The first post office was built in Charlottetown in 1786, and since there were no reads deliveries were made by boat.

In 1827 county post offices were opened, but because they did not have the approval of the mother country, Great Britain, they were not official. The magistrates in some communities saw the need and opened them. They were not autonomous, and depended on the legally appointed pestmasters in the neighboring community.

It was only in 1851, when the Post Office Act was passed, that the Island took over control of the post offices and services.

In the following year rural routes were established, i.e. the mail was forwarded from Charlottetown to a central location, and then carried by couriers to neighboring communities. The earliest official record in the post office, indicates that the first courier to carry the mail from North Wiltshire to Kelly’s Cross was John T. Kelly. He was appointed in 1935 and held the contract for eight years. But the older residents recall from their own knowledge, and the stories told them by their par— ents, that the mail was always hauled from North Wiltshire from the time the office was opened here. They recall the names of some of the couriers: George Keefe, Levi Trainer, Mr. Younker, Francis Bradley, Tom Woods, Micky McDonald. The “old timers” can recall that there were “mail drops” along the route where neighborhood mail could be picked up, stamps and money orders purchased, rather than to drive to Kelly’s Cress. There was one such “drop” in Brookvale at Michael Kiggins. They were referred to as “two penny offices” as the keepers kept 2D for themselves out of the postage on the mail they handled. They were under the control

of the Postmaster in Kelly’s Cross.

John Kelly was appointed Postmaster in 1875, and held it until his death in 1922. The office was in his home, new the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Matters. Mr. Kelly was helped in his work by one of his daughters, Mary Ann, and when he died she was appointed Pestmistress. For twenty-one years Mary Ann received and dispensed the mail, and a little more than the mail at times. There was always time for a neigh- borly chat, passing on the news of the sick, or any deaths or strange happenings in the neighboring communities. She was always very exact, and kept a stern face when dealing with the school kids who called for the famidly mail, but when the business was completed she invariably bestowed what the youngsters called “Mary Ann’s blessing”. She’d come out of the office smiling, laid her hand on the lad’s head, wish him well, and sometimes give him a treat, and he’d be on his way.

Mrs. Mary Ellen Trainer (Mrs. Bennett Trainer) was appointed Pestmistress September 28th., 1943, and held that office until she resigned in 1956. She also used her home for the office. When the family moved away Mrs. Mildred Kelly bought the house. She too has moved away and the home is now owned by Tommy Jackson. It was one of the orig- inal homes on the corner of the cross roads Where the name Kelly’s

Cress originated.

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