Postal Balances Events & Exhibitions

WEIGHING IN THE POST Some of our collection of scales and balances went on show in the museum at the beginning of February. This was a brand new display, and one of two that replaced the Queen's Golden Wedding and the Lest We Forget displays from last year. Weighing letters might at first seem a rather boring subject, but in reality it can be quite fascinating. The Victorians developed balances that were an art form in themselves as well as being functional pieces of equipment. Prior to the introduction of stamps, starting with the Penny Black in 1840, nearly all the mail that had to be paid for was assessed according to the number of sheets of paper used. Thus most letters consisted of a single sheet of paper folded to enclose the correspondence, leaving a small area exposed for the address. Letters were sealed with red wax, which was sometimes impressed with a personal design before it hardened. In January 1840 the Government introduced the Uniform Penny Post. This was a brand new method of charging the postage on all inland letters based solely on their weight, irrespective of how far they travelled across the UK. Post office balances became essential so that customers could be correctly charged. Many large businesses also acquired their own balances so that letters and packets could be posted without the need for their clerks to handle money. Some employees found the idea of throwing away letters and keeping the money intended for postage too tempting. It was not unknown for these people to be sent to jail or even transported to Australia for such a crime. Smaller businesses, large estates and those who corresponded frequently also equipped themselves with scales and balances. But in important households, these had to reflect the age of elegance. Beautiful curved lines on furniture were reflected in the design of balances, with their shaped bases and fancy brass mechanisms. There were many different designs made from a variety of materials, all created to meet a particular need. Some of these can be seen in the museum's display. Accurate and certified weights were very important for the Post Office, as well as some businesses. Casting did not always produce the correct weight and the most accurate ones had small pieces of lead added within a cavity in the underside. This would be stamped with an inspector's crown to show it had been checked and certified. In the Victorian age of low inflation when postage rates remained unchanged, or even went down from time to time, it was common to have the most important postal rates engraved on the balance, or on a small plaque attached to it. Some balances were designed for the book post, or printed papers, often with a specially designed pan to prevent rolled newspapers falling off. Other balances were much larger than normal and were intended for weighing parcels, with a set of weights to match. Today's electronic scales make our lives easy and apart from telling us the weight of a letter, they can even state the correct postage. But they don't have the same appeal as the wood and brass designs of yesteryear. Why not pop into the museum and take a look at what is on display. On the other hand if you cannot travel or live far away take a look at their website: www.bathpostalmuseum.org and join the band of Friends