Page 81 - Fenning_Scoland

Internal Postal Rates set by the 1695 Act of the Scottish Parliament
1700 & 1709 - Edinburgh to Dumfries 2 Shillings Rate Paid & Unpaid

1 The 1695 Act of the Scottish Parliament set the rate for letters within Scotland: 'All single
Letters to Berwick or any part within fifty miles of Edinburgh two shilling, double four
shilling, and so proportionally'. Dumfries Post Office, which opened in or before 1689,
although being 64% Scots miles (71 modern miles) from Edinburgh was held to be within
50 miles using the Post Office system of 'computed' miles.

24th May 1700. Edinburgh to Dumfries, prepaid at the 2 shillings Scots rate, but with the
charge being shown as 2d (sterling), an occasional practice at Edinburgh Post Office.
At this date internal Scottish letters were rarely sent prepaid.

The letter is unusually addressed:
For Robert McBumie to the care of the postmasters mother to deliver wt heast in drumfreis

1
30 h June 1709. Edinburgh to Dumfries
sent unpaid at the 2 shillings single
letter rate.

To The Laird of Bishoptoune
Drumfries