Hey Mr Postman

In the early colonial days, being a postmaster was a highly respected position, but not very well paid.

It was also an equal opportunity industry.

As Ross Warwick McLachlan points out in his thesis, A Marriage of Convenience: Women and the Post Office in New South Wales, 1838 to 1938, female official employees in NSW were the first and only women in the Australian colonial postal services to be granted equal pay prior to Federation.

In Parramatta, James Orr was the first postmaster, operating out of a weatherboard cottage in George Street between the Woolpack Inn and the Court of Justice in 1828. The Parramatta post office was one of seven to open nationally that year.

Orr struggled to juggle his commitments, however, according to excerpts from The History of the Parramatta Post Office, written by the NSW Historical Officer, Australia Post (circa 1987).

Orr was also a local Clerk to the Chamber of Magistrates and Registrar of the Court of Requests and, according to several sources, put that ahead of his postal duties - not altogether surprising when you find out that there was no salary involved as postmaster in 1828.

Instead, Orr was paid a five per cent commission on the amount of mail he collected.  

“This amounted to very little, as most letters were franked and there was an imposing list of personages who enjoyed the benefit of free postage,” the NSW Historical Officer wrote.

By 1844, the pay had improved substantially. Then postmaster George Wickham was receiving commission at the rate of £98 per annum, plus fees.

His widow, Jemima Wickham, succeeded him as postmistress. Her remuneration was £80 per annum.

The hours were long in the 1870’s - the postmaster was on duty from 6am to 10pm, including on Saturdays.

Adding to the pressure was the introduction of savings bank facilities on October 1, 1871 (by the end of the year there were 18 accounts). The post office had two mounted postmen by 1873 and 4500 letters were posted every week in 1879.

A post office in George Street opened in 1880, followed by the Macquarie Street post office in 1966.

The two-storey sandstone post office in Church Street, with slate roof, was designed by colonial architect James Barnett and completed in 1880.

This feature article appeared in the October edition of PS Magazine.

-£14 the amount of postage collected for the two months of March and April, 1828, of which Parramatta Postmaster James Orr received only 5%;

-£230 James Orr’s salary for his other duties, as Clerk to the Magistrates and Registrar of the Court of Requests;

-1850 postage stamps are introduced and each post office in NSW is allocated an official number – Parramatta’s is No. 2. Before postage stamps, postage had to paid either by the sender or the addressee;

-4500 letters were posted every week in Parramatta in 1879;

-£14 the amount of postage collected for the two months of March and April, 1828, of which Parramatta Postmaster James Orr received only 5%;

-£230 James Orr’s salary for his other duties, as Clerk to the Magistrates and Registrar of the Court of Requests;

-1850 postage stamps are introduced and each post office in NSW is allocated an official number – Parramatta’s is No. 2. Before postage stamps, postage had to paid either by the sender or the addressee;

-4500 letters were posted every week in Parramatta in 1879;

-£14 the amount of postage collected for the two months of March and April, 1828, of which Parramatta Postmaster James Orr received only 5%;

-£230 James Orr’s salary for his other duties, as Clerk to the Magistrates and Registrar of the Court of Requests;

-1850 postage stamps are introduced and each post office in NSW is allocated an official number – Parramatta’s is No. 2. Before postage stamps, postage had to paid either by the sender or the addressee;

-4500 letters were posted every week in Parramatta in 1879;

-£14 the amount of postage collected for the two months of March and April, 1828, of which Parramatta Postmaster James Orr received only 5%;

-£230 James Orr’s salary for his other duties, as Clerk to the Magistrates and Registrar of the Court of Requests;

-1850 postage stamps are introduced and each post office in NSW is allocated an official number – Parramatta’s is No. 2. Before postage stamps, postage had to paid either by the sender or the addressee;

-4500 letters were posted every week in Parramatta in 1879;