Post Office: Packet Reports: Documents

The packet report series (POST 39 and 41) comprises reports to the Postmaster General from the Secretary to the Post Office, on the packet boat service and overseas mail arrangements. It began in 1807, at which date those subjects were transferred from the Postmaster General's Report series (POST 40 and 42). These are the surviving reports from those listed in POST 41.

In 1811 a parallel series entitled 'Packet Minutes' (POST 29 and 34) was created. Matters for the attention of the Postmaster General were sometimes recorded in both series, but at other times in only one of the two series. Upon the cessation of the Report series, the Minute series continued alone.

This series consists of those actual Reports which are still in existence, with any enclosures. POST 41 consists of indexed volumes containing a copy of every Report submitted to the Postmaster General (including those which have since been destroyed) and is the only guide to the contents of POST 39. The Postmaster General's decision on each case is recorded. Examples of incidents recorded in the reports include the capture of packet ships, possibly due to pirates, smuggling of dry goods, loss of crew, terms and conditions of ship hire, victualling of crew and route changes and times.

Please see The Postal Museum's online catalogue for descriptions of individual records within this series.

Indexed volumes containing a copy of every report submitted to the Postmaster General are in: POST 41

Topics

Trade and commerce

Piracy and privateering

Communications

During the period covered by these records the Secretary to the Post Office was Sir Francis Freeling. Freeling began his career in the Bristol Post Office and had been appointed Principal and Resident Surveyor in London by 1785. In 1797 he rose to the office of Joint Secretary to the Post Office and in 1798 he became sole Secretary, serving in this capacity as the Head of the Post Office until his death. His administration saw many reforms, including the growth of local penny posts and the introduction of steam power to transport the mail by rail and sea. Freeling was made a Baronet in March 1828.