Postmaster General

A Postmaster General,[1] in Anglosphere countries, is the chief executive officer of the postal service of that country, a ministerial office responsible for overseeing all other postmasters.

History

The practice of having a government official responsible for overseeing the delivery of mail throughout the nation originated in England. A 'Master of the Posts' is mentioned in the King's Book of Payments, with a payment of £100 being authorised for Sir Brian Tuke as 'Master of the King's Post'[1] in February 1512.[2] In 1517, he was appointed to the office of 'Governor of the King's Posts', a precursor to the office of Postmaster General of the United Kingdom, by King Henry VIII.[3] In 1609, it was decreed that letters could only be carried and delivered by persons authorised by the Postmaster General.[1]

In the United Kingdom, the office of Postmaster General was abolished in 1969. It was replaced by the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. In 2000, its functions were transferred to the Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).[1]

International

International equivalents include:

jurisdictionofficial titleyears
ScotlandPostmaster General for Scotland1616–1707
United StatesUnited States Postmaster General1775–present
IrelandPostmaster-General of Ireland1784–1831
Sri LankaPostmaster General of Sri Lanka1815–present
New ZealandPostmaster-General of New Zealand1858–1989
Hong KongPostmaster General of Hong Kong1860–present
CanadaPostmaster General of Canada1867–1981
AustraliaPostmaster-General of Australia1901–1975

References
Look up postmaster general in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  1. Baroness Miller of Hendon (15 June 2000). "Division No. 1 (Postal Services Bill)". Lords Hansard text for 15 June 2000 (22615-08). col. 1782. Retrieved 17 August 2013. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  2. Brewer, J.S.; Brewer, John Sherren; Brodie, Robert Henry; Gairdner, James (1864). Letters and papers, foreign and domestic, of the reign of Henry VIII. Preserved in the Public Record Office, the British Museum, and elsewhere in England. Vol. II, pt. II. Public Record Office, London: Longman, Green, Longman, & Roberts. p. 1454.
  3. Walker (1938), p. 37
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