Wateringbury Post Office (1916)

Post date: Feb 21, 2016 8:55:33 PM

Extract from parish magazine of April 1916:

WATERINGBURY POST OFFICE

DESPATCHES:-First Despatch by train to Maidstone: P.O. Box cleared at 10.25 a.m. Second Despatch by mail cart, as usual, at 7.25 p.m. Sundays : One Despatch at 11.30 a.m.

DELIVERIES:-First General Delivery, as usual, commencing at 6.5 a.m. Second Delivery, general except beyond Manor Farm, commencing at 5.30 p.m. Sundays: One Delivery, morning.

LETTERS AND PARCELS for Soldiers abroad².-Postal Rates:Letters, 1d. per oz.; Postcards, 1d. ; Newspapers and Books, ¹/₂ d. per 2 oz.; Parcels, not exceeding 3lbs., 1/-. , and up to 7 lbs, 1/ 4. (to Mediterranean , 1/ 9.). Note -No parcel exceeding 7 lbs. can be sent by post to the Expeditionary Force.

PARCELS for Sailors.-Parcels for H.M. Ships believed to be in Home Waters or the North Sea should be prepaid at the Inland Rate of postage. Parcels for H.M. Ships abroad should be prepaid as follows: not exceeding 3 lbs, 1/-; exceeding 3 lbs. and not exceeding 7 lbs. 1/9; exceeding 7 and not exceeding 11lbs, 2/6.

ADDRESS: for Navy - number, rating, name, ship , "c/o G.P.O. London"; for Expeditionary Forces (British or Mediterranean ) -number, rank, name, squadron or company, battalion or battery of regiment or other unit, "B.E.F." or "M.E.F." Note- Every letter or parcel shall bear the name and address of sender (From....). Parcels to be packed in strong double cardboard boxes, or strong wooden boxes, or several folds of stout packing paper. No labels.

PARCELS above 7 lbs. and under 56 lbs., prepaid as far as Southampton, can be sent by rail to the Military Forwarding Officer, Southampton Docks, for transmission abroad. For particulars see poster in the station booking office.

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NOTES AND NOTICES

Owing to the recent re-arrangement of postal deliveries and the discontinuance of the midday deliveries, the postman, James Climpson^{1 ,}who for 35 years on his daily round from Wateringbury to Mereworth and West Peckham has left us our letters, has been transferred elsewhere. At the suggestion of Sir George Wolseley, a few friends have clubbed together and given him a small present (£5 16s.) to show our appreciation of his unfailing courtesy and punctuality.

Wateringbury congratulates Sir George Wolseley and feels a reflected glory from his recent appointment to the honorary colonelcy of the York and Lancaster Regiment.

Mr.Alan Lambert reports the local rainfall of the first quarter of the year as follows:-Jan., 1.06; Feb., 4.18;March 3.83; total, 9.07 inches.

Notes

1. James Climpson was born in Maistone in 1859 . He was still living there with his parents in 1891 described as a postman whilst his two younger brothers were described as mailmen. By 1901 he had married (Hannah)and moved to The Street, Mereworth where he still was in 1911.

2. After the despatch of the BEF, a huge (5 acres) wooden structure in Regent's Park became the chief sorting for the forces mail, which was along with ammunition a priority item in crossing the Channel to special sorting offices set up in France. The Post Office reckoned it took, on average, less than 2 days for a letter from London to reach the relevant trench. Men could expect a morning delivery of letters every day. Some 12 ¹/2 million letters a week were eventually crossing the Channel. (Source: Kate Adie Fighting on the Home Front (pp167-169).