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 King George IV.
Born in 1783 to Sir John Lees, 1st Baronet and Mary Cathcart, Lees was the fourth son with six brothers and a sister, amongst them the Irish clergyman and political pamphleteer Harcourt Lees.[1][2] He married a daughter of Capt. Clarke of the 40th Regiment of Foot in 1821 but they had no issue. Lees was personally knighted by King George IV during his state visit to Ireland in the same year.[3][1]
For many years Lees had a heart complaint and died at Broughty Ferry, on the outskirts of Dundee on 24 September 1846.[1]
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,[4] a position his father already held in his own right since 1774 until his death in 1811.[5]
Letter addressed to Lees circa 1818 from Cork showing red 124 mileage mark
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.[6][7]
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 stamps and the accompanying postal stationery, sending them samples of the Mulready stationery and the Penny Black, though, as they were not ready at that time, no Two penny blue stamp samples were sent. His notice also provided information on possible forgeries and cancelling the new stamps.[8]
Lees had spent 45 years in the public service when he resigned as the Post Office Secretary in Edinburgh in 1846.[1]
References
^ abcdUrban, Sylvanus (1846). "Obituary: Sir Edward S. Lees". The Gentleman's Magazine. London: John Bowyer Nichols and Son. 180 (December 1846): 647. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
^Griffin, Hugh. "Edward Smith Lees (1783 - 1846)". Griffin Genealogy. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
^Dodd, Charles (1846). The Peerage, Baronatage, and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland, including all Titles Classes. London: Whittaker and Son. p. 249.
^Commissioners of Inquiry into Collection and Management of Revenue in Ireland and Great Britain: nineteenth report (Post Office Revenue - Ireland), House of Commons, 22 June 1829, p. 15, retrieved 4 October 2016
^"Portraits of Sir John Lees". Boris Winitski Fine Art. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
^Dood, Charles R. (1846). The Peerage, Bartonetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Whittaker & Co. pp. 238–239.
edward, smith, lees, march, 1783, september, 1846, usually, known, simply, edward, lees, secretary, postmasters, general, ireland, later, post, office, scotland, remaining, public, service, years, knighted, king, george, born, 1783, march, 1783diedseptember, 1. 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 King George IV Edward Smith LeesBorn 1783 03 30 March 30 1783DiedSeptember 24 1846 1846 09 24 aged 63 Broughty Ferry DundeeOccupation s Secretary of the Irish Post OfficeSecretary of the Postmaster General of ScotlandYears active1801 1846 Contents 1 Family 2 Career 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksFamily Edit King George IV s entry into Dublin in 1821 Born in 1783 to Sir John Lees 1st Baronet and Mary Cathcart Lees was the fourth son with six brothers and a sister amongst them the Irish clergyman and political pamphleteer Harcourt Lees 1 2 He married a daughter of Capt Clarke of the 40th Regiment of Foot in 1821 but they had no issue Lees was personally knighted by King George IV during his state visit to Ireland in the same year 3 1 For many years Lees had a heart complaint and died at Broughty Ferry on the outskirts of Dundee on 24 September 1846 1 Career EditAt 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 4 a position his father already held in his own right since 1774 until his death in 1811 5 Letter addressed to Lees circa 1818 from Cork showing red 124 mileage mark 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 6 7 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 stamps and the accompanying postal stationery sending them samples of the Mulready stationery and the Penny Black though as they were not ready at that time no Two penny blue stamp samples were sent His notice also provided information on possible forgeries and cancelling the new stamps 8 Lees had spent 45 years in the public service when he resigned as the Post Office Secretary in Edinburgh in 1846 1 References Edit a b c d Urban Sylvanus 1846 Obituary Sir Edward S Lees The Gentleman s Magazine London John Bowyer Nichols and Son 180 December 1846 647 Retrieved 4 October 2016 Griffin Hugh Edward Smith Lees 1783 1846 Griffin Genealogy Retrieved 4 October 2016 Dodd Charles 1846 The Peerage Baronatage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland including all Titles Classes London Whittaker and Son p 249 Commissioners of Inquiry into Collection and Management of Revenue in Ireland and Great Britain nineteenth report Post Office Revenue Ireland House of Commons 22 June 1829 p 15 retrieved 4 October 2016 Portraits of Sir John Lees Boris Winitski Fine Art Retrieved 4 October 2016 Dood Charles R 1846 The Peerage Bartonetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland London Whittaker amp Co pp 238 239 Campbell Smith Duncan 2011 Masters of The Post London Allen Lane p 116 ISBN 978 1 846 14324 3 Lees Edward S 1840 To all postmasters General Post Office Edinburgh via Wikisource Further reading EditBayley Butler Beatrice 1953 John and Edward Lees Secretaries of the Irish Post Office 1774 1831 Dublin Historical Record 13 3 4 138 150 JSTOR 30103817 JSTOR subscription required Ferguson Stephen 2014 The GPO 200 Years of History Dublin Mercier Press ISBN 978 1 78117 277 3 External links EditTo all postmasters Report from the Select Committee on Postage 1843 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edward Smith Lees amp oldid 1082265490, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
