Rowland Hill signed 1859 letter

Rowland Hill signed handwritten letter dated 5^th July 1859 to Edward Baines. Superb content relating to Charles Sikes’ plan to establish a Post Office Savings Bank.

Rowland Hill (1795-1879) is the man behind our hobby who introduced postal reforms including the uniform penny post and the first stamp.

Charles William Sikes (1818–1889) was the proponent of the Post Office Savings Bank. He argued that the banking system was inadequate to meet the needs of the working classes, & that the establishment of a Savings Bank with a government guarantee for every deposit was essential for future prosperity. The idea quickly gained support from his friend & Member of Parliament Sir Edward Baines, as well as the Chancellor of the Exchequer and also Rowland Hill, the then Secretary of the Post Office.

This letter has superb content involving these key players in the establishment of the Savings Bank. It was ultimately founded in 1861, with the centenary later commemorated with a stamp issue.

In full Rowland Hill writes:

Owing to absence from town and to an unusual pressure of business since my letter it was not till this afternoon that I was able to read the able and interesting letter of Mr Sikes. It would be premature to pronounce any opinion as to the practicability of his plan, but the object in view is excellent, and I should gladly promote it, if enable so to do.

Before meeting to discuss the plan, I should be glad if you could favour me with three of four additional copies of Mr Sikes letter, in order that I may place them in the hands of a few of our more intelligent officers as a means of obtaining their opinions as to the practicability of the measure.