Postage Rates
 

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INLAND

Dates

LETTER RATE - Up to 2 ounces (oz), then ½d each additional 2 oz

14/5/23 to 30/4/40

1½d

1/5/40 to 30/4/52

2½d

 

Dates

POSTCARDS

29/5/23 to 30/4/40

1d

1/5/40 to 30/4/52

2d

 

Dates REGISTERED LETTERS
Letter Rate Fee Compensarion
1922 to 1940 1½d 3d Subject to extra fee
1940 to 1949 2½d 3d £5
1949 to 1952 2½d 4d £5
1952 to 1956 2½d 6d £5

 

Dates

PRINTED PAPERS

29/5/23 to 30/4/40

½d - for every 2 oz

1/5/40 to 31/5/51

1d - Up to 2 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz

1/6/51 to 31/12/55 1½d - Up to 4 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz

 

Dates

NEWSPAPERS (registered with the Post Office)

1/9/20 to 30/6/40

1d - Up to 6 oz, then ½d each additional 6 oz up to 1 lb 14 oz

3½d - 1 lb 14 oz to 2 lb (max)

1/7/40 to 31/5/56

1½d - Up to 4 oz, then ½d each additional 4 oz up to 2 lb (max)

 

Dates

COMMERCIAL SAMPLES

23/5/32 to 30/4/40

1d - Up to 4 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz up to 8 oz (max)

1/5/40 to 31/12/55

1½d - Up to 4 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz up to 8 oz (max)

 

Dates PARCELS

1/7/35 to 30/6/40

6d - Up to 3 lb, then 1d per lb up to 8 lb

8 lb to 15 lb (max) 1/-

1/7/40 to 5/1/47

7d - Up to 3 lb, then 1d per lb up to 8 lb

8 lb to 15 lb (max) 1/1

6/1/47 to 28/12/47

8d - Up to 3 lb, then 1d per lb up to 8 lb

8 lb to 15 lb (max) 1/2

29/12/47 to 30/7/50

9d - Up to 3 lb

11d - Up to 4 lb, then 1d per lb up to 8 lb

8 lb to 15 lb (max) 1/4

31/7/50 to 30/6/51

10d - Up to 3 lb

1/- - Up to 4 lb

1/2 - Up to 5lb, then 1d per lb up to 8 lb

8 lb to 15 lb (max) 1/6

1/7/51 to 30/3/52

11d - Up to 3 lb, then 2d per lb up to 6 lb

1/6 - Up to 7 lb

1/7 - Up to 8 lb

8 lb to 15 lb (max) 1/8

 

Dates PARCELS TO IRISH REPUBLIC
1949 - start and end date for these rates? 6d - Up to 2 lb, then 3d per 3 lb up to 11 lb (max)
December 1951 - start and end date for these rates? 1/- - Up to 2 lb, then 3d per 3 lb up to 11 lb (max)

Notes - Rates as issued in post office stamp booklets for this date.

 

[The fact that it was cheaper to send various weights of parcels to Ireland compared to Inland was recognised at the time. In the House of Commons (21 July 1943) Mr. Henry Brooke M.P. asked the Postmaster-General whether he was aware that at existing rates of postage it was cheaper to send a parcel under two pounds weight to Eire than to an address anywhere in Great Britain or Northern Ireland; and whether he will alter this?
Captain Crookshank replied "Yes, Sir; this has been the case since 1940, when it was decided to retain the existing rates for parcels to Eire although war-time increases were being made in the rates for inland parcels. It is advantageous that the parcel post rates from the United Kingdom to Eire should be (as they now are) the same as those in the reverse direction and within Eire, and I do not as at present advised propose to alter the existing rates."]

OVERSEAS

Dates

SURFACE LETTERS - EMPIRE RATE

15/6/35 to 30/4/40

1½d - Up to 1 oz, then 1d per oz up to 4 lb (max)

1/5/40 to 30/9/57

2½d - Up to 1 oz, then 1d per oz up to 4 lb (max)

 

Dates

POSTCARDS - EMPIRE RATE

15/6/35 to 30/9/50

1d

1/10/50 to 30/9/57

2d

 

Dates

SURFACE LETTERS - FOREIGN RATE

15/6/35 to 30/4/40

2½d - Up to 1 oz, then 1½d per oz up to 4 lb (max)

1/5/40 to 30/6/48

3d - Up to 1 oz, then 1½d per oz up to 4 lb (max)

1/7/48 to 30/9/50 3d - Up to 1 oz, then 2d per oz up to 4 lb (max)
1/10/50 to 30/9/57 4d - Up to 1 oz, then 2½d per oz up to 4 lb (max)

 

Dates

POSTCARDS - FOREIGN RATE

15/6/35 to 30/4/40

1½d

1/5/40 to 30/9/50

2d

1/10/50 to 30/9/57 2½d

 

Dates

GENERAL PRINTED PAPERS - maximum weight varied

1/7/1892 to 30/4/49

½d - Up to 2 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz

1/5/49 to 30/9/50

1d - Up to 2 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz

1/10/50 to 30/9/57 1½d - Up to 2 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz

Notes - a reduced rate applied to newspapers and non-commercial printed items from 1/10/50, cost as the previous 1940 rate.

 

Dates

COMMERCIAL PRINTED PAPERS - maximum weight varied

14/5/23 to 30/6/48

2½d - Up to 10 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz

1/7/48 to 30/4/49

3d - Up to 12 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz

1/5/49 to 30/9/50 3d - Up to 10 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz
1/10/50 to 30/9/57 4d - Up to 12 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz

 

Dates

COMMERCIAL SAMPLES

13/6/21 to 30/4/49

1d - Up to 4 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz up to 1 lb (max)

1/5/49 to 30/9/50

1d - Up to 2 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz up to 1 lb (max)

1/10/50 to 30/9/57 1½d - Up to 2 oz, then ½d each additional 2 oz up to 1 lb (max)

 

Air Mail [my booklets just say ask at any Post Office]

In 1937 Imperial Airways started flying letters to South Africa for 1½d. This was to be the start of an 'Empire Airmail Scheme' by which letters could be sent anywhere in the British Empire for the same cost as the Inland letter rate. The 2nd World War ended the scheme.

The 7d and 8d definitives [why 2 rates?], (27-2-1939) were needed for the first regular airmail services to North America which began at the end of June, 1939 when Pan American Airways flew from Southampton on the west bound journey. 4th August 1939, Imperial Airways began their service to Canada, and special printed envelopes were produced for this flight.

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Contact : Malcolm Sanders kg6gb@hotmail.com