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Letter Rates 1801-1839

Introduction

1822: letter from Glasgow to Edinburgh with multiple enclosures, total weight 6oz – 14s 0½d postage – six times ounce rate of 2s 4d for 30-50 miles + Scots "Additional ½d"

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 In 1813 this was repealed in Scotland (although not England); in compensation, the Post Office were allowed to charge ½d on mail carried in a coach with more than two wheels over roads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.

Additional ½d display handout

Date Auth. Mileage Single Double Treble Ounce +ea.
¼oz
Notes
Up to 15 miles 3d 6d 9d 1s +3d
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
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
Up to 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
Up to 8 miles 2d 4d 6d 8d +2d
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