Series GB-813 POST 2 Series - Post Office: Receiver General's Cash Books

Identity area

Reference code

GB-813 POST 2 Series

Title

Post Office: Receiver General's Cash Books

Date(s)

  • 1677-1809 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

104 volumes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Receiver General was an independent appointment, designed to remove all responsibilities for cash from the hands of the Postmaster General. There was, however, another major financial position in the Post Office, the Accountant General, who was appointed by the Postmaster General to keep an account of all revenue. This produced duplication of records. The Receiver General took receipt of all money paid into the Department, and paid costs directly from these funds.

The sources of income are mainly payments received from inland letters; window money (postage due on letters handed in by the public to the clerk behind the window of a post office); postmasters; letter receivers; returned letters; charges levied on incoming foreign letters. Expenditure includes payments for salaries of postmasters, letter carriers, sorters, window men, clerks of the roads and of the inland and foreign offices, inspectors, watchmen and other employees; ship letters; returned letters; accommodation, furnishings and equipment; travelling expenses; allowances and pensions; local taxes; contractors and tradesmen; building, hire, wear and tear of packet ships; captains fees. The balance of cash was transferred to the Exchequer.

Archival history

GB-813 POST 2 Series 1677-1809 series 104 volumes Post Office

The Receiver General was an independent appointment, designed to remove all responsibilities for cash from the hands of the Postmaster General. There was, however, another major financial position in the Post Office, the Accountant General, who was appointed by the Postmaster General to keep an account of all revenue. This produced duplication of records. The Receiver General took receipt of all money paid into the Department, and paid costs directly from these funds.

The sources of income are mainly payments received from inland letters; window money (postage due on letters handed in by the public to the clerk behind the window of a post office); postmasters; letter receivers; returned letters; charges levied on incoming foreign letters. Expenditure includes payments for salaries of postmasters, letter carriers, sorters, window men, clerks of the roads and of the inland and foreign offices, inspectors, watchmen and other employees; ship letters; returned letters; accommodation, furnishings and equipment; travelling expenses; allowances and pensions; local taxes; contractors and tradesmen; building, hire, wear and tear of packet ships; captains fees. The balance of cash was transferred to the Exchequer.

Records transferred internally from Royal Mail.

POST 2 comprises the Receiver General's monthly record of all money received and expended on a monthly or quarterly basis by the Post Office. However, POST 2/107-112, covering the Bye and Cross Road Letter Office, contain quarterly accounts only. Subject, place and name indexes are included in POST 2/1-44, covering 1677-1748, although they are not contemporary compilations. Dates on volumes prior to 1752 have been revised in the catalogue to conform to the modern Gregorian calendar.

The material is arranged in chronological order within series.

In the catalogue the dates of volumes prior to 1752 have been revised in accordance with the modern Gregorian calendar (1 Jan-31 Dec). The Julian calendar, in use up to 1752, ran from 25 March to 24 March (retrogressively). This means that any account book starting or ending between the period 1 Jan to 24 Mar will be dated in the catalogue with the year following the one actually written in the volume. For example, in volume 6 the accounts are dated from 27 Mar 1685 to 24 Mar 1687; the catalogue entry states Mar 1685-Mar 1688.

For further information on the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the change over in 1752 researchers should consult Cheney's Handbook of dates, (London, 1948), which can be found in the general reference book section of the searchroom library.

Public Record

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Postal Heritage Trust's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. See our published policies for full details. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.

English

A Guide to the Royal Mail Archive

Entry checked by Barbara Ball

Compiled in compliance with General Internation Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G) second edition 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997

24/03/2011 Entry checked June 2011 Politicians Receiver Generals Finance Financial administration Accounting Political leadership Internal politics Postal services Post Office Communication industry

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Records transferred internally from Royal Mail.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

POST 2 comprises the Receiver General's monthly record of all money received and expended on a monthly or quarterly basis by the Post Office. However, POST 2/107-112, covering the Bye and Cross Road Letter Office, contain quarterly accounts only. Subject, place and name indexes are included in POST 2/1-44, covering 1677-1748, although they are not contemporary compilations. Dates on volumes prior to 1752 have been revised in the catalogue to conform to the modern Gregorian calendar.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The material is arranged in chronological order within series.

In the catalogue the dates of volumes prior to 1752 have been revised in accordance with the modern Gregorian calendar (1 Jan-31 Dec). The Julian calendar, in use up to 1752, ran from 25 March to 24 March (retrogressively). This means that any account book starting or ending between the period 1 Jan to 24 Mar will be dated in the catalogue with the year following the one actually written in the volume. For example, in volume 6 the accounts are dated from 27 Mar 1685 to 24 Mar 1687; the catalogue entry states Mar 1685-Mar 1688.

For further information on the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the change over in 1752 researchers should consult Cheney's Handbook of dates, (London, 1948), which can be found in the general reference book section of the searchroom library.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Public Record

Conditions governing reproduction

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Postal Heritage Trust's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. See our published policies for full details. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

British Postal Museum and Archive: The Royal Mail Archive

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General Internation Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G) second edition 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area