The History of the Post Office in British North America

This volume offers a thorough survey of the postal network that grew across British North America from its earliest colonial roots in the mid‑seventeenth century to the formation of the Dominion in 1870. Drawing on records from London’s General Post Office, Canadian archives, and contemporary journals, the author weaves together the administrative, commercial, and political strands that shaped a service essential to frontier life. The narrative highlights how the fledgling Canadian system was never an isolated creation but an extension of a well‑established British model.

The opening chapters follow the pioneering efforts of figures such as Benjamin Franklin, whose 1763 mission to Quebec laid the groundwork for regular mail routes linking Montreal, Trois‑Rivières and beyond. Readers learn how early postmasters balanced military oversight, merchant demands, and the practicalities of delivering news across rugged terrain. Throughout, the book paints a vivid picture of a growing infrastructure that mirrored the colonies’ own evolution toward self‑government.