The Rat Tat or Postman's Polka 1853

The cover illustration shows a postman in the uniform of the period: red coat, black top hat with gold band. He is shown knocking at the door to deliver the letter. As there were no slits or letter boxes in the doors in those days, postmen always had to knock to deliver letters. In 1849, and again in 1851, the Post Office asked the public to provide street door letter boxes, or slits, in order to help speed up mail delivery (you can see an image of the 1849 Notice to the Public sent by the Postmaster General in our The Penny Black Changed the World online gallery). This practice was only slowly adopted throughout the country, so letter carriers continued to give their usual two knocks (rat tat) at the front door when delivering mail. 

The piece was composed under the pseudonym A Postage Stamp, Esq, for piano. The front cover was created by Augustus Butler.

Printed: Stanard and Dixon, Poland Street, London
Accession Number: 2005.82/11