The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the History of Penny Postage, Vol. 1 (of 2)

All being thus decided, and my last duty performed, I saw no reason to delay any longer that relaxation of which I now stood much in need, and during the next month the entries...

Rowland Hill, the third son of Thomas Wright Hill and Sarah Lea, his wife, was born at Kidderminster on the third day of December, 1795. On both sides he sprang from families wh...

I opened the year 1838 with a series of letters to Lord Lichfield, which were inserted in all the morning papers. These letters were written in the manner described below; and i...

Able and successful though Rowland Hill was as a teacher, nevertheless he often regretted that he was withdrawn from duties which he alone could perform, to undertake that which...

The family group at Hazelwood, of which Rowland Hill had for many years formed the central figure, began with his settlement at Bruce Castle to break up. It had from time to tim...

When Rowland Hill was seven years old a great change took place in the family life. His mother had always thought very highly of her husband’s powers and learning. She knew that...

On the day when Mr. Goulburn entered on the duties of his office I wrote a note to him, enclosing Mr. Baring’s letter, and requesting an interview at his convenience. Meanwhile...

In the account that I have given of Rowland Hill’s mental training, I have, in more than one place, been carried somewhat out of the regular course of my narrative. I must now r...

As yet I had proceeded almost alone; but when I had made a draft of my intended pamphlet, our usual family council was convened, to hear it read and consider its contents. I can...

“Everything (Rowland Hill recorded in his Journal) seemed to be in a prosperous condition. We anticipated being shortly able to pay all the expenses incurred in our building and...

The first circumstance that I have to record in 1839 was the receipt of a letter from Sir William Brown,[252] written from Washington, and informing me of an interview which he...

From his early boyhood Rowland Hill delighted in long walks. He would go many a mile to see either fine scenery or an old building. Of what had pleased him as a boy, he never gr...

At the opening of 1841 I had been a year and a quarter in office; and, as has been seen, had been enabled, by dint of great efforts, backed by the increasing confidence of the C...

Amongst the many subjects which casually attracted the attention of our family, the operations of the Post Office naturally took their turn. My father spoke at times of Palmer’s...

[In the Summer of 1833, as has been shown, Rowland Hill had gone abroad for the benefit of his health. In the Prefatory Memoir to the History of Penny Postage, he thus carries d...

Before leaving town for Wolverhampton, as I was in constant hope of a communication from Government, I had given strict injunction at the South Australian Office that if any suc...

As the arrangements for printing the stamps advanced, it became apparent that it would be necessary to appoint some well-qualified person to superintend the process, manage the...

In the summer of 1822 “Public Education” was published. Every effort had been made to work up the school to a high degree of excellence. “I am perfectly aware,” Rowland Hill wro...

My attention, on my return from France (in October of this year), was mainly directed to the means of introducing the system of penny postage as promptly as was consistent with...

Concurrently with all these transactions, many and various matters, some of them of great importance, demanded attention.[302] As letters multiplied, so also, to my surprise and...

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“_There is good to a man’s self in doing good to others; and the further this extends the higher it rises, and the longer it lasts. Besides, there is beauty in order, and there...

Proposed Publication of Correspondence with the Treasury, 473—Earl Spencer, 474—Mr. Baring, 475—Mr. Cobden, 477—Thomas Hood, 479—Personal Expenditure, 480—Mr. Stephen, 481—Offic...

Birth of Rowland Hill. His Father’s Ancestors, 1—His Mother’s Ancestors, 5—His Father’s unusual Character, 7—His Relish of Life, 8—His legal reading, 9—Study of Astronomy. Pries...

Dr. Arnold, 100—Charter House, 101—“Public Education,” 103—The New System, 104—Overwork, 105—Court of Justice, 107—A Constitution, 108—Benevolent Society, 109—Magistrates, 110—C...

Family Group broken up, 184—Brotherly Love, 185—All Things in common, 186—Articles of Partnership, 187—Family Fund, 188—Family Council, 191—League of Brothers, 192—Reason _versu...

Long Walks. Shrewsbury, 131—Criminal Trial, 132—Margate, 133—Peace of 1814. Public Lectures, 134—Illuminations after Waterloo. First Sight of a Steam-boat, 135—Benjamin West. Su...

“Post Office Reform,” 262—Plan laid before Government. Mr. Villiers, 263—Stamped Covers, 265—Publication of “Post Office Reform,” 267—Examined before the Commission of Inquiry,...

United States, 336—Issue of Report, 337—Reduction _by_ a Penny. Petitions, 339—“Post Circular,” 340—Deputation to Lord Melbourne, 341—Adoption of Plan, 343—Stamps, 345—Envelopes...

Early Perseverance, 76—School Theatre, 77—Map-making, 79—His Father’s Lecture on Electricity, 80—Family Help, 82—Alarum Water-clock, 83—Screw Steamboats, 84—Land Surveying. Map...

The Post Office as it used to be, 237—Coleridge and Miss Martineau, 239—Franks, 240—A Travelling Post Office, 241—Effects of Reduction in Taxation, 243—Post Office Revenue, 244—...

Letters to Lord Lichfield, 292—Mercantile Committee, 294—Parliamentary Committee, 295—Postage Rates, 296—Number of Letters, 298—Contraband Conveyance, 300-4—High Postage and the...

Hill Top, 47—School opened, 48—Young Traders, 49—Miss Edgeworth, 50—Workshop. Household Work, 51—Feeling of Responsibility, 52—Debts. Ruling Machine, 53—Rowland Hill becomes a T...

Mr. Goulburn, 443—Lord Lowther, 444—Lack of Employment, 445—Mr. Cole, 447—Errors in Returns, 448—“Penny Postage is safe,” 449—Country Post Offices, 451—Mr. Baring’s Minute on Ru...

Mr. E. G. Wakefield. South Australian Association. Past Training, 216—Stamp Duty on Newspapers, 217—Mr. Charles Knight and Stamped Covers. Pauper Education, 218—Lord Brougham. S...

“Public Education” published, 170—Jeremy Bentham. An active Schoolmaster, 171—The Greek Committee. Wilberforce. Grote, 172—Hillska Skola. Hazelwood famous, 173—Joseph Hume. “Edi...

Mr. Baring’s increasing Confidence, 422—Post-Office Correspondence. Messengers, 425—Lecture at the Polytechnic, 426—Threatened Break-down in the Post Office, 427—Errors in Accou...

Interview with Mr. Baring, 365—Mr. M. D. Hill’s letter, 366—Appointment Accepted, 369—First Visit to the Post Office, 371—Proposed Establishment of London District Offices, 373—...

Mr. Edwin Hill’s Appointment, 392—The Mulready Envelope, 393—Number of Letters in the First Quarter, 395—Official Dignity, 396—First Issue of Stamps, 397—Attempts at Forgery. Ob...

Fire at Hazelwood, 151—Origin of the Fire, 158—Fire Insurance, 158—Trip to Ireland. Gas. Steamboats, 160. Ireland in 1821, 161—Edgeworth Town Assisting School, 162—Miss Edgewort...

“When I was yet a child ... ... my mind was set Serious to learn and know, and thence to do What might be public good; myself I thought Born to that end.”

Competing Plans of Collecting the Postage, 381—Mr. Cobden’s Expectations, 382—Stamps, 383—Fourpenny Rate, 384—The Chancellor of the Exchequer at Home, 385—“My Lords,” 386—Franki...

Registration. Negotiations with France, 410—Money Orders. Increase in Expenditure partly caused by Railways, 411—Applications for Increase of Salaries, 413—Pillar Letter-Boxes,...