he two month period over Christmas and the New Year of 1839-40 was one of intense change in postal services where the sending of correspondence based upon distance and the number of letter-sheets altered in two stages to a uniform payment of one penny. Before then, for example, one folded sheet of paper from London to Brighton attracted a postage cost of eightpence. However, those that could afford it most paid less. In fact, nothing! Admittedly there was a daily restriction in numbers
