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Sabbatarians stop delivery of post on Sunday
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Sabbatarians stop delivery of post on Sunday
Sabbatarians achieve a short lived victory, having stopped the delivery of post on Sundays. Though pleasing to Post Office workers, it infuriated the public. Date: 1850
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Media ID 20140635
© Bubblepunk
1850 Achieve Anti Lived Office Pleasing Postal Practice Practices Sabbath Stopped Strict Sundays Victory Delivery Short
EDITORS COMMENTS
In this intriguing 19th century cartoon, Sabbatarians celebrate a brief triumph over the Post Office, having successfully halted mail delivery on Sundays. Dated 1850, this image captures a significant moment in the ongoing debate surrounding the observance of the Sabbath and the role of the postal service in British society. The Sabbatarians, a strict religious group advocating for the observance of the seventh day as a day of rest, had long campaigned for the cessation of postal deliveries on Sundays. Their efforts bore fruit when, in 1850, the Postmaster General, Sir Rowland Hill, issued an order suspending Sunday deliveries. The decision was met with delight by postal workers, who welcomed the opportunity for a day of rest. However, the public reaction was far from positive. Depicted in the cartoon are the disgruntled citizens, left without their mail on a Sunday, expressing their frustration and anger. The image underscores the tension between religious observance and the growing expectations of modern convenience, as well as the potential consequences of disrupting the postal service. This cartoon serves as a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of 19th century British society, where religious practices and the demands of a rapidly industrializing world collided. The Sabbatarians' short-lived victory ultimately paved the way for the eventual reinstatement of Sunday deliveries in 1852, reflecting the evolving balance between religious and secular interests in the era.
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