Page 92 - Fenning_Scoland

1704 Letter Establishing Coupar Angus's First Post Office

27'h November 1704. Historic letter from Edinburgh to Coupar
Angus via Dundee by which the Postmaster General of
Scotland established a Post Office at Coupar Angus.

A Commission from the Postmaster General was enclosed to
empower the new postmaster.

Rate:
4 shillings (Scots) unpaid, being the double rate for under 50
miles (Edinburgh to Dundee) set by the 1695 Act of the
Scottish Parliament. The letter attracted a double rate
because of the endosure.

The letter was sent to Dundee from where it would have been
forwarded to Coupar Angus by some arrangement not part of
the Post Office revenues. It was, very probably, the last letter
to be received at Coupar Angus by this arrangement prior to
the opening of the new post office there on 1 51 December
1704.

Important excerpts from the letter:

Regarding the Commission and the allowance for the new postmaster:

'You have here enclosed a Commission from the General Postmaster 'for establishing a Deputt at Coupar of Angus and in stead of giving
any thing to him for obtaining it you see a generous allowance he gives for encouragement to the postmaster at Coupar, which engaged
me to undertake in name of the Country Gentlemen and of you and other Inhabitants in Coupar and Blair, that their ordinary
Correspondence should be entertained by this method only without employing of By hands'

Regarding leaving the name of the new postmaster blank on the Commission:

'I have got it blank that you may fill up whose name in it you please who can best manage it. If your affairs could allow you 'for two months

or three to take the care yourself I think it would be the best method to bring it to a right Consistency.'

Regarding the new arrangements for receipt of the Coupar Angus letter bag at Dundee:
~2/L~ 2( n~
'Mr Main (Postmaster General of Scotland) writes to the Postmaster of Dundee to receive the Bag from your Runner. But in case your Runner be
there before his letter the Commlssion may be sent to show him that he is obliged so to do.'

Digital scan of letter