The London Twopenny Post came into being as a result of an Act of 5th April 1801. This stated that the charge on all letters carried in the district of what was previously called the Penny Post, whether a local letter or one passing to or from the General Post, would now be 2d (two pence). It was not however actually designated until the Act of 1805 which mentioned in part... “Previously the Penny Post, now known as the Twopenny Post....”
There are many different postal markings associated with the TWOPENNY Post, for example date stamps – paid and unpaid, from the Chief Office and Westminster Office and Country Sorting Offices; stamps applied to letters transferred to the General Post ; Receiving House name stamps ; charge marks and miscellaneous stamps used for other specific purposes.
The first of these two letters was written by C.E. Jennett, is dated 1834 and addressed to W H Pilcher – Esqr Solicitor 18 New Broad Street London. It has three of these postmarks.
It was lodged at the Kingston Post Office which was a Post Town and also a Sorting Office for the Twopenny Post. This was in the Country area so it cost three pence to send it to central London, and it has the 3d charge mark. They also applied the name stamp of their office – the two–step framed TP Kingfton which was in use from 1834. When it was received at the Chief Office the oval date stamp was applied 7 NIGHT 7 MY 5 1834
The letter concerns the sale of property and the first part is a brief note to the acting solicitor.
“Kingston May 4th 1834
Sir,
I send you on the other side a copy of the Agreement entered into between Mr Venables & Mr Marshall for the Purchase of his tenements at Surbiton Hill – As the Kingston Inclosure Act was passed in the year 1808 & it has reference to the Original Titles of the Estate in right of which an allotment was directed to be made , it is impossible to be satisfied with so recent a Title as that sent – viz 1826 – If the Mortgagee or Mr Venables cannot deduce a marketable Title to this Estate my Client will not be able to complete the Purchase
I am Sir
Your obed servt
C.E. Jennett.”
However, on the inside is a beautifully copied agreement in fancy script, which uses the long ‘ S ’, which looks like a modern letter ‘f’.
This is almost plain English and for a legal agreement is amazingly intelligible.
Copy Memorandum of an Agreement made Between Thomas Venables of Kingston upon Thames in the County of Surrey Shoemaker of the one part and Charles Marshall of the same place, Gardener of the other part as follows :–
The Said Thomas Venables hereby agrees to sell and the said Charles Marshall hereby agrees to purchase All those two Messuages or Tenements with the Gardens, yards and Appurtenances thereto belonging situate at Surbiton Hill in the South of Kingston upon Thames and also the Stable apperteaining to the same and the inheritance thereof in Ffee simple free from all incumbrances as the same are in the occupation of the said Thomas Venables at or for the price or sum of Two Hundred Pounds. It is hereby agreed and declared between the said Parties hereto that the said Thomas Venables is at his expence to make out a clear and marketable Title thereto and the same Charles Marshall is to be at the expence of the Conveyance and that the purchase is to be completed on or before the tenth day of May next at which time the Pofsefsion of the Premises will be given up to the said Charles Marshall. And as a Deposit towards this purchase the said Charles Marshall hereby pays to the said Thomas Venables the sum of One Pound.
To witnefs their hands this sixteenth day of April One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty four
X The mark of Thomas Venables
Charles Marshall
Witness C.E. Jennett
It is interesting that Thomas Venables is the seller of this piece of real estate, yet he is unable to sign his name.
The second letter dated is 27th May 1835 addressed to Jas. Holworthy, 36 Maddox Street Regent Street.
This also has three postal markings, all of them of the Twopenny Post, showing that it was handled entirely by that system, and not by the General Post.
On the front there is a Boxed two–line T.P. Brewer St in red – this was a Twopenny Post Receiving office listed under the Westminster office in the Town lists of 1824 and 1828, but not in 1837.
The black Hand–stamp ‘2’ was applied to unpaid letters within the Town area of the Twopenny Post from 1805. The original stamp was about 29mm high but later reduced to about 22mm.
On the back is the third stamp, an oval unpaid date stamp 4 EVEN 4 MY 28 1835 applied in red ink. This was also applied by the Chief Office, (month before the day).
At this time there were 6 deliveries a day in the Twopenny Post. 8 and 10 o’clock in the morning, noon, 2 o’clock in the afternoon 4 o’clock in the evening and 7 o’clock at night.
The letter was sealed with a wax impression of a signet ring showing a letter ‘S’ and the letter has been carefully opened leaving that seal intact. The writer was Mr. Shaw, of 3 Cork Street Burlington Gardens – this is still in existence near the British Museum and the Royal Academy.
The letter begins :–
“Dear Sir,
I regret being obliged to inform you that I fear the long outstanding accounts with the Duke of Devonshire owing to their great intricacy and Mr. Cheeks indisposition will not be completed so soon as August next – but have no doubt that by next October I shall be in a situation to go into and settle those with yourself as executor under the wills of Major and Miss Shuttleworth.
I remain, dear sir
Yours truly
John Shaw”
It seems that things don’t change, for the processes of accounts and the Law.