APostmaster General,[1]inAnglospherecountries, is the chief executive officer of thepostal serviceof that country, aministerial officeresponsible for overseeing all otherpostmasters.
History
editThe practice of having agovernment officialresponsible for overseeing the delivery ofmailthroughout the nation originated inEngland.A 'Master of the Posts' is mentioned in theKing's Book of Payments,with a payment of£100 being authorised forSir Brian Tukeas 'Master of the King's Post'[1]in February 1512.[2]In 1517, he was appointed to the office of 'Governor of the King's Posts', a precursor to the office ofPostmaster General of the United Kingdom,byHenry VIII.[3]In 1609, it was decreed that letters could only be carried and delivered by persons authorised by the Postmaster General.[1]
In the United Kingdom, the office of Postmaster General was abolished in 1969. It was replaced by theMinister of Posts and Telecommunications.In 2000, its functions were transferred to theSecretary of Stateat theDepartment of Trade and Industry(DTI).[1]
International
editInternational equivalents include:
| Jurisdiction | Official title | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | Postmaster General for Scotland | 1616–1707 |
| United States | United States Postmaster General | 1775–present |
| Ireland | Postmaster-General of Ireland | 1784–1831 |
| Sri Lanka | Postmaster General of Sri Lanka | 1815–present |
| New Zealand | Postmaster-General of New Zealand | 1858–1989 |
| Hong Kong | Postmaster General of Hong Kong | 1860–present |
| Canada | Postmaster General of Canada | 1867–1981 |
| Australia | Postmaster-General of Australia | 1901–1975 |
References
edit
- ^abcdBaroness Miller of Hendon(15 June 2000)."Division No. 1 (Postal Services Bill)".Lords Hansard text for 15 June 2000 (22615-08).Vol. 613 – Part No. 104.Hansard.col. 1782.Retrieved17 August2013.
- ^Brewer, J.S.; Brewer, John Sherren; Brodie, Robert Henry; Gairdner, James (1864).Letters and papers, foreign and domestic, of the reign of Henry VIII. Preserved in the Public Record Office, the British Museum, and elsewhere in England.Vol. II, pt. II.Public Record Office,London: Longman, Green, Longman, & Roberts. p.1454.
- ^Walker (1938), p. 37[clarification needed]