The Development of the Modern Envelope

By: Mark Bartley Click author's name for more of his/her articles

One of the main contributors to shaping the way that the modern postal service developed was Rowland Hill who reformed the Post Office in 1836. His radical and highly original concept of using stamps proved a much cheaper and more reliable alternative to the common practice of using pre-paid wrappers to seal letters. William Mulready, winner of a national prize for the design of the new wrapper or "envelope", saw his success commercially available for the very first time on 6th May 1840. Mass produced using John Dickinson's forge-proof paper, the envelope as we recognise it today had been born. Known as a Mulready the lozenge (rhombus or diamond)) shaped "envelope" was used to launch the Penny Post and helped to open up the postal service to the masses. Hill had insisted that all letters sent inland should cost the same what ever their destination and distance travelled. Priced at a penny most, families would be able afford to send letter to friends and family. Within 10 years, the number of letters sent had increased five-fold.

In 1845, Edwin Hill (Rowland Hill's brother and 'The Controller of Stamps') and Warren De La Rue were granted a British patent for the first envelope-making machine. Though these new envelopes weren't quite the same as modern envelopes as they weren't gummed and simply wrapped around the letter, the symmetrical flap arrangement enabled it to be held together with a single wax seal at the apex of the topmost flap. These rather ornate affairs can be said to represent the very first generation of envelopes as we know them today.

By 1851 the gummed envelope, more closely resembling the modern envelope, had been developed by John Dickinson. A combination of factors conspired to radically change the face of communications. Industrially produced paper was becoming increasingly cheap, the spread of the railways, and the introduction of pillar boxes in 1852 all contributed to mass adoption of post as a new way of communication. With international charges standardised on New Years Day, 1876, there was nothing to stop the rapid emergence of postal services worldwide. The humble envelope now was rapidly becoming part and parcel of the everyday fabric of society.

Such was the popularity and success of the postal service that in Edwardian times it wasn't uncommon for there to be up to 10 deliveries a day in the major cities in the UK. Don't think Facebook status updates or Twitter tweets are anything new – a hundred years ago many people just used the amazingly efficient postal service.

Other notable events in the history of the envelope include the invention in 1901 of the window envelope by Americus F. Callahan and patented on 10th June 1902. The aerogram or air letter, a thin lightweight piece of foldable and gummed paper for writing a letter for transit via airmail in which the letter and envelope are one and the same became popular during the Second World War.

In 1998, the U.S. Postal Service became the first postal authority to approve the introduction of a system of applying a digital frank or stamp downloaded from the Internet. In a radical departure from using physical adhesive-backed postage stamps or running envelopes through franking machines, Electronic Stamp Distribution (ESD) means that a business envelope can now be produced, addressed, customised with advertising information and ready to be mailed – all in-house.

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About The Author: The simple envelope is used in vast quantities by many businesses, so let Mark's advice save you money. Reviewing envelope suppliers carefully and taking on board information like that contained in this report is always a sensible move.