Knocking A Rise Out Of Us!

[Arthur Little]

UK postage rates for standard-size letters are set to rise as undernoted ...

... by 5p to 46p for 1st Class

... by 4p to 36p for 2nd Class

- whilst greeting cards and such-like enclosures contained in larger-sized envelopes, will go up by 9p to 75p for First Class and by 7p to 58p for Second Class, respectively ... the BIGGEST-ever increases [at any given time!] in the Postal Industry's entire 171 years' history dating back to 1841.

Its founder, Rowland Hill, must be turning in his grave at the irony of the Service provided by his "brainchild" - the 'Penny Post' - introduced in 1841 ... having gone steadily DOWNHILL (pun INtended!) ever since the dawn of the Victorian era.

[Terpe]

It's a funny thing, but I don't recall having bought only a stamp.
I always buy something else from our local village Post Office, then I just ask for book of stamps.
I thought they were about 25p Mmm bit out of date I'm afraid

[Doc Alan]

In fact the cost of postage now is not so outrageous as it first appears. One penny (1d) from 1840 is variously calculated as having the same spending worth as today's 18p ( www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/), 30p using a form of Retail Price Index, or £3.20 using average earnings (www.measuringworth.com).
The "Penny Black" stamp was produced in large numbers (a total print run of 286,700 sheets, each containing 240 unperforated stamps, amounting to over 68 million), possibly a million of which are still in existence today. Even in poor condition a Penny Black may be worth £15, and for a mint example expect to pay upwards of £1800.
The first adhesive stamps in the Philippines were printed in Manila in 1854. They portrayed Queen Isabella II of Spain. Just like the United Kingdom, they did not bear the name of the Philippines.

[jimeve]

The first adhesive stamps in the Philippines were printed in Manila in 1854. They portrayed Queen Isabella II of Spain. Just like the United Kingdom, they did not bear the name of the Philippines.

you can't lick that.

[Englishman2010]

With the rise of the internet, word processing on pc and high quality scanning...etc, I try to post as little as possible. E-mailing is free and instant

[KeithD]

I think we've had a very cheap postal system for years. We pay £1.99 for a birthday card, and yet less than 50p to get it from Liverpool to Southampton in less than a day in some cases. I'd hate to see the RM's fuel bill these days

[Englishman2010]

I think we've had a very cheap postal system for years. We pay £1.99 for a birthday card, and yet less than 50p to get it from Liverpool to Southampton in less than a day in some cases. I'd hate to see the RM's fuel bill these days

Hmmmm, I'm still waiting for the Birthday cards my family claimed they posted to me 6 months ago