Great Britain Philatelic Society

mozzerb

Pre-1840, the great majority of letters were sent unpaid -- it was the same price whether prepaid or not, and the public tended to argue that the Post Office would make more effort to deliver their letters if they didn't get paid until the letter had actually reached the address. It's also been said...

mozzerb

The answer is that the Wikipedia article is referring specifically to the private London Penny Post of William Dockwra et al from 1680-82. Hendy (p50) is referring to the General Post -- i.e. the original main post that dealt with mail to and from anywhere. There were fewer receivers for that, at le...

mozzerb

Hi Martin, It's an envelope that's been reused as part of the paper conservation drive -- as there was a shortage of paper due to the war, from quite early on. There was a thread about them back in the day here: https://www.gbps.org.uk/boards/viewtopic.php?t=1388 The gist is that people were encoura...

mozzerb

I guess it's only fair that I kick things off myself ... I'm Maurice Buxton, at the time of posting the GBPS website manager and postal history consultant. (I try to use this account when I'm posting strictly as me, and the "admin" account for site administration matters, although I must a...

mozzerb

New one on me as well, I'm afraid. It doesn't look like anything else I've seen that I can remember.

Mackay's Postmarks of England and Wales illustration 6263 is vaguely the same cross-and-dots pattern, albeit much thicker and with no surrounding box, but that was stated to be a military postmark.

mozzerb

Most likely seems to be 10d basic rate + 1d late fee -- I know explaining odd amounts as a late fee is a bit of a cliche, but it is sometimes the right answer! In particular, this is an overseas letter -- where paying extra to make sure it caught the ship might be important to save days or even week...

mozzerb

I have pretty dreadful handwriting, so I write up my stuff on a computer -- which seems to be the default method nowadays! There were other techniques that used to be recommended -- typewriting, stencils, commercially pre-printed gummed labels and so on -- but they're generally more work for a less ...

mozzerb

I don't think Deegam list doctor blade flaws as a separate entry -- they're always fairly random, so probably not something that really merits a catalogue number? (Although it's interesting to see one on the phosphor cylinder.)

mozzerb

I had a look at the Treasury Warrants on the site (https://www.gbps.org.uk/treasury-warrants) -- the one that seems to apply took effect from 1st March 1880, and gives the following rates for book post to the Australian colonies and New Zealand: Up to 1oz -- 1d 1-2oz -- 2d 2-4oz -- 4d each additiona...

mozzerb

At a guess I'd say it's a handstamp used by the section that opens mailbags coming into the office to get the letters ready for sorting, and is used on stamps that have missed cancellation? Can't think of a better explanation!

mozzerb

I've seen them on similar cards -- I think it's a Belgian mark, although I'm not sure what it was used for.

mozzerb

mike.mood@talktalk.net wrote:BUT WHAT THE HECK IS TIBET DOING IN THERE?

I hadn't noticed that either -- after a bit of Googling, maybe related to this? New to me too!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simla_Convention

mozzerb

To the best of my understanding of Post Office odds and ends: "SD 1288P" would be the official Post Office stock code for the particular form/label/whatever, with the prefix SD being "Stores Department". The text at the foot refers to the warrant to print a new batch. "10m&q...

mozzerb

Don't have one handy, but I've definitely seen examples that have gone partly blue. Can't recall one that has gone "all the way" like the "blue" ½d Jubilees, but I wouldn't be particularly surprised if some are around.

mozzerb

Regarding toxicity: while I don't have data on this specifically (other than a general recollection that toxicity was one reason for not using inorganic phosphors), I did come across a c.1970 report in the PO archives analysing the gum on some registered envelope flaps that contained a trace of arse...

mozzerb

From a quick trawl through the SG Specialised vol 3 (an old edition, so open to correction on these dates), the chronology for violet phosphor stamps is: 13 Aug 1965 --- Wilding ½d, 1d, 1½d, 3d, 4d, 5d, 1s 3d (narrow bands) 17 Aug 1965 --- Wilding 2d (narrow bands) 12 Dec 1966 --- Wilding 1s 6d (wid...

mozzerb

I'm guessing, but I suspect it was to do with the usual practice for new definitive issues -- sell them as standard for the first 1-2 weeks or so, then revert to using up stocks of the old issue unless anyone specifically asked for the new. In this case, that would suggest that previously printed st...

mozzerb

Excellent! I didn't think about that file, and it has the details I was looking for. In case anyone is interested in the answers, this is what it says: The graphite and phosphor graphite stamps were issued only in the Southampton HPO area. Installation of production ALF machinery led to the expansio...

mozzerb

I'm no Machin expert -- but I needed to dig into them a bit for some articles a while back, hence I have the specialised catalogue (much too specialised for me, usually).

mozzerb

Interesting -- now I check, the dull/bright fluorescence variations listed for other pre-decimal Machins don't seem to be correlated to gum type. So this may be something unrecorded. To answer the original poster, btw, not all Stamps for Cooks panes are on uncoated paper, but as far as I can see all...

mozzerb

That's an interesting one -- a clear difference. Deegam lists dull and bright fluorescence versions of several pre-decimal Machins, but the 9d isn't one of them. There's no 9d uncoated paper recorded either. Are these the same gum type?

mozzerb

A couple of related queries: Am I correct in thinking that the national-issue Wildings with phosphor bands were only issued initially in the areas around offices with an ALF machine, as with the phosphor commemoratives and the relevant regional Wildings? At what point, if ever, did they go on genera...

mozzerb

As far as I know (caveat -- not my specialised subject) all Machins were printed on coated paper except in error (which seldom happened) -- and this was the same paper used for the no-watermark regional Wildings?

mozzerb

I am preparing an article about QV pre-printed postcards and would be very grateful for scans of any of the following items: 1¼d cards uprated to 2¼d or 3¼d for July-December 1875 usage to Italy, Greece etc via France before France used the new UPU rates; 2½d rates April-June 1879 via Brindisi to v...

mozzerb

According to my PO Guide for August 1940, members of the public could redirect "Letters, postcards, printed papers, samples, and newspapers" without additional charge, as long as it was done "not later than the day after delivery". Since this was first posted on the 25th and the ...

mozzerb

I have compared the numbers and whilst doing so I have noticed that some plate numbers are of a different size for example 88 RHS the 2nd 8 in tiny and 78 has two varying size and definitions AFAIK, the way the plates were made was for a transfer roller impression to be made from the original maste...

mozzerb

The letterpress design for postcards and newspaper wrappers was by John Farleigh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Farleigh farleigh-design.jpg It does appear to be based on a Wilding photo though - from Elizabeth: Queen & Icon , text found here from a Google search: Dorothy Wilding had taken ...

mozzerb

I guess by this you mean the first type ("Tudor Rose") design, as in the attached image? That was the work of Cecil Thomas, who also did some coinage heads:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Thomas_(sculptor)

mozzerb

I don't think this is Arthur Blackburn VC -- according to Wikipedia he would have been either in France or Australia during this time -- and there is an Arthur Blackburn listed as a resident of Torquay in 1911-12: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/terryleaman/Tiscali/1911_directory_%20A-Z.htm#B I've always...

mozzerb

Nice item -- the expert on these is Graham Mark. He wrote an article in the GBJ vol 52 no 3 (May/June 2014) which described the service and listed all the duplicate letters he knew of at the time -- this is I think a new latest recorded date. Your reading of the rate sounds right to me. The purple m...

mozzerb

The only thing I can think of is that it was delivered normally at a charge of 11d to the company in the address, and someone there crossed out that line and the charge, That could have been because they delivered it to the officer concerned, or because he called to collect it, and did not charge hi...

mozzerb

I agree with the SCF suggestion -- that's certainly the way the letter reads. Not sure how much a 8/6 stamp would cover or which type of revenue stamp would be needed -- possibly a "foreign bill" stamp if it was to be applied to buying what from Danzig? This looks like a good question to a...

mozzerb

Larry - I think this is probably from the first few days after the end of the strike, when the Post Office requested that people only post first class mail to help them clear the backlog. In the 1964 strike/work-to-rule a number of offices left out the date slugs for printed paper collections (refer...

mozzerb

It's not a mark I recognise, but from the look and the fact that it's under the GB censor tape, I suspect it may be a Swiss censor mark or possibly a German transit censor mark? A look at other wartime covers from those countries on eBay/Delcampe might produce something similar.

mozzerb

Depends how much detail you're looking for? AFAIK Collect British Postmarks has a list, as does volume 3 of the the old County Catalogue (which is probably where CBP got its list from, actually). Those probably don't cover subtleties like two receiving houses in the same street at different times, t...

mozzerb

Hi Ron,

I only have the 8th edition, but it also has that picture on page 247. I think it looks cruder than it is in real life (and so more like a rubber parcel post strike) because it was traced rather than scanned originally?

mozzerb

The piece in the attached scan turned up in a pound box today -- it's from what appears to be an OHMS registered parcel, with a 3d stamp for the registration fee cancelled with a boxed parcel post mark "Received from HM Ships". I've not seen this mark before, and it definitely looks unusua...

mozzerb

This looks like surface mail (no airmail label), and as it's from HMSO it's almost certainly printed papers rate for some Government publication or other. Printed papers had to be sent open to inspection so wrappers definitely qualified. Not sure which printed papers rate it was -- if it was a newsp...

mozzerb

This is a largish (29"x20" approx) board with the legend "Post Office Closed", which was given to me many years ago and has been lying around since then. I don't know the origin -- probably it came from a sub office and was put up at the close of the day's business, but your gues...

mozzerb

Postmarked on 15 February 1971, franked with a 5p, perhaps? misfranked by someone confused and mistaking for a 5d??. Clearly philatelic, but curious. Could have been, actually, although I suppose it could also have been one of a batch of different values for the FDI. Postmarked at a sub-office whic...

mozzerb

I do suppose they could have gone from 10s to 100p. I believe that was the path taken elsewhere. Australia? South Africa? Probably Canada? Definitely Australia, I think, not sure about South Africa. Canada was so far back (Confederation in 1867?) it probably didn't matter how they did it! Even thou...

mozzerb

It would probably have been a lot easier for people to adapt if they had gone with 10/- old money = £1 new money (so 120d old = 100p new) or alternatively 1d old = 1p new (so 8/4 old = £1 new), but at the time the decision was made they were worried it would be seen as a stealth devaluation of the p...

mozzerb

I think you're right that this doesn't fit -- there's no suggestion of any other service being used, and there wasn't a 4/- rate for Zone B second class airmail (printed papers etc) either. It could be that the clerk in the sender's office simply miscounted, but a possible guess given the date is th...

mozzerb

Hi Larry, The green special delivery labels were described by Austin Davis in his recent article in GBJ 54/1 -- basically, they were introduced in 1963 for the most commonly used version of inland express delivery (transmission by ordinary post then special delivery on arrival if that would be quick...

mozzerb

Only with a machine cancel, not a nice cds, I'm afraid.

mozzerb

Hi Rob -- it's a private usage, although it's not all that common. As you say, these cards were available in sheets to make it easier for users to get whatever they wanted printed on the backs, but they weren't sold perforated. Normally the cards were guillotined after printing, but occasionally som...

mozzerb

Looks like I gave a flip answer based on the standard sheet sizes for surface printed that was wrong in this case -- now you remind me, I think I remember Iain Stevenson (when he gave a display on this stamp) saying that the sheet size was larger than usual, and checking Wright & Creeke (see the...

mozzerb

Cary 1802 turns out to be on the web on Google Books (I'll put a copy on the GBPS site as well at some point, it would be useful), and looking at that, I'm not sure how Robertson came to his figure of 810 miles if that's what he was basing it on! The figures quoted there are: London to Edinburgh (mi...

mozzerb

In the list of 1830 postage rates in A List of Post-Towns and Principal Places with the Postage of a Single Letter to or from London (see http://www.gbps.org.uk/downloads/postal-directories.php) the rate to Kirkwall is given as 1s 6½d (18½d), which would indeed correspond to 800-900 miles. David Rob...

mozzerb

I've been wondering about those too -- as it happens, George King explained them at the break during a PSS meeting on Saturday. :) The gist of it is that postmen/women have been told to cancel stamps left uncancelled, and to do it using a cheap self-inking cancel of this type with five wavy bars. Ap...

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