Page 1 of 1

The Postal Service is not what it used to be, 1874

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:20 am
by Sduddy
Clare Freeman, Sat 17 Oct 1874:
New Postal Arrangements. To the editor of the Clare Freeman.
Sir, I have learned with great surprise that letters from different parts of this county, addressed to Ennis, which heretofore were always delivered on the evening of the day on which they were posted will be detained in the post office here till the following day, if not called for between 3.15 and 9 o’clock at night! If this be the boasted advantage which the inhabitants of the County town are to gain by having the mails carried from Limerick to Ennis by Railway trains, we will have great reason to regret that such a boon has been conferred on us. Nothing could be more convenient and satisfactory than the Postal arrangements already existing. Our letters were delivered with great regularity, at most convenient hours, three times a day, and ample time was allowed for replying to all letters without the loss of a post. Under the improved (!) system some hundreds of the inhabitants will be obliged to call for their letters within a space of three-quarters of an hour before nine o’clock at night, or they must run the risk of not receiving and not being able to reply on the same day to what may prove to be a very important communication from Killadysart, Kilrush, Knock, Miltown, Ennistymon, Kilrenora, Corofin, Lisdoonvarna, &c., &c. It appears that all the inhabitants of Ennis who receive letters must call for them in order that a letter carrier may be saved the trouble of delivering a couple of dozen letters, which may be about the number usually received in Ennis each afternoon. I hope, Mr Editor, you will not silently allow this serious hardship to be imposed on us, and that you will exert the influence of your excellent Paper, and call upon the public generally to endeavour to remove this grievance.
I am, &c., A Correspondent
And here is someone who was part and parcel of that old Postal Service – until May 1869:
Clare Journal, Mon 17 May 1869:
Local and District News. Emigration of a Post Office Official. The young man, Mr P Nelson, who has been for the past three years and upwards, connected with our local Post-office in the capacity of letter-carrier, is, we understand, leaving his native town in a few days for Australia, to enter on a more remunerative sphere of employment. It is only just to this meritorious, efficient, and obliging public officer, to state that he leaves his native county with credit to himself, and bears with him the good wishes of all classes, who appreciated his integrity of character and the proper discharge of his public duties.
Sheila