Page 452 - Jarvis & Wright: Jamaica Display to RPSL

Jamaica: Instructional

Too Late and Late Fee
Frame 41 Instructional
Too Late and Late Fee
The Jamaica Post Office advertised closing times for posting of mail.
If mail was posted just after the mails had closed a ‘Too Late’ handstamp was applied to the letter
to explain the reason for delay to delivery.

There were also facilities offered whereby by payment of an additional ‘Late Fee’ letters
could be included in a mailing after the initial closing time.
Jamaica did not utilise a handstamp to indicate a fee had been applied,
usage of this service must be deduced from the rate charged.

The earliest official announcement discovered, relating to the Late Fee service, is dated 22 Nov 1865
but such a service seems to have existed from early in the 19th century.
The 1865 announcement states that: Mails for the Packet will close at 5pm, Late Letters will be taken until 6pm, on payment of a Fee of 3d.
The Supplemental Morning Mail will be closed at 6am, on payment of a Fee of 6d.
In 1873, an additional service was offered for receipt of mail on the Key-Side or on board ship at a Fee of 1s.
In 1877 the Fees were revised to 3d at the Post Office and 6d at the ship – this applied until beyond the end of the century.

A Late Fee service also operated for internal mail but details are very sparse.
In 1873 a Fee of 3d could be applied but by 1885 two rates, 1d & 2d applied.

Circular Jamaica / Too Late

Kingston (1825) to Scotland

At Kingston
TL2 (I2) 14 Mar 1825
Known Used 1824 to 1830
(Foster Very Rare)
K2 18 Apr 1825

At Dumfries
31 May 1825

Packet Letter from Kingston to Dumfries
Rated 2s3d – 1s2d packet charge plus 1s1d UK inland.