Post Office

Sarah

The POst Office

The post office in Kinvara was opened in 1833 as a sub-office of Ardrahan.

In August 1894, the first delivery service in Kinvara took place and Martin Troynor became the village deliverer.

Mail originally had been collected by post boys, or by horse and side-car.

Prior to the arrival of safety bicycle, postmen had to do their rounds on foot, walking some 20 kilometers a day!

The mails would arrive at Kinvara at about 4 am.

The Stamp

Postage was unaffordable for many people at first,

but by 1840 it became possible to send a letter

for one penny (irish currency).

Hold ups and robberies

In 1926, £1000 was taken from the mail bags, and parcels containing jewellery, watches and cutlery were stolen and two men were caught and were sent to jail.

First postman in Kinvara

This is Michael Joseph Stanton. As our longest serving postman, 1901 to 1950, Michael also completed the very first cycle delivery.

Michael is shown here in early uniform – complete with puttees (a long narrow piece of cloth wound tightly, and spirally round the leg, and serving to provide both support and protection)

tRANSPORT

In the past postmen traveled on a bike or on foot, they put the letters in the basket in the front of their bike.

Report abuse