The History of the Postmarks of the British Isles from 1840 to 1876 - John Hendy (1909)

CHAPTER XIV.
SCOTLAND,
Scotland, which is extremely irregular in its surface, naturally divides itself into
Insular, Highland, and Lowland divisions. In a general way the Highlands may be
described as comprising the whole of the extensive rugged mountainous tracts, while the
Lowlands embrace what may be considered as comparatively flat country when compared
with the Highlands. From the mountainous character of the country it abounds in
inland lakes, while the numerous rivers are precipitous, rapid, interrupted with cataracts,
and subject to sudden overflowings. The outline of the Scottish coast is very irregular,
and broken up by promontories projecting far into the sea, deeply indenting the land,
so that, before the advent of railways, considerable difficulty was experienced in extending
postal facihties in the rural districts.
The means resorted to by the inhabitants of such districts for obtaining and dispatching
their letters were in many places economical and well arranged ; in others
expensive, cumbrous, and inefficient. In many cases messengers were employed to
carry letters to and from the nearest Post Office, frequently having to cover a distance
of ten or twenty miles through a sparsely populated country. These messengers were
remunerated either by subscription raised among the inhabitants, or by a fee which
ranged from as low as a halfpenny to as much as sixpence charged on each letter. In
some places the service was performed by paupers ; but in numerous instances nothing
like a systematic arrangement existed, and in such places the inhabitants merely
depended upon chance opportunities of calling at the Post Office, or sending whenever
they heard by accident that a letter to their address was exposed in the office window.
Such arrangements continued to exist in Scotland for many years after the introduction
of uniform penny postage. The types of postmarks in use in the country Post Offices
differed considerably from those in use in both England and Ireland. In many of the
offices the oblong type of date-stamp was retained in use for many years (see
Figs. 629-632).
ABEHDEEN
PAID
SE 9
1861 M i
Fig. 029. Oblong Paid Stamp. Fig. 630.
ITORTH
BERWICK
JY 14
1651 1
Fig. 631. Oblong Date-stamps. Fig. 632.
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