Page 96 - Fenning_Scoland

Revenues of Coupar Angus Post Office from its opening in December 1704

Coupar Angus Post Office's first year of operation generated only £21-9s-6d ~~ts (£1-~5s-9%d sterling).
1
This would have provided the town's postmaster with a salary of under 1 O shtlltng~ sterling for t~e year.
It is little wonder that, in 1705, the postmaster had complained that he was no gamer' from the JOb.

1 st May 1706. Account of the monthly postage (in Scots money) for the following nine months,
from May 1705 until end January 1706. Submitted by John Ogilvy, Coupar Angus Postmaster to
George Main, Postmaster General of Scotland.

The low revenues seen over the first five months had continued for the next nine. For two
months in winter it appears that eight or less unpaid letters per month had been received.

23rc1 June 1705. Receipt to John Ogilvy, Postmaster of Coupar Angus, for 'the Port of Letters
sent him' from December 1704 (when the Post Office first opened) to April 1705 inclusive. The
revenues totalled £8-12s-6d Scots (14s 4%d sterling). Signed by George Main, Postmaster
General of Scotland.

From this it can be calculated that, on average, it is likely that less than twenty unpaid letters per
month had been received at Coupar Angus during the first five months of operation.