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| politics_the_post_office [2024/10/19 21:10] – [Postmaster-General] judith | politics_the_post_office [2025/03/16 21:40] (current) – judith |
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| It would take a specialised historian to properly assess TLM-P's success as Postmaster-General. We do know that during 1862-74, when TLM-P was predominantly the Postmaster-General, the service underwent a major expansion. For example: in 1862 the money order system was introduced,((Malcolm Rea, 'Communications across the generations: An Australian Post Office History of Queensland', //The Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Year Book of Proceedings//, IX:2, 1970-71, pp.168-226 (p190).)) and from 1865, saving bank deposits could be made at Queensland post offices. The increase in staff is another indication of growth: in 1865, TLM-P had a postal staff of 28; by 1872 the staff totalled 50.((//Centenary of the Brisbane General Post Office, 1872-1972//, Postmaster-General's Department, Brisbane, 1972, pp.8,11.)) TLM-P was responsible for the much-needed new [[wp>General_Post_Office,_Brisbane|General Post Office]]((//Centenary of the Brisbane General Post Office, 1872-1972//, Postmaster-General's Department, Brisbane, 1972, pp.7-8; Richard Breckon, An Australian Post Office History, c1972, p.40)) which opened in Brisbane in 1872. The number of post offices increased from 23 in 1862 to 139 ten years later.((A Report on the Post Office in Queensland, A Sunday Truth Special Feature, 2 May 1965, p.25.)) In the 1860s, TLM-P opened up new routes serviced by Cobb and Co coaches.((Malcolm Rea, 'Communications across the generations: An Australian Post Office History of Queensland', //The Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Year Book of Proceedings//, IX:2, 1970-71, pp.168-226 (p183).)) \\ | It would take a specialised historian to properly assess TLM-P's success as Postmaster-General. It is possible that some assessment is made in Allan A. Morrison, //Some Queensland postmasters-general//, Brisbane:Post Office Historical Society, 1953. We do know that during 1862-74, when TLM-P was predominantly the Postmaster-General, the service underwent a major expansion. For example: in 1862 the money order system was introduced,((Malcolm Rea, 'Communications across the generations: An Australian Post Office History of Queensland', //The Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Year Book of Proceedings//, IX:2, 1970-71, pp.168-226 (p190).)) and from 1865, saving bank deposits could be made at Queensland post offices. The increase in staff is another indication of growth: in 1865, TLM-P had a postal staff of 28; by 1872 the staff totalled 50.((//Centenary of the Brisbane General Post Office, 1872-1972//, Postmaster-General's Department, Brisbane, 1972, pp.8,11.)) TLM-P was responsible for the much-needed new [[wp>General_Post_Office,_Brisbane|General Post Office]]((//Centenary of the Brisbane General Post Office, 1872-1972//, Postmaster-General's Department, Brisbane, 1972, pp.7-8; Richard Breckon, An Australian Post Office History, c1972, p.40)) which opened in Brisbane in 1872. The number of post offices increased from 23 in 1862 to 139 ten years later.((A Report on the Post Office in Queensland, A Sunday Truth Special Feature, 2 May 1965, p.25.)) In the 1860s, TLM-P opened up new routes serviced by Cobb and Co coaches.((Malcolm Rea, 'Communications across the generations: An Australian Post Office History of Queensland', //The Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Year Book of Proceedings//, IX:2, 1970-71, pp.168-226 (p183).)) \\ |
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| In the 1870s, travelling post offices were opened on trains, the post and telegraph departments were amalgamated, and telegraphic communication was extended to remote areas, such as Cape York and the Gulf country.((//The Australian Encyclopaedia//, vol. VII, Sydney: The Grolier Society, 1963, p.241.)) Much of the expansion was the result of the rapid growth of the white population - in 1861 to 1864 alone, Queensland's population (largely excluding Aboriginal people) doubled from just over 30,059 to 61,467.((//Australian Historical Statistics//, ed. Wray Vamplew, Sydney: Fairfax, Syme & Weldon Associates, 1987, p.26)) How much TLM-P facilitated the expansion of postal services to meet the increasing demand is not known. However, as a representative of the squatters' faction, it was in his own strong interest to maintain efficient and widespread postal services. And he certainly was active: his 1863 diary indicates that, in under two months, he rode 1,017 miles (1,636 km) as well as travelling by coastal steamer in a tour of inspection of the postal service.\\ | In the 1870s, travelling post offices were opened on trains, the post and telegraph departments were amalgamated, and telegraphic communication was extended to remote areas, such as Cape York and the Gulf country.((//The Australian Encyclopaedia//, vol. VII, Sydney: The Grolier Society, 1963, p.241.)) Much of the expansion was the result of the rapid growth of the white population - in 1861 to 1864 alone, Queensland's population (largely excluding Aboriginal people) doubled from just over 30,059 to 61,467.((//Australian Historical Statistics//, ed. Wray Vamplew, Sydney: Fairfax, Syme & Weldon Associates, 1987, p.26)) How much TLM-P facilitated the expansion of postal services to meet the increasing demand is not known. However, as a representative of the squatters' faction, it was in his own strong interest to maintain efficient and widespread postal services. And he certainly was active: his 1863 diary indicates that, in under two months, he rode 1,017 miles (1,636 km) as well as travelling by coastal steamer in a tour of inspection of the postal service.\\ |
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| The elegant proposed design of the GPO Brisbane:{{:proposed_gpo_brisbane_scan_20241019_2_.jpg?400|}}((Provenance F. & E. Cullen-Ward)) | The elegant proposed design of the GPO Brisbane:{{:proposed_gpo_brisbane_scan_20241019_2_contrast_.jpg?400|}}((Provenance F. & E. Cullen-Ward)) |
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| An admiring view of his achievements as Postmaster-General comes from his entry in //Australia's Representative Men//. It states he 'may be said to be the first to have initiated the through mail service' (presumably to the UK), and the confidence of the authorities in his abilities was seen in his selection to negotiate with [[wp>Batavia,_Dutch_East_Indies|Batavia (now Jakarta)]] regarding the postal service (though he was unable to travel there himself). It described TLM-P up as a 'safe representative of the people' due to his 'unswerving integrity and disinterested loyalty'.((//Australia's Representative Men//, ed. T.W.H. Leavitt,Improved Edition, Melbourne: Wells and Leavitt, c.1889, entry for T.L. Murray-Prior. TLM-P owned a copy, signed by him and dated 14th June 1889. (Provenance: J. Godden). It is likely that TLM-P provided the information.))\\ | An admiring view of his achievements as Postmaster-General comes from his entry in //Australia's Representative Men//. It states he 'may be said to be the first to have initiated the through mail service' (presumably to the UK), and the confidence of the authorities in his abilities was seen in his selection to negotiate with [[wp>Batavia,_Dutch_East_Indies|Batavia (now Jakarta)]] regarding the postal service (though he was unable to travel there himself). It described TLM-P up as a 'safe representative of the people' due to his 'unswerving integrity and disinterested loyalty'.((//Australia's Representative Men//, ed. T.W.H. Leavitt,Improved Edition, Melbourne: Wells and Leavitt, c.1889, entry for T.L. Murray-Prior. TLM-P owned a copy, signed by him and dated 14th June 1889. (Provenance: J. Godden). It is likely that TLM-P provided the information.))\\ |
| TLM-P (bottom left) with subsequent Postmasters-General of Queensland.(([[https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=5090123&S=1&T=P&R=0]])) {{:postermasters_general_enhanced.jpg?300|}}\\ | TLM-P (bottom left) with subsequent Postmasters-General of Queensland.(([[https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=5090123&S=1&T=P&R=0]])) {{:postermasters_general_enhanced.jpg?300|}}\\ |
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| {{:telegraph_staff_1870s.jpg?400|}}TLM-P has written on the back that this photo is of the 'Telegraph Department, officials Chief Office[ers?] Brisbane 1870 [? the last digit is unclear].((Provenance: J. Godden))\\ | {{:telegraph_staff_1870s.jpg?400|}}TLM-P has written on the back that this photo is of the 'Telegraph Department, officials Chief Office[ers?] Brisbane 1870[? or 1875? the last digit is unclear].((Courtesy F. & E. Cullen-Ward))\\ |
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| Following Tom A. M-P's initiative, this plaque on the Brisbane GPO has recently been restored.{{:gpo_plaque.jpg?500|}} \\ | Following Tom A. M-P's initiative, this plaque on the Brisbane GPO has recently been restored.{{:gpo_plaque.jpg?500|}} \\ |
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