Friday 6 April 2012

A-Z Challenge: F is for Franking of Letters


1660 onwards: Sending and receiving letters is only to be done by Members of the House of Commons and clerks of the Post Office.

1764: Each peer and Member of Parliament is allowed to send 10 free letters not exceeding one ounce in weight per day, by signing their name in the corner of the folded letter (envelopes weren't around).  Each Member can also receive up to 15 letters per day.

1837: The practice of Members of Parliament 'franking' letters for their friends is stopped (well, the powers-that-be tried to stop it).  The person signing his name in the corner also has to put his address plus the day of the month, and the letter has to be posted on the same day not 20 miles from the franker's home.

1840: Franking was abolished - the penny post was introduced.

30 April 2012: The price of a first class UK stamp will be 60p; the price of a second class UK stamp will be 50p.

4 comments:

  1. Ah- such interesting history!

    Never knew this word or activity :)

    Look forward to your challenge run…
    --Damyanti, Co-host A to Z Challenge April 2012

    Twitter: @AprilA2Z
    #atozchallenge

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Ros, for your postal history, and also for the A to Z challenge. It has got my brain cells thinking, and I am enjoying coming up with a slightly different approach of wee snippets for each letter. Not sure if I will complete it before moving house in 3 weeks time, but it is making a welcome, relaxing change from decluttering, packing and cleaning!

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
  4. Well,

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    ReplyDelete

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