SHOW MENU

Penny Post Act 1794
(34 Geo 3 c.17, 28th March 1794)

An Act for regulating the portage and conveyance of letters by the carriage called The Penny Post.
[March 28, 1794]

WHEREAS every letter sent by the penny post from London or Westminster, the borough of Southwark, or the respective suburbs thereof, and delivered to any person at any place out of the cities of London and Westminster, the borough of Southwark, and the respective suburbs thereof, is subject to the charge of one penny, over and above the penny paid upon putting every such letter into the penny post office: and whereas, towards defraying the expence of a more frequent and speedy delivery of letters by the penny post, it is reasonable that letters conveyed by the said carriage called The Penny Post, from places out of the said cities and borough, and the suburbs thereof, to places within those cities and boroughs, and the suburbs thereof, should be charged with the payment of an additional penny in like manner: may it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That, from and after the passing this act, it shall and may be lawful to and for his Majesty's postmaster general, and his deputy and deputies, officer and officers, by him thereunto sufficiently authorised, to demand, have, receive, and take for the conveyance of every letter originally sent by the said carriage called The Penny Post, and not first passing by the general post from any place out of the cities of London and Westminster, the borough of Southwark, and the respective suburbs thereof, to any place within the said cities and borough, and the suburbs thereof respectively, the sum of one penny in addition to the sum of one penny now payable for the conveyance of every such letter.

II. And whereas a penny per letter for every letter originally sent by the penny post (and not first passing by the general post), to any place within the delivery of the penny post is now paid on putting every such letter into a penny post office: and whereas it may be convenient that the postage of letters should be paid in one sum, either on putting in the same or on delivery thereof, at the option of the persons sending the same; be it therefore further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be optional in the person and persons sending any letter or letters originally by the penny post (and not first passing by the general post), either to pay the postage of every such letter or not, as he or they may think proper, on putting the same into any penny post office, and that where the postage shall be paid by the person sending the same, such letter shall be delivered free from any other rate or duty of postage.

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and maybe lawful to and for his Majesty's postmaster general, and his deputy and deputies, officer and officers, to demand, have, receive, and take for the conveyance of every letter originally sent by the penny post, (and not first passing by the general post), the postage whereof shall not be paid on putting the same into a penny post office, the several rates or sums of money herein-after mentioned; (that is to say),

For the conveyance of every letter sent from any place within the cities of London and Westminster, the borough of Southwark, and the respective suburbs thereof, to any other place within the same cities and borough, and the suburbs thereof, the sum of one penny:

And for the conveyance of every letter sent from any place within the same cities and borough, and the suburbs thereof, to any place out of the same, the sum of two-pence:

And for the conveyance of every letter sent from any place out of the said cities and borough, and the suburbs thereof respectively, to any place within the same, or from any place out of the said cities and borough, and the suburbs thereof, to any other place out of the same, the sum of two-pence.

IV. Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall extend to exempt letters put into a penny post office to be forwarded by the general post, from the payment of the duty now chargeable thereon on putting the same into such penny post, but that the sum of one penny a letter for each letter put into a penny post office to be forwarded by the general post, shall be paid upon putting the same into a penny post office as heretofore; any thing herein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

V. Provided also, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the sum of one penny per letter, payable upon the delivery of every letter originally passing by the general post, directed to any person at any place or places beyond the delivery of the inland or foreign department of the general post office, and within the delivery of the penny post, shall be paid on delivery by the penny post, in the manner directed by an act, made and passed in the fifth year of the reign of his present Majesty, (intituled, An Act to alter certain rates of postage, and to amend, explain, and enlarge several provisions in an act, made in the ninth year of the reign of Queen Anne, and in other acts relating to the revenue of the post office); any thing herein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

VI. And whereas the conveyance of letters by the penny post is by law limited to ten English miles distant from the general post office in London: and whereas it may be expedient to extend the conveyance of letters by the said post beyond that distance in certain cafes; be it therefore further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for his Majesty's postmaster general, for the time being, at any time after the passing of this act, at his and their discretion to extend the conveyance and delivery of letters by the said carriage called The Penny Post, beyond the distance of ten English miles from the said general post office in London; any law, statute, custom, or usage to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

VII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all and every the powers, authorities, and regulations herein contained, with respect to the post called The Penny Post, established within the cities of London and Westminster, and borough of Southwark, and the respective suburbs thereof, shall extend and be applied to several cities and towns, and the places adjacent thereto respectively, in which penny post offices are already established, or hereafter maybe established, within Great Britain, and that postmaster general, for the time being, shall and may in his discretion extend the conveyance and delivery of letters by the post beyond the distance of ten English miles from such cities and towns in which penny post offices are already or may hereafter be established, and that the same rates of postage hereby made payable, shall and may be received in such cities, towns, and places respectively.

VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the surplus which shall remain at the end of each quarter of all monies arising by the said rates and duties by this act granted, after defraying the additional expence of the more frequent delivery of letters by the penny post, shall be, and be deemed part of the revenue of the general letter office, or post office, or office of postmaster general, and shall be carried to and made part the consolidated fund.

IX. And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall at any time or times be sued, molested, or prosecuted, any thing by him or them done or executed in pursuance of act, or of any clause, matter, or thing herein contained, such person and persons shall and may plead the general issue, and give the special matter in evidence for his or their defence; and if upon the trial a verdict shall pass for the defendant or defendants, or the plaintiff or plaintiffs shall become nonsuited, then such defendant or defendants hall have treble costs awarded to him or them, against such plaintiff or plaintiffs.