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The Commonwealth Period

The final major battle of the Civil War was the Battle of Worcester in 1651. Following the royalist
defeat, King Charles II escaped to the Continent. The Commonwealth, under Oliver Cromwell,
subsequently re-established some order in England and Scotland induding the resumption of pre-
existing postal services.

The Scottish army had already been defeated by Cromwell at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650 and a
union of Scotland with England became effective through military occupation in 1651. This union
was reinforced by requiring Scottish representatives to attend the parliament at Westminster in
1654 and was formalised through passing an Act of Union in 1656. The military occupation of
Scotland lasted throughout the Commonwealth period, only ending at the restoration of the
monarchy in 1660.

Regarding the development of the posts, the Commonwealth period provides some milestones in
Scottish postal history, most notably:

• the earliest recorded Post Office rates on letters travelling to/from Scotland on the post
road between London and Edinburgh
• the earliest letters to be allowed to pass free of postage charges in the official post under
the Commonwealth's ruling that letters on state business should be carried free

This frame displays:

• a very early 'Free' letter sent to the Admiralty in London
• letters between London and Edinburgh at the 4d unpaid single rate, the 4d paid single rate
and the 1 s 4d unpaid quadruple rate
• a Burgh Post letter of the period
• two privately carried letters, one within Scotland, the other from Windsor to Edinburgh