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[Illustration: [_Frontispiece._
THE RIGHT HON. LORD STANLEY, K.C.V.O., C.B., M.P.
_(Postmaster-General.)_]
The King's Post
Being a volume of historical facts relating to
the Posts, Mail Coaches, Coach Roads,
and Railway Mail Services of and
connected with the Ancient
City of Bristol from 1580
to the present
time.
BY
R.C. TOMBS, I.S.O.
_Ex-Controller of the London Postal Service, and late
Surveyor-Postmaster of Bristol_;
Author of "The London Postal Service of To-day" "Visitors'
Handbook to General Post Office, London"
"The Bristol Royal Mail."
Bristol
W.C. HEMMONS, PUBLISHER, ST. STEPHEN STREET.
1905
2nd Edit., 1906. Entered Stationers' Hall.
TO
THE RIGHT HON. LORD STANLEY,
K.C.V.O., C.B., M.P.,
HIS MAJESTY'S POSTMASTER-GENERAL,
THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED
AS A TESTIMONY OF HIGH
APPRECIATION OF HIS DEVOTION
TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE AT
HOME AND ABROAD,
BY
HIS FAITHFUL SERVANT,
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
When in 1899 I published the "Bristol Royal Mail," I scarcely supposed
that it would be practicable to gather further historical facts of local
interest sufficient to admit of the compilation of a companion book to
that work. Such, however, has been the case, and much additional
information has been procured as regards the Mail Services of the
District.
Perhaps, after all, that is not surprising as Bristol is a very ancient
city, and was once the second place of importance in the kingdom, with
necessary constant mail communication with London, the seat of
Government.
I am, therefore, enabled to introduce to notice "The King's Post," with
the hope that it will prove interesting and find public support equal
to that generously afforded to its forerunner, which treated of Mail and
Post Office topics from earliest times.
I have been rendered very material assistance in my researches by Mr.
J.A. Housden, late of the Savings Bank Department, G.P.O., London; also
by Mr. L.C. Kerans, ex-postmaster of Bath, and Messrs. S.I. Toleman and
G.E. Chambers, ex-assistant Superintendents of the Bristol Post Office.
I have gathered many interesting facts from "Stage Coach and Mail," by
Mr. C.G. Harper, to whom I express hearty indebtedness; and I am also
under deep obligation to Mr. Edward Bennett, Editor of the "St.
Martin's-le-Grand Magazine," and the Assistant Editor, Mr. Hatswell, for
much valuable assistance.
R.C.T.
BRISTOL, _September, 1905_.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THE EARLIEST BRISTOL POSTS, 1580.--FOOT AND
RUNNING POSTS.--THE FIRST BRISTOL POSTMASTERS:
ALLEN AND TEAGUE, 1644-1660.--THE POST
HOUSE.--EARLIEST LETTERS, 1662. _Page_ 1
CHAPTER II.
THE POST HOUSE AT THE DOLPHIN INN, IN DOLPHIN
STREET, BRISTOL, 1662.--EXCHANGE AVENUE AND
SMALL STREET POST OFFICES, BRISTOL. _Page_ 8
CHAPTER III.
ELIZABETHAN POST TO BRISTOL.--THE QUEEN'S
PROGRESS, 1574. _Page_ 16
CHAPTER IV.
THE ROADS.--THE COACH.--MR. JOHN PALMER'S
MAIL COACH INNOVATIONS, 1660-1818. _Page_ 22
CHAPTER V.
APPRECIATIONS OF RALPH ALLEN, JOHN PALMER,
AND SIR FRANCIS FREELING, MAIL AND COACH
ADMINISTRATORS. _Page_ 45
CHAPTER VI.
BRISTOL MAIL COACH ANNOUNCEMENTS, 1802, 1830.--THE
NEW GENERAL POST OFFICE, LONDON. _Page_ 62
CHAPTER VII.
THE BRISTOL AND PORTSMOUTH MAIL FROM 1772
ONWARDS.--PROJECTED SOUTH COAST RAILWAY
FROM BRISTOL, 1903.--THE BRISTOL TO SALISBURY
POSTBOY HELD UP.--MAIL COACH ACCIDENTS.--LUKE
KENT AND RICHARD GRIFFITHS, THE MAIL
GUARDS. _Page_ 75
CHAPTER VIII.
THE BUSH TAVERN, BRISTOL'S FAMOUS COACHING
INN, AND JOHN WEEKS, ITS WORTHY BONIFACE,
1775-1819.--THE WHITE LION COACHING HOUSE,
BRISTOL, ISAAC NIBLETT.--THE WHITE HART, BATH. _Page_ 93
CHAPTER IX.
TOLL GATES AND GATE KEEPERS. _Page_ 110
CHAPTER X.
DARING ROBBERIES OF THE BRISTOL MAIL BY
HIGHWAYMEN, 1726-1781.--BILL NASH, MAIL COACH
ROBBER, CONVICT, AND RICH COLONIST, 1832.--BURGLARIES
AT POST OFFICES IN LONDON AND
BRISTOL, 1881-1901. _Page_ 119
CHAPTER XI.
MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL MAILS.--FROM COACH
TO RAIL.--THE WESTERN RAILROAD.--POST OFFICE
ARBITRATION CASE. _Page_ 141
CHAPTER XII.
PRIMITIVE POST OFFICE.--FIFTH CLAUSE POSTS.--MAIL
CART IN A RHINE.--EFFECT OF GALES ON
POST AND TELEGRAPH SERVICE. _Page_ 151
CHAPTER XIII.
BRISTOL REJUVENATED.--VISIT OF PRINCE OF WALES
IN CONNECTION WITH THE NEW BRISTOL DOCK.--BRISTOL-JAMAICAN
MAIL SERVICE.--AMERICAN MAILS.--BRISTOL SHIP LETTER
MAILS.--THE REDLAND POST OFFICE.--THE MEDICAL
OFFICER.--BRISTOL TELEGRAPHISTS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN
WAR.--LORD STANLEY, K.C.V.O., C.B., M.P.--MR.
J. PAUL BUSH, C.M.G. _Page_ 160
CHAPTER XIV.
SMALL (THE POST OFFICE) STREET, BRISTOL: ITS
ANCIENT HISTORY, INFLUENTIAL RESIDENTS, HISTORIC
HOUSES; THE CANNS; THE EARLY HOME OF THE
ELTON FAMILY. _Page_ 175
CHAPTER XV.
THE POST OFFICE TRUNK TELEPHONE SYSTEM AT
BRISTOL. _Page_ 195
CHAPTER XVI.
THE POST OFFICE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY: ITS ANNUAL
MEETING AT BRISTOL.--POST OFFICE SPORTS:
TERRIBLE MOTOR CYCLE ACCIDENT.--BRISTOL POST
OFFICE IN DARKNESS. _Page_ 199
CHAPTER XVII.
QUAINT ADDRESSES.--THE DEAN'S PECULIAR
SIGNATURE.--AMUSING INCIDENTS AND THE POSTMAN'S
KNOCK.--HUMOROUS APPLICATIONS. _Page_ 223
CHAPTER XVIII.
POSTMASTERS-GENERAL (RT. HON. A. MORLEY AND
THE MARQUIS OF LONDONDERRY) VISIT BRISTOL.--THE
POSTMASTER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.--THE
KING'S NEW POSTAGE STAMPS.--CORONATION
OF KING EDWARD VII.--LOYALTY OF POST OFFICE
STAFF.--MRS. VARNAM-COGGAN'S CORONATION
POEM. _Page_ 232
ILLUSTRATIONS.
TO FACE
PAGE
1. THE RT. HON. LORD STANLEY, K.C.V.O., C.B.,
M.P. _Frontispiece._
2. THE OLD POST HOUSE IN DOLPHIN STREET, BRISTOL 7
3. THE BRISTOL POST OFFICE, 1750-1868 9
4. THE BRISTOL POST OFFICE AS ENLARGED IN 1889 15
5. A STATE COACH OF THE PERIOD OF KING CHARLES I. 23
6. THE BATH AND BRISTOL WAGGON 25
7. JOHN PALMER AT THE AGE OF 17 27
8. THE OLD LETTER WOMAN 29
9. THE OLD GENERAL POST OFFICE IN LOMBARD STREET, LONDON 31
10. ANTHONY TODD 35
11. JOHN PALMER AT THE AGE OF 75 44
12. MEDAL STRUCK IN HONOUR OF RALPH ALLEN 49
13. MAIL COACH TOKENS 51
14. BIRTHPLACE OF SIR FRANCIS FREELING 53
15. THE OLD BRISTOL POST OFFICE IN EXCHANGE AVENUE 60
16. HOW THE MAILS WERE CONVEYED TO BRISTOL IN THE DAYS OF
KING GEORGE IV. 69
17. THE BRISTOL AND LONDON COACH TAKING UP MAILS WITHOUT
HALTING 72
18. THE GENERAL POST OFFICE, LONDON, IN 1830 74
19. MAIL COACH GUARD'S POST HORN 90
20. AVON TRIMOBILE MOTOR VAN 92
21. MURAL TABLET TO JOHN WEEKS 95
22. THE OLD WHITE LION COACHING INN, BROAD STREET,
BRISTOL 107
23. MR. STANLEY WHITE'S COACH 108
24. MR. STANLEY WHITE'S MOTOR CAR 108
25. BAGSTONE TURNPIKE HOUSE 111
26. CHARFIELD TURNPIKE HOUSE 112
27. WICKWAR ROAD TURNPIKE HOUSE 114
28. WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE TURNPIKE HOUSE 116
29. ST. MICHAEL'S HILL TURNPIKE HOUSE 117
30. STANTON DREW TURNPIKE HOUSE 119
31. THE WHITE HART COACHING INN, BATH 132
32. OLD POST OFFICE, WESTBURY-ON-TRYM 136
33. PRIMITIVE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY TRAIN 143
34. BRISTOL AND EXETER TRAIN, 1844 145
35. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY ENGINE: "LA FRANCE" 148
36. HORTON THATCHED POST OFFICE 152
37. EARLY BRISTOL POST MARKS 154
38. SIR ALFRED JONES, K.C.M.G. 160
39. THE "PORT KINGSTON" 161
40. THE "PORT ROYAL" 162
41. MR. F.P. LANSDOWN 171
42. MR. J. PAUL BUSH, C.M.G. 174
43. ELTON MANSION 177
44. SIR ABRAHAM ELTON 184
45. LADY ELTON 185
46. GARGOYLE IN ELTON MANSION 188
47. ANCIENT CHIMNEY-PIECE 191
48. EDWARD COLSTON 192
49. CHARLES II. 193
50. KING CHARLES, FLIGHT OF 194
51. COLUMBIA STAMPING MACHINE 198
52. POSTMASTER OF BRISTOL _(The Author)_ 211
53. QUAINTLY ADDRESSED ENVELOPES 224
54. PRUDENT MAN'S FUND RECEIPT NOTE 231
55. ADDRESS TO THE KING 241
CHAPTER I.
THE EARLIEST BRISTOL POSTS, 1580.--FOOT AND RUNNING POSTS.--THE FIRST
BRISTOL POSTMASTERS: ALLEN AND TEAGUE, 1644-1660.--THE POST
HOUSE.--EARLIEST LETTERS, 1662.
The difficulty in Queen Elizabeth's time of communicating with persons
at a distance from Bristol before the establishment of a post office is
illustrated by the following item from the City Chamberlain's
accounts:--
"1580, August. Paid to Savage, the foot post, to go to Wellington with a
letter to the Recorder touching the holding of the Sessions, and if not
there to go to Wimborne Minster, where he has a house, where he found
him, and returned with a letter; which post was six days upon that
journey in very foul weather, and I paid him for his pains 13s. 4d."
The next record of a person performing postman's work in Bristol is that
of 1615, when the City Chamberlain paid a tradesman 12s. "for cloth to
make Packer, the foot post, a coat." In 1616, Packer was sent by the
same official to Brewham to collect rents, and was paid 3s. 8d. for a
journey, out and home, of 60 miles. This system of a foot post to
collect money in King James the First's reign appears to be an early
application of the somewhat analogous plan, which of recent years has
been under departmental consideration as "C.O.D.," or collection of
business and trade charges by the postman on delivery of parcels--an
exemplification of there being nothing new under the sun!
That travelling and the conveyance of letters was difficult in 1626 is
evident from the fact that nearly £60 was spent in setting up wooden
posts along the highway and causeway at Kingswood, for the guidance of
travellers, the tracks being then unenclosed, so that the "foot post"
must have had no enviable task on his journeys. In October, 1637, John
Freeman was appointed "thorough post" at Bristol, and ordered to provide
horses for all men riding post on the King's affairs of King Charles I:
Letters were not to be detained more than half a quarter of an hour,
and the carriers were to run seven miles an hour in summer, and five in
winter. A Government "running post" from London to Bristol and other
towns was ordered on July 31st, 1638. No messengers were thenceforth to
run to and from Bristol except those appointed by Thomas Withering, but
letters were allowed to be sent by common carriers, or by private
messengers passing between friends. The postage was fixed at twopence
for under 80 miles, and at fourpence for under 140 miles.
In 1644 Lord Hopton "commanded" the grant of the freedom of Bristol to
one Richard Allen, "Postmaster-General." In August, 1643, Lord Hopton
was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Bristol, and held that appointment
until 1645, when Fairfax took the city. Probably Allen was
Postmaster-General of Bristol, and his authority may have extended to
other parts of the country that were held by the King's forces. Prideaux
was appointed Master of the Posts by Parliament, and his jurisdiction
extended as far as the country was under the control of Parliament, as
distinguished from such parts of England as adhered to the King. In
1644, however, very few places--Bristol was one of them--still adhered
to Charles. At an earlier stage of the civil war special posts had been
arranged for the King's service, and it is thought Bristol was one of
the places to which these special posts were arranged.
In the Calendar of State Papers, under the year 1660, there is a
complaint against one "Teig," an anabaptist Postmaster of Bristol, who
broke open letters directed to the King's friends.
The complaint against him appears to have been very seriously considered
by the authorities, and it induced his friends to take up the cudgels in
his behalf as indicated by the following memorials:--
"To the Hon. John Weaver, Esq.: of the Council of State: Honoured
Sir--Having so fit a Messenger I would not omit to acquaint you what a
sad state and condition we are fallen into: How the good old cause is
now sunke and a horrid spirit of Prophaneous Malignity and revenge is
risen up Trampling on all those who have the face of godlinesse and have
been of ye Parliamt party insoemuch that if the Lord doe not interpose
I doubt a Mascare will follow."
"Sir--I have a request to make in the behalfe of this Bearer Mr Teage
who is an honest faithfull sober man That you would stead him what you
can about his continuance in the Post Office for this Citty. I beleive
it will be but for a short continuance for I beleive that few honnest
men in England shall have any place of trust or profit. The Cavilears
Threaten a rooting out all Suddamly Thus with the tender of my old love
and reall respects to you I take leave and Rest Your most humble and
obliged servant, Ja Powell Bristoll this 14th April 60."
"To the Right Honble the Comittee appointed by the Councill of State
for the Management of the Poste affaire Whereas John Teage who hath
formerly beene actually in Armes for ye Parliamt and since that being
an Inhabitant of this Citty hath beene Postmaster here for many years
last past He being a person well qualified and capable for such an
imploiment We doe therefore humbly recomend him to your Honors to be
continued in his said place And we doubt not of his faithfull management
thereof
"Given under our hands at Bristoll this 14th
"day of Aprill 1660. Edwd. Tyson (?) _Mayr._
"Henry Gibbes _Aldm_ Robert Yates _Aldm_
"James Parsons Ch (?) Dooney George Lane,
Junior, J. Holwey Nehe Cotting
"Andrew Hooke James Powell Richd Baugh
Tho. Deane Robert Hann
"James Phelps (?) Abell Kelly."
(Two other names undecipherable.)
Having regard to the looseness of the spelling at that period, it is he,
no doubt, who is mentioned later on as the "Mr. Teague" at the Dolphin,
to whose care a Mr. Browne's letter was addressed in 1671. If Teig or
Teague did continue at his post until 1671 he must have renounced his
Anabaptist opinions and conformed, for no Postmaster was to remain in
the service unless he was conformable to the discipline of the Church of
England.
Evans mentions in his Chronological History, under 1663, a letter
addressed: "To Mr. John Hellier, at his house in Corn Street, in Bristol
Citty," from which it may be inferred that a postman was then employed
for deliveries in the principal streets.
[Illustration: THE OLD POST-HOUSE IN DOLPHIN STREET, BRISTOL.]
In the Broadmead Chapel Records (1648-1687), published in 1847, and now
in the Baptist College, there is mention, at page 126, of a letter of
Mr. Robert Browne, "To my much revered brother, Mr. Terrill, at his
house in Bristol. To be left with Mr. Mitchell, near the Post Office."
The letter was dated Worcester, 15 d. 1 m. 1670-1, and signed Robert
Browne, with this foot-note, "I am forced to send now by way of London."
A second letter of Mr. Browne, sent in April, 1671, is mentioned
likewise. It is addressed "To my respected friend Mr. Terrill, at his
house in Bristol. To be left with Mr. Teague at the Dolphin, in
Bristol," and begins "My dear Brother, I hope you have receeived both
mine, that one sent by the way of London, the other by the trow from
Worcester."