Overview

'Vivid, detailed, colourful ... a first-class history ... all sorts of delights leap out of these pages' Daily Telegraph From the very first 'master of the post' in 1512 to the vast network of today, the Royal Mail is an intrinsic part of everyday life in Britain. This book tells its extraordinary story in full. Whether describing the sensation caused by the penny post in 1840, the Post Office boffins who helped the wartime code-breakers of Bletchley Park, the Great Train Robbery of 1963, the growth of telegrams and telephones, or the many visionaries, philanthropists and firebrands who made the service what it is today, Masters of the Post shows how the history of the Royal Mail is our history.

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9780241957660

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Reviews

An authorised and comprehensive account of an institution that was long held to be the best of its kind in the world. Campbell-Smith's book is vast, monumentally detailed, sharply observant of personalities and wittily readable. -- Michael Binyon Times The Post Office is currently in difficulties and Duncan Campbell-Smith's thoughtful and well-written book helps provide an explanation of its present situation, placing it in the context of an impressive history of the Royal Mail. This book has much to offer the scholar and general reader alike. -- Jeremy Black BBC History Highly valuable. An assured and fascinating account. -- Martin Daunton Times Literary Supplement Some of the subjects Campbell-Smith is obliged to tackle would defy the liveliest pen to make them fascinating, but he has written a solid, brilliantly researched and sometimes drily witty account of an institution once again in the throws of dramatic reinvention. -- Nicholas Rennison Times Duncan Campbell-Smith's account not only provides a wealth of information and insight. He has succeeded in presenting the often complex story in a clear and incisive style. All in all a highly recommended book. -- Ak Huggins The London Philatelist

Duncan Campbell-Smith's account not only provides a wealth of information and insight. He has succeeded in presenting the often complex story in a clear and incisive style. All in all a highly recommended book. -- AK Huggins * The London Philatelist * Some of the subjects Campbell-Smith is obliged to tackle would defy the liveliest pen to make them fascinating, but he has written a solid, brilliantly researched and sometimes drily witty account of an institution once again in the throws of dramatic reinvention. -- Nicholas Rennison * Times * Highly valuable. An assured and fascinating account. -- Martin Daunton * Times Literary Supplement * The Post Office is currently in difficulties and Duncan Campbell-Smith's thoughtful and well-written book helps provide an explanation of its present situation, placing it in the context of an impressive history of the Royal Mail. This book has much to offer the scholar and general reader alike. -- Jeremy Black * BBC History * An authorised and comprehensive account of an institution that was long held to be the best of its kind in the world. Campbell-Smith's book is vast, monumentally detailed, sharply observant of personalities and wittily readable. -- Michael Binyon * Times *

An authorised and comprehensive account of an institution that was long held to be the best of its kind in the world. Campbell-Smith's book is vast, monumentally detailed, sharply observant of personalities and wittily readable. -- Michael Binyon * Times * The Post Office is currently in difficulties and Duncan Campbell-Smith's thoughtful and well-written book helps provide an explanation of its present situation, placing it in the context of an impressive history of the Royal Mail. This book has much to offer the scholar and general reader alike. -- Jeremy Black * BBC History * Highly valuable. An assured and fascinating account. -- Martin Daunton * Times Literary Supplement * Some of the subjects Campbell-Smith is obliged to tackle would defy the liveliest pen to make them fascinating, but he has written a solid, brilliantly researched and sometimes drily witty account of an institution once again in the throws of dramatic reinvention. -- Nicholas Rennison * Times * Duncan Campbell-Smith's account not only provides a wealth of information and insight. He has succeeded in presenting the often complex story in a clear and incisive style. All in all a highly recommended book. -- AK Huggins * The London Philatelist *

Author Information

Duncan Campbell-Smith is a former Financial Times and Economist journalist whose career has also included working in the City and as a management consultant with McKinsey. He holds Visiting Senior Research Fellowships at the Institute of Historical Research and at the Centre for Contemporary British History at King's College, London. His previous books include Follow the Money (Penguin 2008).

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