A TIVY-Side reader has stumbled across an envelope signed by a 19th century MP who represented Cardigan Boroughs while browsing on Ebay.

John Ramm, of Cardigan, has purchased the envelope – known as a ‘free front’ and dated June 5, 1820 - signed by Pryse Loveden Pryse, of Gogerddan, who held the seat until his death in 1849.

“This term has its origins in the practice of applying a hand-stamped mark known as a ‘free frank’ to an item of parliamentary mail to indicate that it did not require postage,” said John.

“The privilege of free franking was once granted to MPs and Peers so long as the letter or packet was signed by the official sender.

“As a result, free franks became sought after during the first three decades of the nineteenth century for autograph collections.

“This was accomplished by cutting out the front panels of envelopes which carried the desired signature.

“It is these panels that are referred to by collectors as ‘free fronts’.

“The privilege of free franking was supposed to be for official business only, but the high cost of postage meant that it was widely abused and the system came to an end with the introduction of the Penny Post in 1840.”

Although Ceredigion now has just one MP, from 1536 until 1885 the area had two seats: a county constituency (Cardiganshire) comprising the rural areas and the other, ‘Cardigan Boroughs’ consisting of Cardigan, Aberystwyth, Lampeter and Adpar.

“In an era when politics was dominated by the landed gentry, Pryse Pryse, who had inherited an estate of 30,000 acres in upland Cardiganshire on the death of his mother, was unopposed when he was elected in 1818,” added John.

“During his thirty-year Parliamentary career, he was, however, regarded as a man of Liberal principles and a supporter of parliamentary reform.

“Pryse was succeeded as MP for Cardigan Boroughs by one of his three sons, also known as Pryse Pryse, who died at the early age of 40 in 1855.”