Postal History Corner: Telepost

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Telepost

Telepost was a Canada Post and CNCP Telecommunications joint venture electonic mail delivery service introduced in 1973. Telepost messages were sent by Telex network to teleprinter terminals located in selected postal facilities (Telepost Centres) at or near the destination of the telepost message. At telepost centres the messages were removed from the teleprinter, inserted in a distinctive window envelope, sealed and placed in the mail stream for delivery as first class mail.Special delivery service was available for an additional fee when requested by the sender.

Instuctions for handling Telepost messages

(Manual of Operating Procedure for Staff Offices)

Telepost Centres

April 1975

Teleprinter Machines

Telepost centres were equipped with Teletype Corporation receive only teleprinter machines, Models 28 and 32.

Model 28

Model 32

Sample Messages

a) Normal Delivery (First class mail)

Sample of a normal message.

b) Request for Special Delivery

The words "Special Delivery" appear immediately above the name of the addressee.

Sample of a message requesting Special Delivery

Special delivery messages were to be handled first and inserted in telepost envelopes bearing special delivery stickers, 33-086-149.

Telepost Envelope

Telepost Indicium

Telepost Cover

The telepost message was addressed to Oshawa, Ontario, and received at the Gateway Postal Facility, Mississauga, Ont., October 25, 1979. The message was folded and inserted in the telepost envelope.

Telepost Message receiver postmark

October 25, 1979

Since Special Delivery service had been requested, a Special Delivery sticker was affixed and the Gateway Postal Facility Special Delivery cancellation was applied to the back of the envelope

12:00 (noon), October 25, 1979

The letter was received by the Oshawa post office on October 26, 1979, and a receiver cancellation was applied to the front of the envelope.

Oshawa receiver, October 26, 1979

Telepost Service continued into the 1990s. The letter shown below was sent by Telex via the Teleglobe system from Coventry, England, to South Porcupine, Ontario.