Letters, postcards and printed papers could all be sent to overseas destinations. A range of services were offered but what options were available to the sender?
For destinations outside of Europe mail in the above categories could be sent by surface mail or airmail. Here are a couple of postcards to help illustrate the surface and air options.
Surface Mail (outside Europe)
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| 4d Foreign surface postcard to the USA - 16th July 1966 |
Surface mail was sent by land and sea. Such mail typically took longer to arrive than airmail but was cheaper.
There were two rates for letters sent by surface mail. First was the 'Foreign' rate and second was the reduced 'British Commonwealth' rate. The country of destination determined which one applied.
Similarly there were two rates for postcards. However the reduced 'British Commonwealth' rate for postcards ceased on 15th September 1968 leaving only a 'Foreign' rate.
Printed papers were sent at either the 'Ordinary' or 'Reduced' rate depending on the nature of the article being posted. Rules concerning eligibility were quite detailed and subject to change. However in general terms reading matter such as newspapers and books was most likely to be eligible for the 'Reduced' rate.
Air Mail (outside Europe)
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| 8d Zone B airmail postcard to the USA - 13th August 1965 |
Airmail was more expensive than surface mail but usually quicker and in some cases significantly so.
On 17th January 1947 airmail rates were simplified with the introduction of a zonal system. Countries outside of Europe were placed in one of three zones (A, B and C) broadly based on their distance from the UK.
Postage rates were set for each zone rather than by individual country thus making them easier to understand and apply. From the outset each zone had separate rates for letters and postcards.
Reduced rates for 'Second Class' mail were also set for each zone and introduced between 1948 and 1950. This broad class included printed papers and other postal services such as newspapers, samples and commercial papers. Individual services retained their own regulations and, in some cases, different postage rates.
Post Office literature commonly referred to Second Class mail in relation to airmail services until around mid-1968. This term appears to have been dropped shortly before the introduction of the Inland First and Second Class mail services in September 1968.
Senders were instructed to use a blue airmail label or, failing that, to write "by Air Mail" on mail being sent by air. Items of Second Class mail were also to be annotated with the particular service being used e.g. printed papers.
Mail to Europe
Mail to Europe was treated differently in that most letters and postcards were charged at the 'Foreign' surface rate but were carried by air if this was the quickest mode of delivery. This was commonly referred to in Post Office literature as the European 'All-Up' Service.
Printed papers paid at the 'Foreign' surface rate were not sent on an 'All-Up' basis. To be carried by air the sender had to pay the 'Foreign' surface letter or postcard rate as appropriate.
Mail sent to Europe did not require the use of an airmail label.
There were a handful of exceptions for which different charges applied such as mail sent to Iceland and Poland prior to October 1953.
Aerograms (Air Letters)
There was a separate service for aerograms. These lightweight forms could be sent to any country for which there was an airmail service.
Aerograms usually came with gummed flaps so that the form could be folded and then sealed. As such they did not require an envelope. No enclosures such as photographs or extra sheets of paper were permitted.
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| 9d aerogram to the USA - 8th April 1968 |
For countries outside of Europe the aerogram rate was cheaper than the relevant airmail letter rate. This was because aerograms were both lighter and less bulky than ordinary letters posted in envelopes.
There was however no cost benefit to sending aerograms to Europe. Indeed until 1st October 1957 they were actually more expensive to send than a normal letter using the 'All-Up' service. Nonetheless examples to Europe can be found.
The term 'Air Letter' was predominantly used in Post Office literature. However I will use the term aerogram to easily distinguish them from air mail letters.
