Stoke Climsland
Post Office celebrates
its 150th birthday this year; probably Britain's oldest Post Office
still running in its original building. On January 26th 1839, Lord
Lichfield (as Postmaster General) directed the surveyor to select
"...a proper person for this small office.." A Mr.Crafter
was apparently the first incumbent of this 'small office', but we
know very little at present about this man or his immediate
successors until the 1860's when the Postmaster was lames Mitchell.
He was followed by a near relative, C.Lewis Stumbles. There appears a
William Stubeley when Mr.Stumbles died but he was probably employed
by Helena Stumbles (the widow of C.L.S), who later took over and was
followed by her daughter, Enid.
The Post Office was opened originally
to accommodate the increased postal traffic generated by several
mines that were opening up the mineral wealth of the parish. No doubt
the proximity of the Call family at Whiteford who had Banking
interests in London also had some influence in this decision. Being
on the main Turnpike between Plymouth and Launceston it presented the
ideal spot for a viable "Penny Post Office". Penny Post
Offices were so-called because it cost a penny to post a letter
within the area controlled by the local Posting Town, in this case
Callinglon or Launceston depending upon which direction the post was
sent.
Although there were earlier Post
Offices all over England none of them appcar to have survived the
passage of time. Stoke Climsland is believed to have been operating
from this building since 1839 and long may it continue to do so!
Stoke Climsland has, of course, many
other claims to fame. Forged out of the territorial spoils of the
Saxon-Celtic Conflict, it has maintained its links with the Crown
ever since. The brcak-up of the Call Estates in the late 1800's
signalled a much stronger Duchy presence and in 1913 the Duchy Home
Farm was established. This formed the basis of the present Duchy
Agricultural College (Est.1984) which was the first new Agricultural
College in England for over 30 years. Further reorganisations under
the County Council in 1987 resulted in a 182 hectare farm carrying a
100 cow dairy heard, a 500 ewe breeding flock and a beef rearing
unit. Potatoes and cereals also play their part in the programme. The
College also plays its part in the preservation of local history.
Quite apart from the Main House that preserves some of the fabric of
Whitcford's former splcndour, it shelters the "Stoke Climsland
History Project", a group that is collecting together items of
interest from all available sources in order to preserve them for
posterity.