THE EARLIEST KNOWN DATED BURLEY, HAMPSHIRE, POSTMARK (SO FAR!)
The first Post Office was established in the village of Burley at Vineyard Cottage in 1880 by Joseph and Ann Head. It has moved location on four occasions since (see below for more detail). Initially all posted items were sent to Ringwood for date stamping and onward forwarding. In 1885 the Burley circular dated stamp (CDS) was introduced leading to items often being handstamped for both Burley and Ringwood. Prior to this there are no known Burley, Hampshire, named cancellations of any type, all earlier mail to or from Burley being handstamped Ringwood.
A "Burley Penny Post" handstamp does exist but is from a suburb of Leeds, Yorkshire! Example from April 13th 1847:-
The previous record for the earliest known complete dated Burley, Hampshire, handstamp was on a postcard for 17th June 1904 until a Parcel Post Label dated 1st May 1902 was discovered. Parcel Post Labels were introduced nationally on 1st August 1883. The Edward VII 4d stamp is cancelled RINGWOOD and this rate covered parcels not exceeding 2lbs.
The Electric Telegraph Service for Burley opened, at the Post Office, on 30th June 1897 using the Sir Charles Wheatstone portable ABC telegraph machine. This Parcel Post Label also shows the Unique Telegraphic Code for Burley – QLY.
In the 1901 Census Emily Broomfield (52) was living at the Post Office and was Postmistress, her son George (13) was a Telegraph Messenger boy.
In the 1911 Census Emily's eldest daughter Elsie Marion Broomfield (37) is sub-postmistress, and a younger daughter Mildred (21) is a Postal Clerk.
In the 1901 Census Emily Broomfield (52) was living at the Post Office and was Postmistress, her son George (13) was a Telegraph Messenger boy.
In the 1911 Census Emily's eldest daughter Elsie Marion Broomfield (37) is sub-postmistress, and a younger daughter Mildred (21) is a Postal Clerk.
50 YEARS OF TELEGRAPH Letter in The Western Gazette 27th June 1947
Sir, - It may interest some of your readers to know that 50 years ago (30th June, 1897) the telegraph was opened in the New Forest village of Burley, first for forwarding, then a week later, for receiving. The instrument was the A.B.C. (clock face), but amazing what speed could be obtained, especially during the South African War, when the then Secretary of State for War was visiting Avon Tyrrell. The dispatches came through in hundreds of words, and were repeated back with certain alterations to the War Office. I was operator then and the office was opened especially on Good Friday and Easter Sunday evenings 6 to 8 p.m. I received compensation 1s 6d per night for two hours’ extra duty. I might add we had many extra telegraph messengers for the three-mile journey, and no dispatch was kept for a second or a batch.
E. M. EVEMY (nee Broomfield), late sub-postmistress, Burley.
Planning permission for the telegraph.
Hampshire Advertiser 28th September 1895:
DISTRICT COUNCIL: A letter from Colonel Esdaile was read, in which he applied to the Council to exercise the power they possessed of guaranteeing the Postmaster-General against loss upon his opening a postal telegraph office at Burley. The guarantee in this case would be £27 for seven years, and be a charge upon the rates of the parish of Burley, but from the guaranteed amount would be allowed the sums received at Burley for the despatch of telegrams. The Council, before giving a decision, considered that the parish meeting of Burley should have an opportunity of expressing an opinion, and decided to communicate with the Burley Parish Council, with the view of a meeting being called for that purpose.
DISTRICT COUNCIL: A letter from Colonel Esdaile was read, in which he applied to the Council to exercise the power they possessed of guaranteeing the Postmaster-General against loss upon his opening a postal telegraph office at Burley. The guarantee in this case would be £27 for seven years, and be a charge upon the rates of the parish of Burley, but from the guaranteed amount would be allowed the sums received at Burley for the despatch of telegrams. The Council, before giving a decision, considered that the parish meeting of Burley should have an opportunity of expressing an opinion, and decided to communicate with the Burley Parish Council, with the view of a meeting being called for that purpose.
Hampshire Advertiser 19th May 1897:
Colonel Esdaile presented a lengthy report on the new roads that had been made at Burley, which showed that in only one case had there been a decided trespass on the pasture of the Forest, but very little, if any, damage was done by the making of the new roads and the erection of buildings.
A question then arose as to the proposed extension of the telegraph system to Burley. It seemed that the Postmaster-General had applied to the Verderers for leave to erect some poles in the Forest, and such leave had been given, but it appeared that the Crown claimed the right to the soil, and that the Verderers had no power to give their consent. Since then the application of the Postmaster-General had been withdrawn, and the Official Verderer explained that the Verderers had now nothing to do with it.
Colonel Esdaile. - Then I understand the question of the telegraph is dead?
The Official Verderer. - Absolutely dead.
Colonel Esdaile presented a lengthy report on the new roads that had been made at Burley, which showed that in only one case had there been a decided trespass on the pasture of the Forest, but very little, if any, damage was done by the making of the new roads and the erection of buildings.
A question then arose as to the proposed extension of the telegraph system to Burley. It seemed that the Postmaster-General had applied to the Verderers for leave to erect some poles in the Forest, and such leave had been given, but it appeared that the Crown claimed the right to the soil, and that the Verderers had no power to give their consent. Since then the application of the Postmaster-General had been withdrawn, and the Official Verderer explained that the Verderers had now nothing to do with it.
Colonel Esdaile. - Then I understand the question of the telegraph is dead?
The Official Verderer. - Absolutely dead.
Presumably this impasse was then somehow rapidly resolved as the telegraph opened in Burley some six weeks later!
1911 Kelly's Directory: Post, Main Office and Telegraph Office Mrs Elsie M Evemy sub-postmistress. Letters arrive from Ringwood 7 am, 2.30 and 7 pm, dispatched 12.15 and 7 pm.
Hand written received telegram and envelope dated 5th November 1898 which would be carried to its destination by the local telegraph messenger boy or girl. No early Burley telegrams yet known.
This example Aylesbury to Walmer (click on image to enlarge). |
Two further examples of early Burley dated postmarks (both also cancelled later the same day at Ringwood):
A postcard from Burley with a handwritten date of 26th June 1903 has been discovered. Unfortunately only half the postmark is on the card!
Ringwood had a square postmark at that time and this round "thimble" is very similar to the one from 1904. It must be Burley! (with thanks to GT)
A brief four page philatelic display on the development of postal services in Burley:
The Post Office, Ringwood High Street, in 1892 where post to and from Burley was processed until around 1922:-
Further information:
Ringwood Undated Circle (UDC) postmark introduced - 29th June 1848.
1885 - rubber handstamp.
Money Order - Savings Bank Office opened in Burley on 1st December 1893.
Telegraph Office opened in Burley on 30th June 1897, with unique 3 letter telegraph code of QLY.
Post office moved to Shappen Stores on 7th November 2017.
Burley Street - rubber handstamp introduced in 1899. Office closed in November 1999.