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HumanEarth · F
Before the 1950s there only two types of telegram: standard and greeting. The greetings one cost more because it would be printed on fancy paper at the receiving post office. There were several styles of fancy paper, but the sender had no control over which one would eventually be used as that depended on what was in stock at the receiving post office. Some examples of the styles of telegram paper are shown on the page about the importance of telegrams in the past.
By the end of the service in September 1982 there were the following types of telegram:
an ordinary telegram
an 'overnight' telegram which was half the price and was delivered the next morning
a priority telegram for around 25p extra which would usually be delivered within the hour
a wedding telegram on suitably attractive paper which we called a WG1
a birthday telegram, also on suitably attractive paper which we called a BH2
a new born baby telegram, also on suitably attractive paper which we called a BB5, and
an all-purpose greeting telegram which we called an AP8.
By the end of the service in September 1982 there were the following types of telegram:
an ordinary telegram
an 'overnight' telegram which was half the price and was delivered the next morning
a priority telegram for around 25p extra which would usually be delivered within the hour
a wedding telegram on suitably attractive paper which we called a WG1
a birthday telegram, also on suitably attractive paper which we called a BH2
a new born baby telegram, also on suitably attractive paper which we called a BB5, and
an all-purpose greeting telegram which we called an AP8.
ffony · M
@HumanEarth You worked in the British GPO? I grew up in UK but didn't know telegrams were classified this way. Something I posted about elsewhere: In my memory I once (1960s) got a letter in Vancouver BC the day after it was mailed in Glasgow, Scotland. Would this really have been possible? At the time, three days would have been normal.