Friday 2 September 2011

Somthing I've just learnt ....

... that in 1797 the way mail that went via London was charged, was altered.  This was associated with the postal rate rises enacted in the Act of 1796, which was effective from 5th January 1797.

Before 1797, a country letter passing through London had to pay two separate charges.  Entires usually show two rate marks.  The first, representing the charge to London, was generally crossed out and replaced by the total, with a figure often preceeded by "in all". 

From 1797, there was just one charge for the total distance.  The entire may still show two rate marks as old habits took a while to die away.

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