Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1677-1809 (Creation)
Level of description
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
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
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
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