penny post

penny post
(formerly) any of various postal systems delivering mail for a penny a letter.
[1670-80]

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      private postal service created by the London merchant William Dockwra in 1680. All letters and packets up to one pound in weight were delivered for one penny (1 d). The packets were also insured up to £10. Dockwra's system consisted of several hundred receiving offices from which an hourly collection was made; the letters were taken to six central sorting offices. There were 4 deliveries per day in the greater part of London and 6 or 8 in the business centres. There was also a daily delivery, for which an additional penny was charged, to places up to 10 miles (16 km) outside London. In 1683 the Penny Post was taken over by the government-operated General Post Office, and Dockwra was forced to pay damages for having encroached on the crown's monopoly of the mail service, which had been effected by Charles I in 1635.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Penny post — Penny Pen*ny, n.; pl. {Pennies}or {Pence}. Pennies denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in value. [OE. peni, AS. penig, pening, pending; akin to D. penning, OHG. pfenning, pfenting, G. pfennig, Icel. penningr; of uncertain… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Penny Post — The Penny Post is any one of several postal systems in which normal letters could be sent for one penny. United Kingdom London Penny PostIn the Kingdom of England, the London Penny Post was established in 1680 by William Dockwra, who established… …   Wikipedia

  • penny-post — pennˈy postˈ noun A means of, or organization for, carrying a letter for a penny • • • Main Entry: ↑penny …   Useful english dictionary

  • penny post — noun 1. a. : a postal system carrying a letter for a penny: (1) : a system established in London about 1680 (2) : the former system of Great Britain established in 1840 ( …   Useful english dictionary

  • penny post — noun historical a system of carrying letters at a charge of one penny, in particular that established in the UK in 1840 at the instigation of Sir Rowland Hill …   English new terms dictionary

  • Uniform Penny Post — This article is about the 1840 uniform penny postage service in the UK. For similarly named services, see Penny Post. Royal Mail Post Office Regulations handbill giving details of the Uniform Penny Post, dated January 7, 1840 The Uniform Penny… …   Wikipedia

  • Penny — Pen*ny, n.; pl. {Pennies}or {Pence}. Pennies denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in value. [OE. peni, AS. penig, pening, pending; akin to D. penning, OHG. pfenning, pfenting, G. pfennig, Icel. penningr; of uncertain origin.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Penny cress — Penny Pen*ny, n.; pl. {Pennies}or {Pence}. Pennies denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in value. [OE. peni, AS. penig, pening, pending; akin to D. penning, OHG. pfenning, pfenting, G. pfennig, Icel. penningr; of uncertain… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Penny dog — Penny Pen*ny, n.; pl. {Pennies}or {Pence}. Pennies denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in value. [OE. peni, AS. penig, pening, pending; akin to D. penning, OHG. pfenning, pfenting, G. pfennig, Icel. penningr; of uncertain… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Penny father — Penny Pen*ny, n.; pl. {Pennies}or {Pence}. Pennies denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in value. [OE. peni, AS. penig, pening, pending; akin to D. penning, OHG. pfenning, pfenting, G. pfennig, Icel. penningr; of uncertain… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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