A POSTAL HISTORY OF ZWOLLE

NORWAY

Until 14 January 1814, Norway was part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Until the third quarter of 1814, the Danish postal rules, rates, weight progression and currency applied.

From 28-03-1801 the rate to and from the Netherlands consisted of the rate via Hamburg to Copenhagen + domestic postage to Copenhagen or Helsingør. For the rates to Copenhagen see Denmark.
Some domestic postal rates via Sweden to Copenhagen and Helsingør respectively:

Between February 1808 and January 1810 the route via Sweden was interrupted by war and mail was carried by sea from Frederiksvaern and Frederikshavn. The postage to Frederikshavn was according to the overview below. In addition, the port was added to Hamburg ad 8 Lybske skilling.

Norway became independent on 14 January 1814. In the third quarter of 1814 the Norwegian Thaler and Skilling Specie were introduced as currency. 1 Norwegian Specie Thaler = 120 Skilling Specie.
On 2 September 1814, mail exchange with foreign countries was again possible. Postal parity was agreed for the exchange of letters between Norway and the neighboring countries of Denmark and Sweden. The postal route to and from the Netherlands ran via Sweden:

On 1 June 1820, there was also a postal route by sea via Denmark (postal convention 1-6-1820). In 1827 the government's first packet came between Frederiksvaern (nowadays called Stavern) and Copenhagen, the steamer Prinds Carl. She was in connection with the Consitutionen that maintained the line Christiania - Frederiksvaern - Christiansand. In 1842 the Christiania replaced the Prinds Carl, who then went on to do the Constitutions route. In 1847 there was a connection with Kiel, which was provided by the Nordcap.

For many years this connection was only possible in the warmer part of the year, because the sea was frozen in winter. Then the route over Sweden was followed. This only changed with the advent of screw steamers.

Packet Prinds Carl

The postage consisted of the inland rate to the Border Post Office Laurvig + 14 Skilling specie sea postage + 35 riksbankskilling for Frederikshavn - Hamburg and changed as follows:

The government service was gradually taken over from 1859 by private companies, which provided the route to Hamburg for several years. Between 1853 and 1865 the following private packets were in operation on the Hamburg route:

On 1 January 1855, Norway issues its first postage stamp. The Norwegian rates for letters to and from the Netherlands from 1 January 1855 are in Skilling specie, for the first weight class up to 1 Lot = 15,5 grams and from 28 May 1872 up to 15 grams:

*) For destinations in the Netherlands up to and including 30 km from the border, lower rates applied until 1-1-1864; for the 1st weight class: 3 skilling less.

**) With the steamships Anna and (from mid 1862) Amicitia of shipping company W.S. Burger & Zn maintained a connection between Bergen, Rotterdam and Hull. The addressee in the Netherlands had to pay another 30 cents postage for letters from Norway sent in this way for the route from Rotterdam tot destination (later on 20 cents).

***) rate for sent prepaid / received unfranked.

The Dutch rate from 1 December 1815 for a letter from or to Norway, paid up to Hamburg, weighing up to 1 Lood (from 1-1-1829 up to 16 wigtjes): 10 stuiver.
From 1-1-1827: 35 cents and from 1-2-1852 up to 15 wigtjes: 30 cents (for destinations in the Netherlands up to and including 30 km from the border: 25 cents).

From 1848, mail sent via Prussia and Sweden could be franked to destination. The postage became 50 cents via Hamburg and 40 cents via Bremen on 1 April 1848, according to the Dutch weight progression.

Letter from Zwolle via Hamburg and Strömstad, Sweden to Drammen, Norway, 7-4-1848. Datestamp ZWOLLE / FRANCO in blue. The red stripe on the front also indicates that the letter was sent postage prepaid. Postage paid by the sender, indicated on reverse, 1-4-1848 to 31-1-1852: 50 cents.

The Dutch rates for letters to Norway from April 1851 onwards were:

*) For destinations in the Netherlands up to and including 30 km from the border, lower rates applied until 1-1-1864; for the 1st weight class: 5 cents less.

**) rate for sent prepaid / received unfranked.

1 German Silbergroschen = 6 cent. When converting Silbergroschen into cents, the Netherlands rounded up to five cents, except for 1 Silbergroschen, which was rounded down to five cents.

Letter from Zwolle via Germany and Christiania (now called Oslo) to Soon \(now called Son), 25 June 1873. Rate 15-1-1873 to 30-6-1875, 0 - 15 wigtjes: 20 cents. Franked with 2 x 10 cents 1872 issue.

From 18 September 1858 there could be sent mail from Rotterdam via Hull to Bergen with the steamships Anna and later Amicitia from shipping company W.S. Burger & Zn. The sender had to pay the inland postage (Circulair 551). The addressee in Norway paid 14 Skilling specie postage for the journey from Bergen. This was reduced on 25 April 1870, see the table of Norwegian rates above.

Copyright © 2019 - G.L. van Welie FRPSL
Secretary of the Nederlandse Academie voor Filatelie
Representative of the Royal Philatelic Society London for the Netherlands

Nothing from this website may be copied, distributed and / or published without written permission from the author.

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