The volume of Valentine cards

Several cities and towns had a local Penny Post at the beginning of the nineteenth century. This meant that a letter could be delivered within a certain radius for the price of one penny.

Valentine cards could be cheaply sent in this way, and were sent in large numbers. Francis Freeling, the Secretary of the Post Office, wrote to the Postmaster General on 11 February 1835. He highlighted the need to make sure that the increased volume of post did not cause disruption:

Francis Freeling's letter, 11 February 1835, finding number: POST 40/615

The letter reads:

'It may be necessary to mention that on or about St. Valentine’s Day, there is a most extraordinary influx of many thousand letters – to the Twopenny post in particular…even former years we have had an addition of 50, or 60,000 Letters, consequently every possible exertion is necessary on our part to prevent delay and interruption to the general Mass of correspondence. […]' [POST 40/615 Reports to the Postmaster General No 77]