Postmaster-General Act 1831
(1 Will 4 c.8, 11th March 1831)

An Act for enabling His Majesty to appoint a Postmaster General for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
[11th March 1831]

'WHEREAS by an Act passed in the Ninth Year of the Reign of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An Act for establishing a General Post Office for all Her Majesty's Dominions, and for settling a Weekly Sum out of the Revenues thereof for the Service of the War, and other Her Majesty's Occasions, it was amongst other Things enacted, that from and after the First Day of June One thousand seven hundred and eleven there should be from thenceforth One General Letter Office and Post Office erected and established in some convenient Place within the City of London, from whence all Letters and Packets whatsoever might be with Speed and Expedition sent into any Part of the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, or to North America, the West Indies, or to any other of Her Majesty's Dominions or Territories, or unto any other Kingdom, or Country beyond, the Seas; at which said Office all Returns and Answers might be likewise received; and that One Master of the said General Letter Office and Post Office should be from time to time appointed by the Queen's Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, to be made and constituted by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, by the Name and Style of 'Her Majesty's Postmaster General;' which said Master of the said Office, and his Deputy and Deputies by him thereunto sufficiently authorized, and his and their Servants and Agents, and no other Person or Persons whatsoever, should from time to time and at all Times have the receiving, taking up, ordering, dispatching, sending Post or with Speed, carrying, and delivering of all Letters and Packets whatsoever, which should from time to time and at all or any Times be sent to and from all and every the Parts and Places of Great Britain and Ireland, North America, the West Indies, and other Her Majesty's Dominions, and also to and from all and every the Kingdoms and Countries beyond the Seas where he should settle or cause to be settled Posts or running Messengers for that Purpose; except such Letters as in the said Act are particularly mentioned: And whereas an Act was passed by the Parliament of the Kingdom of Ireland in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act for establishing a Post Office within this Kingdom, whereby it was amongst other Things, enacted, that as soon as conveniently might be after the passing of that Act there should be One General Letter Office and Post Office established in some convenient Place within the City of Dublin, with Sub-Offices throughout that Kingdom, from whence all Letters and Packets whatsoever to or from Places within that Kingdom or beyond the Seas might be with Speed and Expedition sent, received and dispatched; and that the Person or Persons from time to time to be appointed Master of the said Office should be so appointed by the King's Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, to be made and constituted by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Ireland, by the Name and Style of 'His Majesty's Postmaster General of Ireland;' and that there should be a Secretary, a Treasurer or Receiver General, an Accountant General, and a Resident Surveyor of the said General Post Office, and also a Comptroller of the Sorting Office thereof, to be appointed, made, and constituted in like Manner by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Ireland; which said Master of the said Office, and his Deputy and Deputies by him thereunto sufficiently authorized, and his and their Servants and Agents, and no other Person or Persons whatsoever within that Kingdom, should from time to time and at all Times have the receiving, taking up, ordering, dispatching, sending Post or with Speed, carrying, and delivering of all Letters and Packets whatsoever which should from time to time and at all Times be sent to and from all and every Parts and Places within that Kingdom, and to and from all and every the Parts and Places beyond the Seas where Posts were then settled or might thereafter be settled for that Purpose; except such Letters as are therein mentioned: And whereas by an Act made and passed in the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act for the Union of Great Britain and Ireland, it was amongst other Things provided, that the said Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland should upon the First Day of January in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and one, and for ever after, be united into One Kingdom by the Name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland: And whereas it is expedient that there should be in future but One Postmaster General for the said United Kingdom and other His Majesty's Dominions;' Be it therefore 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 of this Act it shall be lawful for the King's Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, from time to time to appoint any One Person to be Postmaster General for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and other His Majesty's Dominions, in lieu of the said Two several Postmasters General of Great Britain and Ireland authorized to be appointed as aforesaid, by the Name and Style of 'His Majesty's Postmaster General;' which said Postmaster General so to be appointed shall have and be entitled to all and every the same Powers, Authorities, Immunities, Rights, and Privileges as the said Two several Postmasters General would have been entitled to in right of their respective Offices in case they had been separately nominated and appointed thereto by Letters Patent under the Great Seals of Great Britain and Ireland respectively; and the said Postmaster General so to be appointed, and his Deputy and Deputies, and his and their Servants and Agents, in Great Britain, Ireland, and other His Majesty's Dominions, and elsewhere, shall be entitled to demand, have, receive, and take, for the Postage and Conveyance of all such Letters and Packets which he or they shall convey, carry, or send Post, the like Rates and Sums of Money in all respects as the several Postmasters General of Great Britain and Ireland would immediately before the passing of this Act have, in right of their respective Offices, been authorized and entitled by Law to demand, have, receive, and take for the Postage and Conveyance of Letters and Packets conveyed, carried, and sent by the Post.

II. And be it further enacted, That the Agent and Agents of the said Postmaster General for the Time being in Great Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere, shall have all the like Powers, Privileges, Rights, Immunities, Benefits, and Authorities, and the said Postmaster General for the Time being, his Deputy and Deputies, Agent and Agents, shall be subject to all the like Regulations, Directions, Restrictions, Penalties, Punishments, and Liabilities, in all respects, as he or they was or were or would have been by Law subject or liable to under or by virtue of the Acts in force concerning the Post Offices of Great Britain and Ireland immediately before the passing of this Act, in case such separate Postmasters General had been nominated and appointed.

III. And be it further enacted, That when and as the several Patents granted under and by virtue of the said in part recited Act of the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third to the present Secretary, Accountant General, and Resident Surveyor of the General Post Office in Dublin, and the Comptroller of the Sorting Office thereof, or any or either of such Patents, shall be revoked or otherwise determined, every future Secretary, Accountant General, and Resident Surveyor of the said General Post Office in Dublin, and every future Comptroller of the Sorting Office thereof, shall be appointed by and during the Pleasure of His Majesty's Postmaster General for the Time being.

IV. And be it further enacted, That this Act may be amended, altered, or repealed by any Act or Acts to be passed in this present Session of Parliament.