First use of postal codes

The earliest code used in a postal system was introduced in London, England, in 1857 by Sir Rowland Hill (UK). The code divided London into postal districts based on compass points – "N" for North, "S" for South, etc. The present form of the postcode – a mixture of letters and numbers that can be decoded by machine to allow faster sorting – was first used in Norwich, UK, in October 1959. The similar zip code came into use in the USA in July 1963.