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Edward Smith Lees (30 March 1783 – 24 September 1846) usually known simply as Edward Lees was Secretary to the Postmasters General of Ireland and later to the Post Office for Scotland remaining in public service for 45 years. He was knighted by
Born in 1783 to
Following several official reports, mostly commissioned by the House of Commons, that exposed scandals at the Irish Post Office it was considered that it was no longer possible to let Ireland continue to manage its own postal affairs as it had done since 1784. Between Edward Lees and his father, they held sway for almost 60 years but despite the reports of bribery Edward was not expelled from the post office, instead he was transferred to the same position in Edinburgh in 1831.
In April 1840, as part of the British postal reforms, Lees was responsible for informing the Scottish postmaster about the introduction of the first
Report from the Select Committee on Postage 1843
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lees, Edward Smith 1783 births 1846 deaths Irish civil servants British postal officials Knights Bachelor Irish people of Scottish descent
King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...
.
Family
Born in 1783 to Sir John Lees, 1st Baronet
Sir John Lees, 1st Baronet (c. 1737– 3 September 1811) was Secretary of the Irish Post Office and Black Rod in Ireland.
Family
John Lees was born about 1737, probably at Cumnock in Ayrshire, the son of Adam Lees and his wife Agnes Goldie. He ...
and Mary Cathcart, Lees was the fourth son with six brothers and a sister, amongst them the Irish clergyman and political pamphleteer Harcourt Lees
The Reverend Sir Harcourt Lees (29 November 1776 – 7 March 1852 in Blackrock, Dublin, Blackrock, near Dublin) was an Irish Cleric, clergyman and political pamphleteer on behalf of Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. He is best known for his s ...
. He married a daughter of Capt. Clarke of the 40th Regiment of Foot
The 40th (the 2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1717 in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 82nd Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) ...
in 1821 but they had no issue. Lees was personally knighted by King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...
during his state visit to Ireland in the same year.
For many years Lees had a heart complaint and died at Broughty Ferry, on the outskirts of Dundee on 24 September 1846.
Career
At only 18 years of age, by a patant dated 23 March 1801, Lees was jointly appointed with his father as Secretary of the Irish Post Office, a position his father already held in his own right since 1774 until his death in 1811.
Following several official reports, mostly commissioned by the House of Commons, that exposed scandals at the Irish Post Office it was considered that it was no longer possible to let Ireland continue to manage its own postal affairs as it had done since 1784. Between Edward Lees and his father, they held sway for almost 60 years but despite the reports of bribery Edward was not expelled from the post office, instead he was transferred to the same position in Edinburgh in 1831.
In April 1840, as part of the British postal reforms, Lees was responsible for informing the Scottish postmaster about the introduction of the first postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the fa ...
s and the accompanying postal stationery, sending them samples of the Mulready stationery and the Penny Black
The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was first issued in the United Kingdom (referred to in philatelic circles as Great Britain), on 1 May 1840, but was not valid for use until 6 May. ...
, though, as they were not ready at that time, no Two penny blue
The Two Penny Blue or The Two Pence Blue was the world's second official postage stamp, produced in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and issued after the Penny Black.
Initial printing took place from 1 May 1840, and in all 6, ...
stamp samples were sent. His notice also provided information on possible forgeries and cancelling the new stamps.
Lees had spent 45 years in the public service when he resigned as the Post Office Secretary in Edinburgh in 1846.
References
Further reading
* (JSTOR subscription required) *External links
* To all postmastersReport from the Select Committee on Postage 1843
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lees, Edward Smith 1783 births 1846 deaths Irish civil servants British postal officials Knights Bachelor Irish people of Scottish descent