Francis Freeling
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Freeling, 1st Baronet FSA
(25 August 1764 – 10 July 1836), was Secretary of HM General Post Office .
He was born in Bristol
, on 25 August 1764.
He initiated many reforms to the Post Office, including the introduction of local penny post
s in large towns, the reorganization of London's service and the use of steam trains and ships to replace horse-drawn vehicle
s and wind-powered ships.
A baronetcy was conferred upon him, of the General Post Office in the City of London and of Ford and Hutchings in the County of Sussex, for his public services on 11 March 1828.
in 1801, and was one of the original members of the Roxburghe Club
, founded in 1812.
Freeling was married three times and had many children. On his death on 10 July 1836, he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest surviving son, Sir George Henry Freeling (22 September 1789 – 30 November 1841).
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(25 August 1764 – 10 July 1836), was Secretary of HM General Post Office .
He was born in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, on 25 August 1764.
Career
Freeling started work in the Bristol Post Office. In 1785 he was promoted, to a post in London, to develop the service. In 1797, he rose to the office of joint Secretary to the Post Office and in 1798, sole Secretary.He initiated many reforms to the Post Office, including the introduction of local penny post
Penny Post
The Penny Post is any one of several postal systems in which normal letters could be sent for one penny.-London Penny Post:In England, the Post Office had a monopoly on the collection and carriage of letters between post towns but there was no delivery system until the London Penny Post was...
s in large towns, the reorganization of London's service and the use of steam trains and ships to replace horse-drawn vehicle
Horse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load...
s and wind-powered ships.
A baronetcy was conferred upon him, of the General Post Office in the City of London and of Ford and Hutchings in the County of Sussex, for his public services on 11 March 1828.
Personal life
Freeling collected a large library. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of LondonSociety of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
in 1801, and was one of the original members of the Roxburghe Club
Roxburghe Club
The Roxburghe Club was formed on 17 June 1812 by leading bibliophiles, at the time the library of the Duke of Roxburghe was auctioned. It took 45 days to sell the entire collection. The first edition of Boccaccio's Decameron, printed by Chrisopher Valdarfer of Venice in 1471, was sold to the...
, founded in 1812.
Freeling was married three times and had many children. On his death on 10 July 1836, he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest surviving son, Sir George Henry Freeling (22 September 1789 – 30 November 1841).