These letters graciously have been shared with the Victorian Web by Eunice and Ron Shanahan; they have been taken from their website. The letters give an insight into the daily lives and concerns of 'ordinary' people without whom history would not exist. The letters are a wonderful example of how much history may be gleaned from such sources.There were two sets of rates in force during the Regency Period : under the Act of 1805 the rates were set for the cost of sending a single sheet letter. If a further sheet was enclosed in the letter the cost was double. If the letter weighed an ounce the cost was four times the base rate.
Although it is slightly before the Regency period, this letter written in 1800 is a good example. The sender has put a note on the front of the letter "Two Sheets inclosed".
The postal official has written the weight 1oz (one ounce) and the correct postage due is therefore 4 times the base rate for the distance of between 60 and 100 miles i.e. 4 x 6d = 24d or 2/- (two shillings). Wisbeach was 89 miles from London.
The following tables show the stages of distance, the cost involved, and then an example of a town within that range, or a linked image of a letter bearing that charge.
Note: we have 29 letters dated between 1805 and 1812, some of them with inexplicable charges on them, for instance the Southwell letter of 1808. Sleaford was 117 miles from London so that would be in the 8d rate for a single letter. If this was a double letter it would therefore be 2 x 8d = 1sh 4d, but the charge mark appears to be 1sh 2d. If it had to go to from Sleaford to London (8d), then London to Southwell 9d the combined cost would be 17 pence or 1sh 5d.
|distance during 1805-1812||Cost in pence||Notes|
|Not exceeding 15 miles||4||a 'one-horse stage'|
|15 to 30 miles||5||Leith/Haddington|
|30 to 50 miles||6||Tetsworth|
|50 to 80 miles||7||Dover|
|80 to 120 miles||8||Birmingham|
|120 to 170 miles||9||Derby|
|170 to 230 miles||10||Cardiff/Aberdare|
|230 to 300 miles||11||Newcastle-on-Tyne|
|for every 100 miles above 300||add 2d||Southwell|
|Distance during 1812-1839||Cost in shillings & pence||Notes|
|Not exceeding 15 miles||4d||Southall|
|above 15 less than 20||5d||Leatherhead|
|above 20 less than 30||6d||Cardiff to Merthyr Tidville|
|above 30 less than 50||7d||Luton|
|above 50 less than 80||8d||Chipping Norton|
|above 80 less than 120||9d||Dorchester|
|above 120 less than 170||10d||Bristol to London|
|above 170 less than 230||11d||Dartmouth|
|above 230 less than 300||1 Shilling (12d)||Redruth|
|above 300 less than 400||1s. 1d||Edinburgh to London|
|above 400 less than 500||1s. 2d||Glasgow|
|above 500 less than 600||1s. 3d||Aberdeen|
|above 600 less than 700||1s. 4d||Forres Scotland|
|above 700 miles||1s. 5d||Wick, Caithness|
3 December 2002