Postage stamp history

By Bob Allen
Submitted to Corner Post

History can be a fascinating subject. A little knowledge of history stretched too far can make a guy think he knows something he doesn’t. Case in point: I heard mention about the first U.S. postage stamp being issued in 1847. I doubted that, because the Stamp Act (one of the oppressive actions that led American colonists to revolt against English rule) occurred well before 1776. In searching for verification, I confirmed part of the snippet I recalled, and I learned new facts about the roots of postage stamps, which proved me wrong on the bigger point.

The Stamp Act of 1765 mandated that documents, stationary, newspapers, playing cards, and other materials printed in the American colonies had to be printed on paper purchased from London and for which a special tax was levied. The paper that was required to be used was embossed (stamped) with a British seal. So, my timing was correct, but the Stamp Act had nothing to do with postage.

Prior to the mid-19th century, recipients (not senders) paid for delivery of most correspondence. Delivery rates were set at the point of delivery, and were based upon distance that was traveled, inconveniences overcome, or even what the delivery person thought the recipient might be able/willing to pay. If the receiver declined to pay for the delivery, the correspondence was eventually returned to the sender. Not only was this extremely inefficient, the cost for rejected and returned mail was added to the rates of those pieces that were actually delivered. As a result of the complex, inconsistent and very high postage rates, relatively few used a postal service.

Enter Rowland Hill, an English teacher with a penchant for solving problems. After careful study and statistical analysis, he proposed charging senders, not recipients, thereby eliminating rejected (unpaid) deliveries. He also recommended lowering the postage rate to 1 penny per piece of mail, whereas rates previously ranged from 4 — 15 cents. He projected that the lower rate would increase usage of the postal system, and efficiencies would slash costs, leading to profitability. And within a year of putting his plan into action in 1840, he was proved right on both accounts. By 1840, France, Canada and the united States had adopted a similar system.