Anecdotes from an article on The G.P.O. Museum by Framley Steelcroft, featured in The Strand, from the July 1897 to December 1897 anthology.:

A Portuguese once handed in this telegram: “Is ar 8.” He had to be cross-examined in French and Spanish before it became clear that the message was meant for: “It is all right.”…

The Department, as we all know, takes extra-ordinary pains to deliver letters, no matter how addressed. If the thing can be done, it is done. Here is one of the most curious addresses on record: “Mrs. — Wearing a large Bear Boa, Violet flowers in Bonnet, Promenade (mornings), Aberystwith.” The letter was from the lady’s son who had mislaid his mother’s seaside address. The letter was successfully delivered…

No one has any scruple about economizing at the expense of the Post Office. Listen to this capital story about the late Archbishop of Canterbury. He travelled a good deal, and therefore often found his bill for telegrams too heavy. He hit upon a capital scheme for reducing expenses. One day his chaplain was astonished to receive the following cryptogrammatic telegram: “John’s Epistle III, 13, 14.” Completely mystified, he turned to the text indicated and read as follows: “I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee; but I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.” The Primate, instead of investing in a costly code-book, had adopted the simple plan of using the Bible for the purpose of condensing into five words a communication which contained forty-five!

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