Letter Rates 1801-1839
Introduction
From April 1801 rates within Great Britain were based simply on the distance a letter was carried within the mainland, regardless of whether it crossed the border between England and Scotland. This method did not apply to letters between Britain and Ireland until 1827 (see this section).
Scottish "Additional Halfpenny": from 1785 mail transport was exempt from road tolls. In 1813 this was repealed in Scotland (although not England); in compensation, the Post Office were allowed to charge ½d on mail carried in a coach with more than two wheels over roads in Scotland. This was a flat-rate, one-time charge, regardless of the size of the letter or any redirections, and continued to apply until the introduction in 1839 of the 4d Post.
Date | Auth. | Mileage | Single | Double | Treble | Ounce | +ea. ¼oz |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1801 (5 Apr) |
Up to 15 miles | 3d | 6d | 9d | 1s | +3d | Act passed 24th March with specific future date for rates to come into effect |
|
15-30 miles | 4d | 8d | 1s | 1s 4d | +4d | |||
30-50 miles | 5d | 10d | 1s 3d | 1s 8d | +5d | |||
50-80 miles | 6d | 1s | 1s 6d | 2s | +6d | |||
80-120 miles | 7d | 1s 2d | 1s 9d | 2s 4d | +7d | |||
120-170 miles | 8d | 1s 4d | 2s | 2s 8d | +8d | |||
170-230 miles | 9d | 1s 6d | 2s 3d | 3s | +9d | |||
230-300 miles | 10d | 1s 8d | 2s 6d | 3s 4d | +10d | |||
Each extra 100 miles | +1d | +2d | +3d | +4d | +1d | |||
1805 (12 Mar) |
Up to 15 miles | 4d | 8d | 1s | 1s 4d | +4d | ||
15-30 miles | 5d | 10d | 1s 3d | 1s 8d | +5d | |||
30-50 miles | 6d | 1s | 1s 6d | 2s | +6d | |||
50-80 miles | 7d | 1s 2d | 1s 9d | 2s 4d | +7d | |||
80-120 miles | 8d | 1s 4d | 2s | 2s 8d | +8d | |||
120-170 miles | 9d | 1s 6d | 2s 3d | 3s | +9d | |||
170-230 miles | 10d | 1s 8d | 2s 6d | 3s 4d | +10d | |||
230-300 miles | 11d | 1s 10d | 2s 9d | 3s 8d | +11d | |||
Each extra 100 miles | +1d | +2d | +3d | +4d | +1d | |||
1812 (9 Jul) |
Up to 15 miles | 4d | 8d | 1s | 1s 4d | +4d |
Scottish Additional ½d: applied 1813-39, see above
1813 (8 Jun) first ½d tax imposed in London 1813 (11 Jun) first ½d tax imposed in Scotland |
|
15-20 miles | 5d | 10d | 1s 3d | 1s 8d | +5d | |||
20-30 miles | 6d | 1s | 1s 6d | 2s | +6d | |||
30-50 miles | 7d | 1s 2d | 1s 9d | 2s 4d | +7d | |||
50-80 miles | 8d | 1s 4d | 2s | 2s 8d | +8d | |||
80-120 miles | 9d | 1s 6d | 2s 3d | 3s | +9d | |||
120-170 miles | 10d | 1s 8d | 2s 6d | 3s 4d | +10d | |||
170-230 miles | 11d | 1s 10d | 2s 9d | 3s 8d | +11d | |||
230-300 miles | 1s | 2s | 3s | 4s | +1s | |||
Each extra 100 miles | +1d | +2d | +3d | +4d | +1d | |||
1838 (6 Jan) |
Treasury auth. under 1 Vic c.76 |
Up to 8 miles | 2d | 4d | 6d | 8d | +2d |
Reduction in rate for local letters up to 8 miles. Date announced in local papers
From 1838 (18 Sep) (by Treasury auth.) rates set on basis of distance along shortest public road between towns, not route sent if different. Took effect on that day for letters from London to Southampton and Bristol, other routes in due course |
8-15 miles | 4d | 8d | 1s | 1s 4d | +4d | |||
15-20 miles | 5d | 10d | 1s 3d | 1s 8d | +5d | |||
20-30 miles | 6d | 1s | 1s 6d | 2s | +6d | |||
30-50 miles | 7d | 1s 2d | 1s 9d | 2s 4d | +7d | |||
50-80 miles | 8d | 1s 4d | 2s | 2s 8d | +8d | |||
80-120 miles | 9d | 1s 6d | 2s 3d | 3s | +9d | |||
120-170 miles | 10d | 1s 8d | 2s 6d | 3s 4d | +10d | |||
170-230 miles | 11d | 1s 10d | 2s 9d | 3s 8d | +11d | |||
230-300 miles | 1s | 2s | 3s | 4s | +1s | |||
Each extra 100 miles | +1d | +2d | +3d | +4d | +1d |