Catalogue description Post Office: Minutes between the Secretary and Postmaster General: Volumes

This series consists of volumes containing a precis of, or reference to, every minute submitted to the Postmaster General from the Secretary relating to all aspects of Post Office administration. There are also separate bound indices to the minutes arranged by different subjects. POST 35/1-6 consists of volumes of minutes from the Postmaster General to the Secretary relating to all aspects of Post Office administration.

These minutes were introduced in 1794. From this date until 1811 the minutes detail aspects of Post Office organisation in England, Wales and Scotland, as well as those of the packet boat service and overseas postal arrangements. In 1811 a separate Packet Minute series (POST 29 and POST 34) was introduced, followed in 1831 by the Irish Minute series (POST 31 and POST 36), and in 1842 by the Scottish Minute series (POST 32 and POST 37). These minutes run parallel to the existing 'Report' series (POST 42) which faded out around 1837. Up to that time the reports referred to important cases, such as the running of major departments and key decisions, while the minutes recorded matters of a comparatively secondary nature. Upon its demise, cases formerly submitted to the 'Report' series were now recorded in the 'Minute' series. In 1921, administrative papers were grouped into a single General Minute series (POST 33 and POST 38).

Please see The Postal Museum's online catalogue for descriptions of individual records within this series.

Other Postmaster General's minutes and reports can be found in::

POST 29

POST 34

POST 36

POST 37

POST 38

POST 42

POST 33