A Hundred Years by Post: A Jubilee Retrospect

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

27688

Title

A Hundred Years by Post: A Jubilee Retrospect

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

James Wilson Hyde's 'A Hundred Years by Post' offers a fascinating retrospective on the evolution of the British postal service over a century. Blending historical anecdotes with social commentary, the book contrasts the slow, romantic era of mail-coaches and horse relays with the rapid advancements of the telegraph and steam. Rich in detail about life in the 18th and 19th centuries, this work appeals to readers interested in transportation history, the development of public opinion, and the dramatic shifts in...

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1891 to celebrate the Jubilee of the Penny Post, James Wilson Hyde's *A Hundred Years by Post* offers a vivid retrospective on the profound transformation of the British postal service over the preceding century. Hyde contrasts the leisurely, isolated world of the late 18th century with the frantic speed of the 19th, illustrating how the slow diffusion of news once fostered disconnected communities and limited public opinion. The narrative captures the romance and danger of the mail-coach era, detailing the heroic duties of guards who rescued mails from drunk drivers and the public's eager reception of battle news, such as the victory at Waterloo. Hyde exposes significant historical abuses, including sinecures, hereditary pensions for nobility, and the corruption of early postmasters who often lived in inns, neglected their duties, and allowed staff to sleep in the mail bags. The text traces the transition from foot and horse posts to the revolutionary impact of the electric telegraph, which allowed parliamentary news to reach distant towns by breakfast. Through specific anecdotes, such as a Glasgow merchant saving thousands by countermanding an insurance order via express mail, Hyde illustrates how rapid communication revolutionized commerce and politics. Ultimately, the book serves as a tribute to the postal service's growing influence on political, educational, social, and commercial life, celebrating the shift from a world of 'little communities' to a connected nation while reflecting on the trade-offs between speed and the leisure of the past.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Great Britain
• Postal service