postboys

A postboy was a young male messenger, typically employed to carry mail or messages. This role was common in the 18th and 19th centuries, preceding the widespread development of modern postal services and transportation networks. Postboys were often hired by individuals, businesses, or governmental bodies to deliver important documents or parcels over short to medium distances.

The duties of a postboy were varied. They might be tasked with collecting letters from a central post office and distributing them to various recipients within a town or city, or they might carry dispatches between important locations. Their mode of transport was usually on foot or on horseback, depending on the distance and the urgency of the message. The job required reliability, a good sense of direction, and often, a degree of physical endurance.

The profession of the postboy was a significant part of early communication systems. They facilitated the flow of information in an era where rapid communication was not yet commonplace. As postal services became more organized and efficient, with the introduction of mail coaches and later, railways, the role of the individual postboy gradually diminished. The term itself is now largely historical, referring to a specific era of postal and messenger services.