Thomas Witherings

Thomas Witherings was an English merchant, a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers from 1625, and postal administrator who established the Royal Mail public letter service.

In 1632 Witherings was appointed as the Postmaster of Foreign Mails together with William Frizzell. They were responsible for official mail, although it had become the practice to provide a service for City of London merchants dealing with the continent. In 1635 Witherings proposed the establishment of the general post office for carrying letters from all parts of “His Majesty's dominions”. His proposition was accepted and state letter monopoly formally came into being and the public institution of the Post Office was created. Witherings was also active as a politician and has served as a Member of Parilament in 1640.