How Often Did People Receive Mail in the Victorian Era?
Long before the advent of telephones and e-mail, postal delivery was the primary way in which people stayed in touch -- and they depended on its frequency and regularity. By the end of the 19th century in London, mail was delivered to houses as often as 12 times a day. The first delivery typically began at about 7:30 a.m. and the last one at about 7:30 p.m. “In London, people complained if a letter didn’t arrive in a couple of hours,” said Catherine J. Golden, the author of Posting It: The Victorian Revolution in Letter Writing.
If only junk mail could be refused:
In England during the 1830s, postage was calculated by the number of sheets of paper being sent and by the number of miles the postman had to travel.
Before stamps were used in the mid-1800s, the person receiving mail had to pay the postman for delivery. The addressee had the option to refuse the mail rather than pay.
Official mail service in England began in 1692, when King William III granted the exclusive right to establish and collect a postal tax to an English nobleman.
Discussion Comments
Nowadays replies sent to e-mails from big companies who have many complaints are never delivered. They only give a 'no reply' e-mail address!
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