94 



The Dumfries Post Office, 1642-1910. 



VT. — Postmarks of the Dumfries Post Office. 



In the year 1660 the system of postmarking was invented and 

 first used by Henry Bisshopp, Esq., His Majesty's farmer of the 

 office of Postmaster-General, but it was not until about the year 

 1714 that the provincial or country Postmasters, then called 

 " deputies," adopted this method of stamping or marking all the 

 letters posted at or delivered from their respective offices. 

 Hitherto the letters had been entered on what was termed " a 

 labell " or waybill giving the time of arrival and despatch of the 

 mails, and also the number of letters paid and unpaid. 



Poa Office^e^^^^X^ 178^ 

 Bye Letters to C^^^^.u^c^c<^a. 

 Unpaid/^/:) at 

 Paid / at '^ 



PUiMFRIES AND SANQXHIAR WAYBILL, 12th JULY, 1789. 



In the year 1715 instructions were issued that each Post Town 

 should use a stamp " so that a check may be kept on letters 

 passing from one stage to another." The instructions would 

 appear to have been rigorously carried into effect, for one of 

 the earliest orders issued to Post Office Surveyors or " Agents to 

 ryde ye severall rodes and find out abuses," as they were then 

 designated, was " to examine whether all letters are duly 

 stamped." 



The advantages of such a system can readily be understood. 

 For a long time no important change is noticeable in the charac- 

 ter of the stamps, but as the demands made upon the service 

 increased defects became apparent and numerous improvements 

 have from time to time been brought into operation. 



Thus it is of interest to notice that still more stringent regula- 



