[OLIVER CROMWELL (1599-1658, from 1653 Lord Protector)]

Attractive small document in his name as "Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereto belonging" being a Grant of Probate for "William Searle late of Honiton in the county of Devon, Postmaster ... said will was granted and remitted to Susannah Searle ...", 6" x 6" on vellum lacking seals, Court of Probate, 1st February

William SEARLE (1601-1657) was a Postmaster in Honiton. In 1643 the first General Post Office was established in the City. This came just eight years after Charles I made the Royal Mail available to his subjects, although it was Oliver Cromwell who formally established the Post Office when he granted a monopoly over mail delivery to the 'Office of Postage' in 1654. In 1655 he appointed his spymaster John Thurloe (1616-1668) to be Postmaster General, a post he held until he was accused of treason and arrested in May 1660. In 1657 he fixed the rates.

Item Date:  1657

Stock No:  39553      £575

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