The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and RomanceHyde, James Wilson
History
The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance
Hyde, James Wilson
Postal service -- Great Britain
The fountain-head of the Post-office establishment of this country,
whose personal embodiment is the Postmaster-General, possesses very
ample means for the collection of information of various kinds through
its willing and trusty agents, to be found in every corner of the
empire; and this idea seems to be entertained as well by individuals
abroad as by our neighbours at home, who, when they fail to ascertain
what they want by other means, frequently fall back upon the
Postmaster-General for assistance and guidance--the Post-office being
pre-eminently a people's institution, whose head even no poor man need
fear to approach--at any rate by letter. It is a common expression to
say that a thing cannot be done for love or money; but while the
Postmaster-General is addressed by inquirers on every variety of
subject, it will be found that love and money are at the bottom of many
of the communications addressed to him not strictly upon the business of
his Department. In the following paragraphs will be found specimens of
such letters--some entreating him to render assistance in tracing
missing relatives, some asking help in the recovery of fortunes supposed
to have been left to the writers, others begging him to obtain
situations for them, and the like; but the letters generally explain
themselves.
The Dead-letter Office must occasionally be supposed to be a repository
for the human dead, as inquiries for deceased persons are sometimes
addressed to the "Dead Office." Thus:--
"We heard in the paper about 12 or 14 months back Mary Ann ---- the
servant girl at London was dead. Please send it to the Printer's office
by return of post whether their was a small fortune left for ----."
"i Beg of you to let me if you do no something about a young sailor. his
name Hugh ----. he is away now since 4 or 5 years. i hope gentlemen you
will let me no if he is dead or alive as i am anxious to no as it is a
deal of trouble on my mind as he is a Boy that i have reared up without
father an mother an he a deal of trouble on my mind. he has a dark eyes
an Brown hair, looking pael. please gentlemen to let me no if you can by
return."
"i rite a Line two see if you hard Enny thing of my husband ---- that
was left at ---- ill. pleese will you rite back by return of post as we
are in great trobble."
"I have just been hearing of 3 men that was drowned about 9 months ago.
i hear there was one of the men went under the name of John ----. Could
the manager of the office give any particulars about that man,--what he
was like, or if there was such a name, or if he had any friend. He just
went amissing about that time. I here enclose a stamp, and address to
----" &c.
Again, the Post-office is asked to hunt up missing relatives:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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