Mon 24 May 1880
To Post Master General
London
I beg to call your attention to the great inconvenience caused by the delivery of letters etc addressed to the Canal Company's office at the canal junction near Saul in the Stonehouse district. The letters were formally delivered at the office, but now and for some time past, the postman has gone round by a bridge named Saint [Fretherne] Bridge crossing over the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal about 1/4 of a mile from our office. In consequence of this change of route, the letters have to be sent on by the bridge keeper's children, and if this cannot be done, by any boat passing up the canal. Sometimes the letters are not delivered by this means until late in the day. There are five houses in addition to our office at the Junction, and they all complain. There are not any houses at Saint Bridge except the keeper's house. I believe the change of route was to accommodate Mr Clegram, the engineer to the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Company who had his letters sent in a bag to this bridge, this being near to his own man to take charge of it. He now has his letters through the Frampton on Severn postman, and the Saul postman has not altered his round but still continues to go the old way. I have seen the post mistress at Stonehouse, who is fully acquainted with the matter and will be able to give, I think, all the information required. It has been a grievance for a long time, and I hope you will be kind enough to look into the matter.
