KK-GB Free Front 1838 signed William Stephen Poyntz, MP St.Albans, Midhurst & Callington This document is a Free Frank, a specific type of postal historical artifact from the United Kingdom. It represents a privilege held by Members of Parliament (MPs) and peers to send mail without paying postage, provided they signed the cover. Historical and Biographical Analysis • The Sender: The signature in the bottom left corner is that of William Stephen Poyntz (1770–1840). o Political Context: While you noted him as MP for St Albans, Poyntz had a long career representing several constituencies as a Whig politician. He served as MP for St Albans from 1800 to 1807. By the date of this letter (1838), he had recently resigned his final seat as MP for Midhurst (December 1837), though he remained a prominent member of the landed gentry. o Family Connections: He was a first cousin to the Duchess of Devonshire and Lord Spencer. His daughters married into high aristocracy, including the Earl Spencer and the Marquess of Exeter. • The Addressee: The letter is addressed to Messrs Sneyd & Co, Wine Merchants, Dublin. o Sneyd & Co. was a well-known firm of wine and spirit merchants based in Dublin during the 19th century. Sending mail from London to Dublin at this time would normally have been expensive, making the "Free" privilege highly valuable. Postal Markings & Details The cover features several key characteristics of the Parliamentary Franking System: • The Date Line: Written at the top as "London July Twelve 1838". Under the rules of the time, the sender had to write the full date and the place of posting in their own hand to prevent the reuse of franked covers; The Free Frank Stamp: The red circular "Crown" stamp (on the right) is an official Post Office mark. It contains the word "FREE" and the date "12 JY 12 1838". This confirmed to postal workers that the signature was valid and no postage was due; The Signature: Poyntz’s signature at the bottom left served as the authorization. MPs often "franked" letters for friends or business associates, a practice that was widely considered an abuse of the system. Significance of the Date (1838) This cover was sent during the final years of the franking privilege. The system was famously inefficient and prone to corruption, leading to the Postal Reforms of 1839/1840. On January 10, 1840, the Uniform Penny Post was introduced, and the free franking privilege for MPs was abolished, replaced by the world's first adhesive postage stamps (the Penny Black). In 1838, the letter you analyzed would have traveled via one of the most technologically advanced infrastructure networks of the era. By this time, the journey between London and Dublin—once a perilous week-long ordeal—had been reduced to a mere 24 to 26 hours of travel time. The specific route for a letter sent from London in July 1838 was almost certainly the "Holyhead Road" (the modern-day A5). 1. The Land Route: London to Holyhead The mail was carried by the Royal Mail Coach, which departed from the General Post Office at St. Martin’s-le-Grand in London every evening at 8:00 PM. • Engineering: The road had been completely revolutionized by the engineer Thomas Telford. He designed the route with a maximum gradient of 1:17 to allow horses to maintain a gallop even through the Welsh mountains; Key Waypoints: The coach traveled through Birmingham, Shrewsbury, and Llangollen; The Menai Bridge: Before 1826, mail had to be unloaded and ferried across the dangerous Menai Strait. By 1838, the coach drove directly across Telford’s Menai Suspension Bridge, saving hours of time and significantly increasing safety. 2. The Sea Route: Holyhead to Dublin Once the coach reached the port of Holyhead on the tip of Anglesey, the mail bags were transferred to Admiralty Steam Packets. • The Vessels: By 1838, the Post Office had transitioned from sailing ships to steam-powered vessels like the H.M.S. Zephyr or H.M.S. Otter. These ships were reliable regardless of wind direction, ensuring a consistent connection to Ireland. • Arrival: The ships typically docked at Howth Harbour or, increasingly by the late 1830s, the newer Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire) harbor, which had deeper water and better protection. From there, a short final leg by horse or the newly built Dublin & Kingstown Railway brought the mail into the Dublin General Post Office. Look carefully at the images to form an opinion The shipment will be from UK, Lot L-GBian06-22-25, 30, 31