The story of
Jayaben Desai and the Grunwick dispute
In August 1976, a group of migrant workers led by Jayaben Desai took a historic stand against racism, low pay and limited workers’ rights.
Sub-sub-fonds
Post Office: Letters Patent
Catalogue reference: POST 67
What’s it about?
This record is about the Post Office: Letters Patent dating from 1715-1964.
Is it available online?
Maybe, but not on The National Archives website. This record is held at The Postal Museum.
Can I see it in person?
Not at The National Archives, but you may be able to view it in person at The Postal Museum.
Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
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POST 67
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Title (The name of the record)
- Post Office: Letters Patent
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Date (When the record was created)
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1715-1964
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Description (What the record is about)
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This series consists of Royal Letters Patent to Postmasters General and Receiver Generals giving the sovereign's written authority to perform their duties. The series also contains a letters patent for the office of Court Post. The patents give; name of appointee, dates of appointment, salary and duties. All have their seals missing but the original seal attached.
Please see The Postal Museum's online catalogue for descriptions of individual records within this series.
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Note (Additional information about the record)
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Catalogue entries below series level were removed from Discovery, The National Archives' online catalogue, in November 2016 because fuller descriptions were available in The Postal Museum's online catalogue.
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Arrangement (Information about the filing sequence or logical order of the record)
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The material is arranged in chronological order within subseries.
All pieces are one deed.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The Postal Museum
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
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Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
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English
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Physical description (The amount and form of the record)
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50 file(s)
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Restrictions on use (Information on restrictions to the use or reproduction of the material)
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Items can only be handled by staff.
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Access conditions (Information on conditions that restrict or affect access to the record)
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Subject to 30 year closure
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Subjects (Categories and themes found in our collection (our subject list is under development, and some records may have no subjects or fewer than expected))
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- Topics
- Pay and pensions
- Communications
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Administrative / biographical background (Historical or biographical information about the creator of the record and the context of its creation)
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The position of 'head of The Post Office' was first entitled 'Postmaster General' under the Commonwealth Act of 1657. Previously he had been known by various titles, Master of the Posts, Comptroller General of the Posts and Postmaster of England. The Post Office Act of 1660 provided that 'one Master of the General Letter Office shall be from time to time appointed by the King's Majesty, his heirs and successors, to be made or constituted by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of England, by the name and style of his Majesty's Postmaster General'. The appointment was generally not made for a fixed length of term and Postmaster Generals were succeeded upon retirement or resignation.
From 1691 two Postmasters General were appointed to hold office conjointly. At that time one was a member of the Whig party and the other a member of the Tory party. This joint appointment continued as a government policy until 1823, although the political ramifications lost much of their initial importance. Between the years of 1784 and 1831, the Post Offices of Great Britain and Ireland were separate and had separate Postmasters.
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C11791/
How to order it
- View this record page in our current catalogue
- Check viewing and downloading options
- Select an option and follow instructions
Catalogue hierarchy
270 records
This record is held at The Postal Museum
111 records
Within the fonds: POST
Records created or inherited by the Royal Mail Group plc and predecessors
You are currently looking at the sub-sub-fonds: POST 67
Post Office: Letters Patent
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