1844
Mary Bye - Postmistress. (W) This
is Southwold's first recognisable post office. Until
recently, all letters have been delivered to Southwold
addresses directly by cart or on foot, from Wangford
which is on the mail coach route. Mary herself was
the postmistress at Wangford before being 'posted'
to Southwold. She is the widow of John Bye
who died two years ago and was Wangford's postmaster
before her. They have a daughter, Emily Bye
and son, Benjamin. The latter
was the mail cart driver until he falls sick this
summer and dies in September. James Maggs records
how he is followed by a succession of drunken letter
carriers who are dismissed "fro ye Service"
in short order.Meanwhile Emily takes over the Postmistress
role from her mother who resigns on 9th November this
year. (M)
1859
Emily Bye - Postmistress. In September
this year, at the age of 50, Emily marries Charles
M Marsden who takes over the position of
Postmaster a month later (M, C)
At some later the date (to be established) Miss Matilda Drewell, the niece of Charles Marsden, is thought to take over as Postmistress.
(Note: Whites
has Charles Marsden taking the office in 1877 but
this seems difficult to reconcile with the entry below)
1874-1877
The Post Office moves to No 25 Market Place where the new Post & Telegraph Master
is Eaton Moore. (Charles Marsden dies in 1897 and this may be the date that his niece, Matilda Drewell retires as Post Mistress. Verification needed.
(Note: With acknowlegements to Alan Greening
for identiying the site of the Queen Street Post Office,
and to David M Lee for his article in Southwold Museum
and Historical Society Newsletter No 11, June 2011
on Letter Carriers to Southwold).
1896
Miss C M Critten - Bookseller and
Fancy Repository. Miss Critten occupied both this
and the next-door premises, No
14 (K1896)
|
