The Establishment of Free Rural Mail Delivery

Photo by Alan L Brown - August, 2004

Plaque Location

The County of Oxford
The Township of Norwich
In Springford, in front of the community hall
on the south side of Road 19 just west of Road 13

Coordinates: N 42 54.966 W 80 40.410

Plaque Text

One of the most significant developments in the history of postal service in Canada, free rural mail delivery was established largely through the efforts of two Ontarians, George Wilcox and Joseph Armstrong. Wilcox, a farmer here in South Norwich Township roused wide support for the system through numerous newspaper articles and a prolific letter writing campaign. At the same time, following his election in 1904 as the representative for Lambton East, Armstrong became a tireless advocate in the House of Commons for rural mail delivery. Anxious to retain the farm vote, the Laurier government soon responded to this pressure. In September of 1908 it announced the establishment of a limited system of free rural mail delivery, and within a month the first route was in service.

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Posted December 7, 2009
not springfield but springford [Thanks. I fixed it.]

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