The 1842 Post Office Directory Lists a William Cockett As a Grocer and Draper

BARDNEY POST OFFICE

The 1842 Post Office Directory lists a William Cockett as a grocer and draper. Mail was received from and delivered toWragby but a Post Office is not mentioned as such. According to Post Office records an undated circular datestamp was provided on 13th August, 1845 with Lincoln as the dispatching and receiving office, so this may well have been the date the Post Office formally opened here.

On 1st March 1849 the dispatching and receiving office was altered to Wragby, though in practise it appears that mail was sent by this office from the outset.

The 1849 Directory lists Cockett as a grocer, draper and receiver of letters. Mail was received from Wragby by mailcart, although by 1855 the Directory mentions that mail was being brought by footpost. Perhaps the mail cart originated in Lincoln and went via Wragby but from March, 1849 the mailcart stopped at Wragby or continued to a different destination and Bardney’s mail was then brought by foot.

A new undated circular date stamp was provided on 15th October 1857, possibly because the existing one still mentioned Lincoln.

The range of services was extended beyond that of a basic Post Office, when Money Order business could be conducted from 2nd April 1860, and from 9th December 1861the Savings Bank, which is about the time this type of business was first introduced.

By 1868, John Cockett had been appointed as Sub-postmaster, but the business had developed to a grocer, draper and dealer in linseed oil and cotton cakes. John and Thomas were both involved in the business and were probably sons of William.

In 1870, the mail arrangements were again altered whereby mail was received from, and dispatched to,Lincoln. According to Post Office records Bardney was added to the list of towns using obliterators when No. 161 was allocated in 1874.

Five Lanes, a small village in Cornwall, had formerly used this number. (Another Postmark researcher, does not think that Bardney used No. 161 until 1885). The range of services was further enhanced by 1882 when a telegraph was installed.

By this time only John was involved in the business, now just a grocer and draper, although by 1885 he was also an Agent of Gilbey’s wines and spirits. In common with other Savings Bank Offices, Annuity and Insurance Business could be conducted by 1889.

By 1896, the range of services was further extended to include Telegraphed Money Orders and Express Delivery.

The 1900 Kelly’s also list, as at most offices, Parcel Post (introduced in 1883 and probably conducted here from shortly after that date). Also by that date Miss Mary Ann Richardson had been appointed Sub-postmistress. As she was also listed as a stationer it is likely the location of the office changed when she took over.

By 1909, Miss Richardson had become Mrs. Pottinger and Mrs. Chapman confirmed that she had been Sub-postmistress. She remembers her as Sub-postmistress and that her son wasalso there. Mrs. Chapman thinks Mr. Frank Holmes was Sub-postmaster by the 1920’s. The office was located at site of present butchers in Silver Street. A telephone exchange had been installed by then. The directories list Mrs. Pottinger in the 1922 edition and that by 1926 Telephonic Express Delivery was being offered but no owner is listed.

The 1930 Directory lists Holmes as a stationer but no specifically Sub-postmaster. It is not until 1933 that F. Holmes is listed as Stationer and Sub-postmaster.

Mr Holmes was still in charge in 1937 and the telephone is listed as TN1. Mr. Jubb was the Sub-postmaster for 2 years. He moved the Post Office to a rented site at 33 Station Road, opposite the Catholic Church.

Mrs Gresham,was then Sub-postmistress for 2 years.

Mrs. Chapman was appointed in 1945 and was Sub-postmistress for 27 years. Mr. Gallup, (Her Majesty’s Postmaster at Lincoln) interviewed her. She bought the present site, nos. 2 & 4 Silver Street in 1947 and, after the Post Office had inspected the premises to see if they were suitable, they moved.

At first, in the middle part of shop, was formerly a Cobblers. The Sorting Office was in kitchen. Then, when the lease on the butchers expired, Mrs. Chapman took this over and made one large shop with the Post Office counter at its present site.

Four mail rounds were undertaken on bikes, including to Southrey. Mail and parcels were taken by barrow to be put on a train at lunchtime and night, or on Sundays on the 4pm bus. Extra barrows wereborrowed to cope with extra Christmas parcels.

In the early days it was open every Sunday until 10-30pm. At first, the mail was delivered on Xmas day but not Boxing Day. Extra mail brought in from post boxes for date stamping at Xmas. The Sugar factory employed a large number of Irishmen, which was good for the National Savings Bank, as they saved their money up to take or to Money Order home.

Mrs. Chapman remembers delivering an urgent telegram,in the snow,concerning some potatoes to a farm. When she arrived the people were standing round drinking and asked her if she would like a cup of tea. To her horror, it was presented in a filthy Billy-can! Some telegrams had to be taken across by chain ferry at Southrey.

When Wragby was closed far a half-day, telegrams could be delivered to Apley. Telephone boxes used to be emptied including the one at the airfield.

This later became an American Rocket Base and Mr. William Todd had to be given special permission to deliver mail there. The Post Office was burgled twice during this time; once there was a tip off and police were waiting.

Mrs. Todd, Mrs. Chapman’s daughter was Sub-postmistress from 1972 until June 1986.

Mrs. Pat Deaton was the Sub-postmistress from 1986 until 2004.

By 1990, the services available had been extended to include Motor Vehicle Licences and the office also offers ‘Datapost’. It had three mail rounds with two delivery ladies on bicycles and a van for outlying areas and Southrey. The early mail came from Lincoln at 6-50am.

Additional shop space and a sorting office were provided by adding their private kitchen, to provide a room behind counter.

Pat retired in 2004 to be replaced by her daughter, Irene Hewitt, who had been involved in the business for some years. Under new ownership, the half day and lunchtime closing were removed.

By 2007 a cash machine had been installed and in February 2007, andEuro’s, on demand, were offered.

Page 1 of 2