The distribution could be sent in parts by email if you didn't have FTP access. In the UK, you could connect via JANET to an ARPANET gateway at University Colle

The distribution could be sent in parts by email if you didn't have FTP access. In the UK, you could connect via JANET to an ARPANET gateway at University College London to FTP stuff from the US, this was before 1985. The franz-friends mailing list is probably archived somewhere with regular messages describing how to get the distribution.