Law

Post Office Act 1953 (repealed)

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2001-03-26, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 86 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  3. 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  4. 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  5. 8 Conditions of transit of postal packets.
  6. 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  7. 10 Cash on delivery service.
  8. 11 Prohibition on sending by post of certain articles.
  9. 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  10. 16 Application of customs Acts to postal packets.
  11. 17 Power to detain postal packets containing contraband.
  12. 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  13. 19 Post Office mark evidence of amount of postage, etc.
  14. 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  15. 21 Special provisions as to postal orders.
  16. 22 Issuing money orders with fraudulent intent.
  17. 23 Forgery and stealing of money orders.
  18. 24 Arrangements with other countries as to money orders.
  19. 25 Outward bound ships.
  20. 26 Inward bound ships and aircraft.
  21. 27 Owners’ letters.
  22. 28 Retention of postal packets after delivery of part thereof to Post Office.
  23. 29 Carriage of parcels by coasting ships.
  24. 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  25. 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  26. 32 Penalty for opening of mail bag by master or commander of ship or aircraft.
  27. 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  28. 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  29. 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  30. 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  31. 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  32. 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  33. 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  34. 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  35. 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  36. 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  37. 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  38. 44 †Power to require services by tramways and certain public service vehicles.
  39. 45 Additional provisions as to conveyance of mail bags by tramways and public service vehicles.
  40. 46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  41. 50 Indemnity on account of extending Post Office accommodation.
  42. 51 Power of local authority to contribute towards new post office or extra postal facilities.
  43. 52 Stealing mail bag or postal packet.
  44. 53 Unlawfully taking away or opening mail bag.
  45. 54 Receiver of stolen mail bag or postal packet.
  46. 55 Fraudulent retention of mail bag or postal packet.
  47. 56 Criminal diversion of letters from addressee.
  48. 57 Stealing, embezzlement, destruction etc. by officer of Post Office of postal packet.
  49. 58 Opening or delaying of postal packets by officers of the Post Office.
  50. 59 Carelessness, negligence or misconduct of persons employed in carrying or delivering mail bags, postal packets, etc.
  51. 60 Prohibition of placing injurious substances in or against post office letter boxes or telephone kiosks.
  52. 61 Prohibition of affixing placards, notices, etc. on post office letter boxes, etc.
  53. 62 Prohibition of imitation of post office stamps, envelopes, forms and marks.
  54. 63 Prohibition of fictitious stamps.
  55. 64 Prohibition of false notice as to reception of letters, etc.
  56. 65 Obstruction and molestation of officers of the Post Office.
  57. 65A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  58. 66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  59. 67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  60. 68 Endeavouring to procure the commission of any felony or misdemeanour.
  61. 69 Summary proceedings.
  62. 70 Prosecution of certain offences in any jurisdiction of British postal area.
  63. 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  64. 72 Evidence of thing being postal packet, and of consent of Postmaster-General to prosecution.
  65. 73 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  66. 74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  67. 75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  68. 76 Recovery of sums from officers of Post Office.
  69. 77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  70. 78 Provision as to post office letter boxes.
  71. 79 Surrender of clothing by officer of Post Office on ceasing to be officer.
  72. 80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  73. 81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  74. 82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  75. 84 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  76. 85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  77. 86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  78. 87 Interpretation.
  79. 88 Application to Northern Ireland—general.
  80. 89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  81. 90 Application to Isle of Man—general.
  82. 91 Repeals and savings.
  83. 92 Short title.
  84. FIRST SCHEDULE
  85. SECOND SCHEDULE Section sixty-five of the Post Office Act 1908, as originally enacted.
  86. THIRD SCHEDULE

Proposed changes to this act

No one has proposed a change to this act yet.

86 provisions

90 Application to Isle of Man—general.

(1) This Act except sections thirty-three to forty-five shall extend to the Isle of Man. (2) Any offence against this Act which is punishable on summary conviction and any fine under this Act which is recoverable on summary conviction may, in the Isle of Man, be prosecuted or recovered before a court of summary jurisdiction constituted in accordance with the Petty Sessions and Summary Jurisdiction Acts 1927 and 1946, being acts of the legislature of the Isle of Man, or any other Act of that legislature whether passed before or after the commencement of this Act, and at the instance of a person engaged in the business of the Post Office or of a constable. (3) In the application of this Act to the Isle of Man, except where the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the following meanings respectively— “indictment” means an information; “public service vehicle” means a motor vehicle licensed as a road service vehicle, stage coach or hackney carriage, not being a vehicle adapted to carry less than eight passengers which carries those passengers otherwise than at separate fares. (4) Any Act of the legislature of the Isle of Man punishing offences committed in relation to post letters or post letter bags shall have effect as if a parcel were a post letter and any receptacle containing a parcel were a post letter bag. (5) For the purposes of sections fifty-two to fifty-eight of this Act, section thirty-six of the Petty Sessions and Summary Jurisdiction Act 1927 (being an Act of the legislature of the Isle of Man) (which relates to the summary trial of indictable offences), and any other enactment of that legislature, whether passed before or after the commencement of this Act, amending the said section thirty-six, shall have effect as if offences under the said sections of this Act were included in the Third Schedule to the said Act of 1927.

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91 Repeals and savings.

(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) Any letters patent granted, warrant, arrangement or appointment made, direction, decision or undertaking given, post established, registration effected, notice served, sanction obtained or other thing done under any enactment repealed by this Act or by the Post Office Act 1908, shall, if in force at the commencement of this Act, continue in force and have effect as if granted, made, given, established, effected, served, obtained or done under the corresponding provision of this Act. (3) Where a period of time specified in any enactment repealed by this Act is current at the commencement of this Act, this Act shall have effect as if the corresponding provision thereof had been in force when that period began to run. (4) Save as expressly provided by this Act, any reference in any enactment, warrant or other document whatsoever to the Post Office Acts, or any of them, or to the Post Office laws, or to any enactment repealed by this Act, shall unless the contrary intention appears be construed as a reference to this Act or to the corresponding provision of this Act, as the case may require. (5) Nothing in this section shall affect any Act of the legislature of the Isle of Man in force at the commencement of the Post Office Act 1908. (6) Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall be taken as prejudicing the operation of sections 16(1) and 17(2)(a) of the Interpretation Act 1978 (which relates to the effect of repeals).

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92 Short title.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Post Office Act 1953. (2) This Act shall come into force one month after the passing thereof.

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FIRST SCHEDULE

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SECOND SCHEDULE Section sixty-five of the Post Office Act 1908, as originally enacted.

Section 63. Prohibition of fictitious stamps. 65 (1) A person shall not— (a) make, knowingly utter, deal in or sell any fictitious stamp, or knowingly use for any postal purpose any fictitious stamp; or (b) have in his possession, unless he shows a lawful excuse, any fictitious stamp; or (c) make, or, unless he shows a lawful excuse, have in his possession, any die, plate, instrument or materials for making any fictitious stamp. (2) If any person acts in contravention of this section he shall be liable on summary conviction on a prosecution by order of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds, subject to the like right of appeal as in the case of a penalty under the Acts relating to the Excise. (3) Any stamp, die, plate, instrument, or materials found in the possession of any person in contravention of this section may be seized and shall be forfeited. (4) For the purposes of this section “fictitious stamp” means any facsimile or imitation or representation, whether on paper or otherwise, of any stamp for denoting any rate of postage, including any stamp for denoting a rate of postage of any British possession or of any foreign country.

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THIRD SCHEDULE

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