History of the Post

Discover the history of post from ancient times to the present.

Click each era in the timeline below to view the postal history for that period.

1500: The Reformation - From King's Post to Post Office

In medieval England, Kings posts had been set up in wartime or during the monarchs progress around the country, to keep him in contact with his court and ministers. These were only temporary arrangements.

The foundations of a permanent postal system were laid down by Henry VIII around 1512 when he appointed Sir Brian Tuke his 'Master of the Posts' and began to maintain relays of horses and messengers on important routes. Officially only the court could use them, but increasing numbers of private letters were carried as the Tudor era progressed.

Brian Tuke

Brian Tuke (Henry VIII's 'Master of the Posts')


Charles I opened his posts to the public in 1635 and founded the 'Letter Office of England and Scotland'. To develop the network he appointed Thomas Witherings, who had earlier distinguished himself as the King's 'Postmaster General for Foreign Parts'.

Progress was interrupted by the English civil war, but with the restoration in 1660 there were further improvements. Henry Bishop, Charles II's Postmaster General, timed the progress of mail by using postmarks – his invention. Thereby the Post office could detect inefficient posting stages and slow or wayward carriers.

Henry Bishop

Henry Bishop, Charles II's Postmaster General, and inventor of the postmark.


First Postmark

An example of the first postmark.


In 1680, an enterprising businessman named William Dockwra set up an efficient and compressive local post within London. It was privately run at first, then taken over by the Post Office on the prompting of the Duke of York, later King James II, who was greedy for the large profits it made.

Act of Settlement

Act for settlement of postage - giving parliament responsibility for the organisation of the post.