Marshville Heritage Society's Heritage preservation

Stop and think what it would be like if you could not instantly send a text or call someone.

In the 1800s mail was new to most people and for many, especially those who had travelled hundreds of kilometres from their homes to start a new life in Canada, a way to message loved ones. Sending and receiving mail was a significant communication opportunity for many.

And if you think sending mail is expensive these days, you should have tried to send letters and packages in the early 1800s!

Mail was, of course, very slow. And the British Postal Service put some high tariffs on the mail that did flow.

For example, a letter from Toronto to Niagara, some 45 miles or 72 km away, cost 6 pense for a single sheet of paper. What did 6 pense buy in those years? Two dozen eggs! If you needed two sheets of paper to share your news the cost doubled.