearly lost<!--[314.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span> +his life and his letters. His assailants were discovered +and were transported for life. The Old +Down postman was timed to reach Temple Cloud +Bridge at 12.0, and always blew horn or whistle to +let the village schoolmaster know the time of day. +During the Bristol riots the arrival of the mail +every morning was eagerly awaited by persons far +and near, anxious to hear the latest news.</p> + +<p>So recently as the year 1867, a postman had to +trudge right away from Bristol to the distant village +of Chew Stoke, having to breast the steep hill of +Dundry and pass through Chew Magna on his way. +All the letters and newspapers then delivered at +Bishopsworth, Dundry, Chew Magna and Chew +Stoke were carried by this man. Now, with the +introduction of the parcel post and a cheaper letter +post, and consequently increased weight, the morning +mail is carried in a mail cart, and that service +is supplemented by two or three other despatches to +Chew Magna and Chew Stoke by train <i>viâ</i> Pensford. +The hamlets of Breach Hill, Moreton and Herons +Green were at that time unserved by the postman +officially, and if delivered privately by him he +charged for them at the rate of an extra penny each.<!--[315.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span> +The residents in those outlying districts who did +not get their letters delivered in that way, and +who did not call for them at the Chew Stoke Post +Office, usually obtained them—two, three, or four +days old—from the postman on Sundays, who +stationed himself at the church door to oblige such +worshippers. Some of the older country postmen +say that in by-gone days the poor people, unable to +read themselves, considered it part of a postman's +duty to read their letters for them, and they looked +for sympathy from the postmen in case of receipt of +bad news. The Chew Stoke postman had a walk, +in and out, of over twenty miles, and had to carry +whatever load there was for the route. The pay +attached to the post was small. This was in the +good (?) days of not so long ago, but the postman +who then had to take the journey is by no means +anxious for a return to them, for now he receives +double the amount of pay then allowed. He was +out from five o'clock in the morning till seven or +eight o'clock at night; but now he performs his +eight hours' duty straight off, and has, therefore, +more time at home for his private purposes.</p> + +<p>When, about eight years since, there was a<!--[316.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span> +deep fall of snow in this district, the West Town +postman, who is likewise sub-postmaster, very +considerably added to his labours by carrying tea, +sugar, medicine, and even bread to the people on +the Mendips, who were snowed up and deserted by +baker, butcher, grocer, and indeed by everyone +except the faithful Queen's messenger. The floods +of November, 1894, which proved very disastrous +in the West of England, interfered in no small +degree with Post Office arrangements in the rural +districts around Bristol. In some villages the +roads were submerged from three to four feet, +and it was impossible for the public to get to the +letter boxes, the postmen and postwomen being, +perhaps, the greatest sufferers. In order to avoid +flooded roads, it was necessary to change routes and +make long detours. Many postmen were compelled +to wade through the water waist deep, whilst others +had to be driven through in horse and cart. The +inhabitants and farmers in many places kindly +lent their horses and carts for the purpose, and +but for these kindnesses the letters would have +been delayed for many hours. In spite of all +difficulties, the letters were generally delivered<!--[317.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span> +without much delay, and only in a few cases had +the letters to be held over for any length of time +until the waters had subsided.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 440px;"> +<img src="images/i317.jpg" width="440" height="358" alt="Letter Box at Winterbourne." title="Letter Box at Winterbourne." /> +<span class="caption">Letter Box at Winterbourne.</span> +</div> + +<p>A tit made her nest in the bottom of a Post +Office letter box at Winterbourne, near Bristol, laid +her eggs, and notwithstanding that letters were +posted in the box and that the box was cleared by +the postman everyday, the bird tenaciously held to +her nest and brought up five young tits, two of +which perished in their attempts to get out of the +box by means of the small posting aperture through<!--[318.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span> +which their mother had squeezed so frequently, +carrying with her all the materials for the nest. +The three survivors flew off one day when the door +of the box was purposely left open for a time by +the obliging postman portrayed in the picture.</p> + +<p>That all is not gold that glitters has been recently +brought home to three or four of the sub-postmasters +in the Bristol district, a "sharper" having presented +coins gilded to represent sovereigns and half-sovereigns, +and obtained Postal Orders in exchange +for them. Through the vigilance of the Bristol +police the offender was eventually taken into +custody, and, having been sentenced at the Assizes +to six months' imprisonment, he had plenty of +time to reflect on his offences. A bright, +shining new farthing was received at the Bristol +head office, sent inadvertently in a remittance from +a sub-office as a half-sovereign, and mixed up with +coins of that value, only to be detected, however, +by the vigilant check clerk. The sub-postmaster +who accepted it in error for a coin of more precious +metal, and did not discover the mistake even in +preparing the remittance, had to bear the loss.</p> + +<p>One sub-postmaster, who has now departed this<!--[319.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span> +life, was wont to furnish his explanations and +reports in rhyme, a course which was tolerated +on account of its singularity and of the writer's +zeal and known devotion to his duty. The +following is an example:—</p> + +<p>To the <span class="smcap">Postmaster of Bristol</span>:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"I willingly answer the question<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Respecting the length of the track<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From Shirehampton P.O. to Kingsweston<br /></span> +<span class="i2">House front door, or lodge at the back;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But respecting the relative merits<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Of back door, or door at the front,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As delivery door, I aver it's<br /></span> +<span class="i2">A question I cannot but shunt.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To return to the question of distance:<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Suppose that the birds of the air,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Sworn in as Post Office assistants,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To Kingsweston would messages bear:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As straight through their skiey dominions<br /></span> +<span class="i2">They flew from front door to front door,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The length of the track of their pinions<br /></span> +<span class="i2">In yards would be 1224.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When a featherless biped is bearer,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And through the lone woods his path picks,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The feet of this weary wayfarer<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Cover yards quite 1466.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Should the wight have a key, there's a second<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Way thro' the sunk fence's locked gate,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And then his poor feet must be reckoned<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To make yards 1388.<!--[320.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span> +<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As regards the back door, I pass by it;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The back lodge itself is much less<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Than a mile, howsomdever you try it,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">By Shirehampton Post Office Express.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I do not pretend to correctness,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To one yard or even a dozen;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">No need for extreme circumspectness,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The margin's too ample to cozen.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I'm obliged by your flattering reference,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And when you've another dispute on,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I shall still be, with all proper deference,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Your obedient Servant,—<span class="smcap">G. Newton</span>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The turnpike gates in the neighbourhood of +Bristol were abolished in October, 1867, and the +consequence was that the proprietors of the various +omnibuses by which day mail bags were conveyed +to and from several of the districts around Bristol +applied for, and obtained, a money payment in lieu +of the tolls, the exemption, from which had formed +the sole remuneration for the services performed.</p> + +<p>The Bristol mail carts running to the rural +districts, by permission of the Post Office, carry +for the newspaper proprietors bundles of papers, +weighing on an average on ordinary days 40 lbs., +and on Saturdays 80 lbs. The enterprise of the +Bristol newspaper proprietors in circulating by<!--[321.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span> +private means the many thousands of the newspapers +which they daily print is evidenced, from +the circumstance that they find it necessary to +commit to the agency of the Post Office only about +160 copies for distribution, and that chiefly in +remote rural districts.</p> + +<p>Sub-postmasters in the rural districts of Bristol +attain to great ages. The sub-postmaster of +Mangotsfield, who had long since passed three-score +years and ten, had his cross to bear, having +at 60 entirely lost his eyesight. Although blind, +and unable to work in consequence, he quaintly +appeared in his apron to the end, and said that +having worn it for so many years he did not feel +happy without it. A daughter acted as his deputy, +and mitigated, as far as possible, his hard lot. At +his funeral some hundreds of people, representing +various religious and other bodies, attended to pay +their last tribute of respect to him.</p> + +<p>At Bitton, a village midway between Bristol and +Bath, there died Sub-postmaster James Brewer, in +the 87th year of his age, and in the fifty-seventh +year of his Post Office service. It was more +pleasant to enter this Post Office and find the old<!--[322.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span> +man calmly smoking his churchwarden pipe before +the fire, cheery and chatty, than to have such a +welcome as that afforded at another office by the +exhibition on the Post Office counter of a miniature +coffin and artificial wreaths for graves. Another +worthy of local Post Office fame has lately +passed away in the person of Join Warburton, +aged 84, who for thirty years was the sub-postmaster +of Henbury, and who for five years +was his daughter's adviser after her succession to +the appointment. The sub-postmaster of the village +of High Littleton lost an arm some fifty years ago, +but notwithstanding that affliction he manages with +adroitness to sell postage stamps and issue postal +orders to the public. This will not be considered a +very great feat, considering that he has been for +years a crack one-handed shot, and even now, at +the age of 70, can bowl over a pheasant or a rabbit +quite as readily as many of our sportsmen who have +the use of both arms.</p> + +<p>Sub-postmistresses of great longevity are also to +be found. One dame (Martha Pike), now in her +93rd year, represented the Department until quite +recently in the charming little village of Wraxall.<!--[323.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span> +When nearly 90 years old she had a three hour +letter round every morning up hill and down dale, +and she even trudged a mile and a half to fetch a +letter and parcel mail from the railway station. +The sub-postmistress of Stoke Bishop died at the +age of 84; she and her father had held the Post +Office in the village for over fifty years. An equally +remarkable case was that of Hannah Vowles, the sub-postmistress +of Frenchay, who, after performing the +active duties of that position in the village of Frenchay +for forty-seven years, resigned when within five +years of 100 years old. In her youth she lived for +some time in the West Indies; but she gave up her +employment there in order to return home to support +her mother, who was 90 years of age when she died. +Mrs. Hannah was succeeded in the office of sub-postmistress +by Miss Kate Vowdes, a relation, who +had already been postwoman in the same district +forty-two years!</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 154px;"> +<img src="images/i324.jpg" width="154" height="245" alt="Hannah Brewer. (Postwoman.)" title="Hannah Brewer. (Postwoman.)" /> +<span class="caption">Hannah Brewer.</span><br /><i>(Postwoman.)</i> +</div> + +<p>Hannah Brewer is one of the Bristol Post Office +worthies. Her father was the sub-postmaster of the +village of Bitton alluded to herein. Hannah commenced +to deliver letters in the hamlets and at the +farmhouses near Bitton when a mere child, and<!--[324.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span> +continued to do so during all the years our gracious +Sovereign has sat on the throne. Recently, however, +she had to give up the work, as, having +attained the advanced age of 72 years and walked<!--[325.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span> +her quarter of a million of miles, she felt that she +ought to take life more easily than hitherto. In +distance her round was eleven miles daily, and +the route was a very trying one on account of +the steep hills she had to traverse, and of great +exposure to the sun in summer, and to the wind, +frost, and snow in winter. It may be interesting +to record that Hannah Brewer, although she +had to serve a district sparsely populated, was +never robbed, stopped, nor molested in any way. +She was the recipient of the first official waterproof +clothing issued to postwomen in England, and +in her picture she is represented as wearing it. +She only occasionally made visits even to places +so near as Bath or Bristol, and was, as a rule, +a stay at home.</p> + +<p>She was not a great reader of the newspapers, +but persons on her round looked to her as an +oracle, and derived information from her as to +passing events. Hannah naively says that, as +regards Christmas boxes, she fared very well in +olden times, but they were not so plentiful in her +later years. Hannah, through her devotion to +her father when he was alive, and through her<!--[326.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span> +assiduous attention to her duties as a humble +servant of the Crown, had gained the respect of +all those who knew her, both in her native village +and on the long round she daily had to traverse. +As she served the Post Office throughout her long +life (her memory carrying her back to the days +when the letters reached Bitton by mail coach and +a "single" letter from London cost 10d.), it is +gratifying that in her old age, when unable to +continue to do her daily round, the Lords of +the Treasury, under her exceptional circumstances, +granted her half-pay pension, a sum which, with +her savings, will serve to maintain her until the +end of her days. The writer has had few more +pleasurable duties than that which he undertook +of presenting Hannah, in her neat and trim +cottage, with her first pension warrant.</p> + +<p>At the celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee +in the village, the opportunity was taken, in the +midst of the festivities, to make a presentation of +an elegant marble clock and purse to Miss Brewer. +The inscription ran: "Presented during Her +Majesty's Diamond Jubilee, together with a +purse of money, by the inhabitants of the postal<!--[327.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span> +district of Bitton, Gloucestershire, to Miss Hannah +Brewer, postwoman, upon her retirement, having +served this office from the commencement of +Queen Victoria's reign."</p> + +<p>Even Post Office surveyors are sometimes the +subject of little jokes on the part of their subordinates. +An assistant surveyor, when testing a +rural postman's walk, said that if he had arranged +the round originally, he should have taken a shortcut +across the fields to a certain little hamlet so +as to serve it before instead of after a more distant +place, when the postman drily said that he should +not have done anything of the kind, as there was a +rhine about 18 ft. wide and very deep, which could +not well be got over or through, and, turning to +the surveyor, he remarked: "Evidently you never +were a postman." The humour of this incident +lies in the fact that the surveyors have always +been drawn from the élite of the Service. A +certain imperious surveyor visited a sub-office for +the purpose of reprimanding the sub-postmaster +for some delinquency, and after soundly rating the +individual he addressed, and refusing to hear a single +word in explanation, he, when his harangue was<!--[328.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span> +over, was coolly informed that he had made a slight +mistake, as the circumstance referred to another +sub-office altogether.</p> + +<p>On a certain occasion recently, on entering a +Post Office the writer heard proceeding from a +back room a voice, recognisable as that of the +sub-postmaster, shouting out a greeting in his +(the writer's) Christian name: "Come in, Robert." +Well, the sub-postmaster thought he saw through +the partly-curtained glass in the door a friend of +that name, and meant no disrespect to his surveyor-postmaster.</p> + +<p>On calling at another little Post Office on a +Saturday, the aged sub-postmistress was washing +her stone floor—down on her knees in business-like +attitude. Without looking up, her greeting to +the writer was: "Halloa! I thought you had +been to Jericho. You have not been to see +me for such a long time!" That salutation +was rather embarrassing; but on getting to the +perpendicular the old lady was the confused party, +as she had thought her visitor was a local resident +who occasionally looked in to have a cheery word +with her.<!--[329.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span></p> + + +<p>It would seem that postal improvements in the +Bristol district have been carried almost as far as +is needful; indeed, in one district, not seven miles +from the city, contemplated improvements whereby +letters would be delivered an hour earlier in the +morning and might be posted two hours later at +night, and a day mail in and out be afforded, were +declined by the parish authorities in council and by +memorial from the villagers generally. In this +rural hollow the people are very clannish, and +rather than let their postwoman suffer a loss of +two shillings a week, which the change involved, +they were content to forego improved postal +facilities, and were not greatly stirred by the +"lasinesse of posts" as, according to history, was +King James of old.</p> + +<p>While Bristol is ever expanding and while +splendid buildings are being erected, there are +not wanting places within a short distance of the +ancient city where there are signs of decadence, +as indicated by houses unoccupied and cottages +in ruins, and by shrinkage in the number of +letters. At Stanton Drew, where some thirty large +stones alone remain to mark a site where there<!--[330.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span> +probably stood a splendid Druidical Temple, the +postal arrangements a few years since were not in a +satisfactory condition. Not unlike the story which +has recently been going the round of the newspapers, +that a sub-postmaster of an Oxfordshire +village fixed this notice up: "Have gone fishing. +Will be back in time to sell stamps," the sub-postmistress +of this Somersetshire hamlet went +away for days without putting up any notice +whatever, and left her son to supply the inhabitants +with postage stamps when he got home in the +evening from his work as an agricultural labourer. +Still, people did not complain, so that they may be +regarded as accessories to the sub-postmistress's +delinquencies. There was, however, a postal super-session +in that village!</p> + +<p>There is still in the rural service a postman +who labours under the disabilities of having only +one arm and of being unable to read or write. +He has not a very extensive delivery, and so his +pockets are made to do duty in the place of +the faculty of reading. The left breast pocket +indicates that letters placed in it are for Cliff +Farm, those in the right breast pocket for Rush<!--[331.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span> +Hill Farm, several other pockets serving in like +manner.</p> + +<p>From very old official books sent into store on the +change of holders of sub-offices, it is noticeable that +the writing of fifty years ago was much superior to +that of the present day, indicating that sub-postmasters +of olden time either took more interest +in caligraphy than their successors, or possibly had +more leisure in which to make the necessary entries +than is afforded in the present period of high +pressure.</p> + +<p>'Tis strange that it was so, as at the time the steel +pen had not ousted the quill. Even so short a time +as forty years since a new intrant to the Post +Office, hailing from the Emerald Isle, had, like all +other new-comers, to enter his name and address in +the Order Book on his first introduction to St. +Martin's-le-Grand. A steel pen was handed to him, +with which he dallied for a time, and when asked +why he did not proceed, said: "Sure, I was waiting +for a feather."</p> + +<p>The institution for the care of consumption +started in this country, and known as Nordrach-upon-Mendip, +is in the Bristol postal district at<!--[332.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span> +one of its most distant points on the range of the +Mendip Hills, at an altitude of 850 feet above sea +level. It has already played an important part as +regards the Bristol Post Office, inasmuch as a consumptive +telegraph clerk has benefited considerably +from the new treatment, and has indeed left the +institution as cured. It is not generally known that +until recently there existed a small Convalescent +Home on the Mendips, but "Cosy Corner," founded +and maintained by Sir Edward Hill, K.C.B., stood +there as such, and it served a good part as regards a +postal servant. A postman employed at the Bristol +railway station as mail porter, who had suffered +from a serious attack of typhoid fever, and who had +been verily at death's door, passed several weeks at +this rural retreat, and derived such benefit from the +kind treatment he received and from the bracing air +of the district that he quite recovered from his ailment +and is now in robust health. "Cosy Corner" +has now been affiliated to Nordrach-upon-Mendip.</p> + +<p>The rule of the Service is that coins, postage +stamps, and other articles of value picked up in a +sorting office are regarded as treasure trove and +have to be handed over to the authorities for<!--[333.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span> +disposal; but a letter carrier's round can hardly be +regarded in the light of a Post Office, and so a +postman of the Thornbury district who at Aust +Cliff, picked up a well-preserved bronze coin with +the image and superscription of Claudius Cæsar +(<span class="smcap">A.D.</span> 41-54) did not consider himself called upon +to give it up to the sub-postmaster, but disposed of +it for the sum of 15s. 6d. The purchaser presented +it to the Leicester Museum.</p> + +<p>Tradition hath it that Miss Hannah More, the +celebrated authoress and philanthropist, when residing +(1770) at Wrington, near Bristol, in the churchyard +of which place her remains now repose, made an +arrangement with the postman of the period whereby +on passing along the road near her residence he was +to signal to her when any event of importance had +occurred. Her sitting and bedroom windows commanded +a view of the walk near which the postman +had to pass, so that she could see him coming, and +she always hurried down to the wicket-gate in +readiness to meet him when he put up his flag. A +son of the postman, now alive, remembers well that +his father told him that he had given the signal on +the death of Queen, Caroline. It was outside the<!--[334.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span> +postman's function, to wave the red flag with which +Mistress Hannah, had provided him, but Post Office +matters were not carried on so strictly in those days +as under the present regime. The Wrington postman +obtained the news about important passing +events from the mail-man who rode through the +village on his way from Bristol to Axbridge. +George Vowles, who died twenty-six years ago, at +the ripe age of 88 years, was the mail-man who +conveyed to the villages on his way the news of the +battle of Waterloo, brought down from London by +the mail coach, which had been decorated with +laurels and flowers in honour of the great event.<!--[335.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<h5>GENERAL FREE DELIVERY OF LETTERS.</h5> + + +<p>No stone has been left unturned in the endeavour +to afford a free delivery of letters at the door of +every house in the district; and at last all houses +and cottages, even in the remotest localities, have +been reached, and the woodman, the gamekeeper, +and the lone cottager now receive a daily visit from +the postman. In visiting out of the way places of +the kind with a view to arranging a delivery, +the surveyor has to look out for dogs. A certain +warren house in this district affords a typical +case. It is far from the ordinary haunts of man, +and was without an official delivery on account of +its extreme inaccessibility. The approach is through +a deep gorge, known as Goblin Combe, and the +path to the house is precipitous. The gamekeeper +residing there had to send to a farmhouse a mile +and a quarter distant for his letters, which the +obliging farmer had consented to take in for him. +The attempts of the staff to arrange a method of<!--[336.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span> +delivery by postmen had long been baffled. At the +time when the writer went to view the place there +was a rumour in the neighbourhood that, owing to +serious depredations by poachers, fierce dogs roamed +the enclosed warren; and on passing out on to the +warren from the wood corner, there was observed +standing on a wall near the house what in the +distance and misty morn, appeared to be a large +bloodhound, and so the advance had to be made +warily. The attendant rural postman was armed +with a riding whip, on which his grip tightened, +for he had already been four times bitten by dogs, +as the scars on his hand testified, and he desired to +guard himself against another attack. At last, as the +place was neared, the object of distrust was found to +be—a large goat! Another out-of-the-way place in +the same neighbourhood, also unserved by the postman, +was a woodman's house in a dense wood, which, +with its bowling-green, is said once to have been +used by "Bristol bloods" of old time as a safe +retreat where they could indulge in a little business +connected with the prize ring and cock fighting. +That the Duke of Norfolk's liberal policy in Her +Majesty's Diamond Jubilee year has proved a boon<!--[337.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span> +and a blessing to many residents in isolated spots +is indicated, for instance, by what a poor woman +living in a wild district stated. She had recently +to trudge the whole way from her house to Bristol, +a distance of eight miles out and eight miles back, +while a letter which would have obviated her +journey had been lying undelivered for days at a +Post Office only two miles off.</p> + +<p>Blaize Castle, which is within four miles of the +Head Post Office, was singularly enough almost the +last habitation in the Bristol district which was +granted a free delivery of letters daily, for until 1898 +the postman in his official capacity had never +penetrated to that rock-elevated and remote part +of the Blaize Woods where the castle stands. +That reproach to the Bristol district has now been +removed, and the custodians of the castle have +obtained their rights as citizens of the great kingdom +in having their letters delivered at the door daily +by the Postmaster-General's representative. It +was a difficult matter to find out all the houses at +which the postman did not call, and this particular +castle, which is now only occupied by caretakers, +was not notified by the rural postman, as the<!--[338.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span> +occupiers had signified to him that they did not +care for a delivery and were quite satisfied if the +letters were left in the village till called for. The +circumstance may be of interest to Bristolians, +from the fact that Blaize Castle is spoken of by +many but is seen by very few. Its flagstaff is +visible from some little distance, but the castle +itself can scarcely be discerned through its wooded +surroundings, even from the far-famed Arbutus +Walk, which is separated from it by a deep gorge. +The castle is situated on a lofty plateau in the +midst of the large woods. Close to it is a +sheer perpendicular rock, three hundred feet +high, known as "The Giant's leap." The castle +is said to have derived its name from St. Blaisius, +the Spanish patron of wool-combers, to whom a +chapel was dedicated on a hill in the grounds +where the castle now stands, and where there was +once a Roman encampment. The interest attaching +to this castle is enhanced from a postal point of +view by the circumstance that the son of the lady +who owns the property married a daughter of the +late Postmaster-General, the Right Hon. H. C. +Raikes.<!--[339.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span></p> + + +<p>Mr. Raikes was one of the hardest working of +Postmasters-General. So diligent indeed was he, +that almost nightly, when the House of Commons +was sitting, the right hon. gentleman, after all +other Members had gone home, retired to his +official room and went through the papers which +had been sent up from the Post Office for his +consideration. So absorbed would he become in the +documents, which he read carefully through from +end to end, so that he might judge from his own +standpoint and not from that of his official advisers, +that he would sit well into the small hours of the +morning, whilst that patient and most obliging of +officials, the postmaster of the House, Mr. Pike, +kept weary vigil, waiting to take the despatch-bag +to the Post Office in the City before he went home +to his well-earned rest. Mr. Raikes's invariably +clear and even writing betokened that, long past +the hour for bed as the time might be, he never +had any idea of doing his work in a hurry. He +was probably known to many of the citizens of +Bristol, through his frequent visits to a mansion +on the Westbury side of the Downs.<!--[340.png]--> +</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class='Null'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span></p> +<h2 class='ChapterTitle'><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +<h5>LOCAL RETURNED LETTER OFFICE.</h5> + + +<p>The Bristol Post Office has its returned letter +branch, with which almost all the towns in the +West of England, and South Wales are affiliated +for "dead letter" work. Through its agency over +a million letters and postal packets are returned to +senders annually. Book packets and circulars form +50 per cent. of the total number, and of these only +75 per cent. can be restored to the persons who +posted them. Over 10,000 letters containing +property are recorded in the ledgers, and they +represent a total value in cash, bank-notes, bills, +cheques, postage stamps, etc., of about £36,000 +per annum, nearly the whole of which reaches the +hands of the senders. About 400 letters containing +money orders, and 1,700 letters containing value, +compulsorily registered, are returned in the course of +the year. Amongst the curiosities of returned letter<!--[341.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span> +office experience may be mentioned the following. +A letter was received thus peculiarly addressed:—"Miss +----, 4, Pleasant View, in that beautiful city +which charms even eyes familiar with the masterpieces +of Bramanto and Palladio, and which the +genius of Anstey and of Smollett, of Frances +Burney and of Jane Austen has made classic +ground." The pundits in the returned letter office +who deal with derelict letters properly divined that +the place so glowingly described was Bath, and +issuing the letter accordingly, it was duly delivered +in the fair city.</p> + +<p>A packet was received simply addressed "Post +Office, Bristol, to be called for." The contents were +an army reserve man's discharge papers and pension +application forms. The application bore evidence +that it referred to Lichfield, and the packet was +accordingly sent to that military depôt. Two or +three days afterwards an old soldier called at the +Bristol office for his letter, and could not possibly +understand why it had been opened in the returned +letter branch, and the contents sent to Lichfield. +His fury was unbounded, and he consigned all and +sundry to Hades. His papers were soon obtained<!--[342.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span> +for him from Lichfield, and his gratitude at getting +them, was as effusively manifested as his disappointment +had been in not finding the papers awaiting +him on first application. His thanks were conveyed +in the following terse communication:—</p> + +<p>"Dear Boss,—A thousand pardons, everything +comes right to those who wait. Patience is a virtue.</p> + +<p> +"Obt servt,<br /> +W. H. ——."<br /> +</p> + +<p>"Sir," wrote a Bristol citizen on a postcard, "I +have lost a ingine off 3 gine oneing to the delay +of a post care wich Mr. —— send of wine ts plaa +to ingury and abould youre turly I ——, 10, —— lane +rielence Bristol." It was not at first apparent what +the writer of the card actually required, but by +degrees it was made out that what he meant was:—"I +have lost an engagement of 3 guineas owing +to the delay of a postcard which Mr. —— sent, of +Wine Street. Please to enquire and oblige, yours +truly, I. ——, 10, —— Lane, Residence, Bristol."</p> + +<p>Danger lurks in unexpected places, even for Post +Office cleaners. Packages which have remained in +the returned letter office for the prescribed period<!--[343.png]--> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span> +have to be destroyed from time to time. Sometimes +they contain chemicals. It chanced that at Bristol +one of the charwomen, when pouring out hot water +into a large waste bucket, was startled by the +emission from the bucket of a fierce, bright, flame +which badly burned her hand and caused her +no small fright. The flame lasted for a minute. +The fumes were overpowering, and unpleasantly +pervaded the whole telegraph gallery above. +Upon investigation, it appeared that another charwoman +who had been instructed to "dispose" of a +bottle of sodium amalgam, had carelessly emptied +it into the waste bucket with the startling result +narrated.<br /></p> + + +<p>The Post Office is ever progressing, and in course +of time there will be further particulars for a future +writer to relate concerning the "Bristol Royal Mail."</p> + +<hr style='width: 100%' /> + +<pre> +Transcriber's Note: Discovered publisher's punctuation errors have been +corrected. In addition, the following errors have been corrected: + +p. 22: 6th instant intead[instead] of on the first of the month. The + +p. 136: in the chair, the Post Office is again roproved[reproved] + +p. 163: about 30,000 letters. Birminghan[Birmingham] comes next in + +p. 229: spoken of the disclipine[discipline] and training telegraph + +p. 283: Office, hailng[hailing] from the Emerald Isle, had, like all + +p. 164: pension or gratuity is given. The apppointment[appointment] + +p. 112: Post Office now was was[delete second 'was'] the centre of commerce, + +p. 153: not [been] offered, would most likely have been sent + +</pre> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bristol Royal Mail, by R. C. 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