TELEGRAM DELIVERY IN THE UK

A telegram was originally delivered by hand and within the cost was a standard delivery distance of 1 mile with further distances incurring an extra charge. The standard delivery distance was later changed to 3 miles.

The telegram message is sealed in an envelope if hand delivered. The delivery messenger would ask if there was a reply and if there was he would for up to 4 minutes. Telegrams could also be called through to the recipient, if they had a telephone, and this would negate the use of a messenger.

Once the telephone started to be more widespread, telegrams could be received and also delivered verbally (called a Phonogram).

Telegram boys became popular in the United Kingdom after the General Post Office took over control of inland telegraphs from the railways and private telegraph companies. Many of the boys employed by these services to deliver telegrams transferred to the Post Office. In some respects the life of a telegram boy was not unlike that of someone in military service. They were expected to behave in a manner befitting one who wore the uniform of the Queen and were required to complete a daily drill. From 1915 to 1921, morning exercise was added to these requirements. They could deliver by foot or bicycle but later were supplied with motor bikes.

During the 1930s the Post Office introduced motorcycles. This started in Leeds where boys aged 17 were allowed to volunteer for training, but only with the permission of their parents. However, following the success of this, motorcycles were soon introduced elsewhere in the country. The fleet was comprised almost exclusively of BSA B33-1 250cc motorbikes which boys were expected to ride at an average speed of 15 mph. Later 125cc BSA Bantams were used. These were finally replaced with smaller Raleigh and Puch mopeds.

It is difficult to confirm if there were Telegram girls, but what is known is that girls were used in World War 1 when the boys were sent off to fight. Not a nice job at that time considering that many of the messages were from the War Office and Admiralty notifying that a family member had been "killed in action".

William Henry Preece, Engineer in Chief of the Post Office was reported to have said to a Government Select Committee, in 1879, on the future of telephones in the UK "But there are conditions in America which necessitate the use of instruments of this kind more there than here. Here we have a superabundance of messengers, errand boys, and things of that kind. In America they are wanted." Whilst the messengers no doubt approved of this statement it was most probably one of the worst technological predictions of all time!