[HPforGrownups] Re: Dursleys and owl post

[rosie]

No: HPFGUIDX 41322

Darrin wrote:

"How does post work in the UK? Because in the U.S., the clerk at the 
post office would have stopped Molly from putting so many stamps on 
the letter, or if she dropped it in the nearest mailbox, it likely 
would have been returned to sender.

It was a humorous moment, but  not the most logical thing."

Apologies for the shortness of this, but in the UK, they are perhaps more tolerant of eccentric posters :) A letter definitely wouldn't be returned for having too many stamps. In the US, would a letter with say 2 or 3 stamps too many get returned? 

This seems bizarre to me as a British person, because in the UK, pretty much anything (that's not stolen by the postie or someone else along the line) gets delivered. Even if it hasn't got a stamp on, the recipient gets a note through the door saying "Do you want this letter, if so come and get it, you will have to pay the postage on it and a small fee". If you don't want to pay, it's *then* returned to sender. Otherwise, items might be returned if the address was unknown or illegible, or if the intended recipient had gone away.

It would be quite strange to go to the clerk just about a letter. Many larger post offices have automatic stamp machines. If you do go to the clerk for a letter, you request however many stamps you want (say 20 1st Class) and then you stick the required number on the letter and post it in the postbox, which is usually outside. (Sorry for the slightly cumbersome way this is explained). The only time you would hand something back to the clerk after sticking the stamps on, really, is if it's a parcel, or is going to some exotic destination (both situations which you'd have to get it weighed, get special stamps and so on. For a standard letter you just use a standard stamp :) ). 

You can also buy stamps from machines or cashiers at most tobacconists, stationers, corner shops, supermarkets, etc etc. I imagine Mrs Weasley would have probably wanted to avoid having to *talk* to a Muggle clerk, so she would probably have gone to a machine. Wait a minute, they live near a small village, don't they? Maybe she would have sent Ron out to buy stamps from the post office - given him some amount of Muggle money and said "here, buy stamps with this"... he returns with X number of stamps...she plasters them all over the envelope?

I'm wandering off the point.
Any more questions about British post (and thank you for so charmingly not calling it "mail"), that you think are OT, email me off list.

Gulplum said:
"No other scenario is possible."
I like to think my Ron scenario is a bit more possible - he is definitely more in with Muggle dress, etc, than her :)

I'm sorry but I don;'t quite understand:

"Of course. Not knowing how the Muggle post works, Mully went to the 
post office. The clerk would have told her exactly what value of 
stamps was required and would have sold them to her. Even if she were 
just buying stamps without the letter on her person, she would have 
been asked how big the letter was and whether it was inland or 
abroad. There is no way she'd have gone in and just dreamt up a sum 
of stamps to buy. 

Scenario at post office desk:
Molly: I want to send a letter
Clerk: where to?
M: erm... [consults notes] Little Whinging
C: how big is the letter?
M: [(either) shows the letter (or) shows with her hands]
C: [(either) puts letter on scales (or) guesses]: 26p, please
M: [fumbles in purse & pulls out huge banknote or handfull of change]
C: [thinks this woman is a bit strange but gives her the right change 
anyway] Next
M: Thank you"

If that had happened, um, wouldn't Molly have just ended up with the right change, yes, and one 26p stamp? Making it quite hard to cover the envelope in them? If that had happened....she'd have known how many stamps to stick on as well, wouldn't she? 

I think I must have misinterpreted you here, I'm sorry! Could you clear this up for me?

Thanks

Rosie


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