The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance

The smallness of the salaries allowed to the postmasters of former times is referred to in another chapter, and this may, no doubt, have contributed to the lack of interest taken in the work by some of these officials. But while their pay was small, a good deal of form and circumstance attended their appointment, as will be seen from the following reproduction, on a reduced scale, of the formal appointment of the postmaster of East Grinstead in 1786. From a Post-office point of view the form is interesting, as no such documents are now in use. [Illustration: This whole page is a facsimile. CHARLES Earl of TANKERVILLE, and HENRY FREDERICK Lord CARTERET, His Majesty's Postmaster-General of all His Majesty's Dominions in Europe, Africa, and America. TO ALL PEOPLE to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. KNOW YE, that We, the said CHARLES Earl of TANKERVILLE, and HENRY FREDERICK Lord CARTERET, having received good Testimony of the Fidelity and Loyalty to His Majesty, of Mr. Thomas Palmer and reposing great Trust and Confidence in the Knowledge, Care and Ability of the said Thomas Palmer to execute the Office and Duties required of a Deputy Postmaster, have deputed, constituted, authorized and appointed, and by these Presents do depute, constitute, authorize and appoint, the said Thomas Palmer to be our lawful and sufficient Deputy, to execute the Office of Deputy Postmaster of the Stage of East Grinsted in the County of Sussex to have, hold, use, exercise and enjoy, the said Office of Deputy Postmaster of the Stage aforesaid, with all and every the Rights, Privileges, Benefits and Advantages to the same belonging, from the Fifth Day of January last for the Term of Three Years, unless sooner removed by Us, under such Conditions, Covenants, Provisoes, Payments, Orders and Instructions, to be faithfully observed, performed and done by the said Deputy, and Servants, as he or they shall, from Time to Time, receive from Us, or by our Order. In Witness whereof, We the said CHARLES Earl of TANKERVILLE, and HENRY FREDERICK Lord CARTERET, have hereunto set our Hands, and caused the Seal of the said Office, in such Cases used, to be affixed. Dated the Eighth Day of 1786 in the Twentysixth Year of His Majesty's Reign.