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The Maltese Cross

Introduction

THE MALTESE CROSS

Its Use and Abuse, Replacement and Late Use

Introduction: In May 1840, the Post Office introduced an innovative means of pre-paying postage in the form of postage stamps and postal stationery. A further innovation was required to prevent their fraudulent re-use and the method decided upon was to obliterate them in ink using a new handstamp. This was constructed of a brass head attached to a wooden handle and was originally known as the 'Obliterating Stamp'. More recently it has become known as the 'Maltese Cross'.

Treatment: The apparent simplicity of design and function of the Maltese Cross belies a rich variety of usages. This display attempts to strike a balance between illustrating what should have happened and when, i.e. official policies, and showing the lack of adherence to these policies. Such transgressions include the use of unofficial obliterating inks and designs, the use of the obliterator for unofficial purposes, and its use after it should have been replaced. In short, its use, abuse, replacement and late use.

An "E" next to an item denotes that it has been expertised.

12 sheet "frames" have been used for this online display, to match the format of the original display to the GBPS


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Frame 1

Introduction
  1. General Introduction
Chapter 1. Prior to 6 May 1840
  1. Introduction
  2. The Mercantile Committee's Proposal for Obliterating Adhesives
  3. See sheet 3
  4. James Chalmers' Proposed Method of Obliteration
  5. Letter from Bokenham to Maberley - The Earliest Known Use of the Maltese Cross
  6. The April 1840 Postmasters Notice and the Earliest Recorded Postal Use of the Maltese Cross
  7. See sheet 7
  8. The Manufacturer of the Maltese Cross - Sampson Mordan & Co. Price List 1st October 1842
Chapter 2. First Day and Other Early Usages
  1. Introduction
  2. No Maltese Cross Applied on Letter Paid in Cash
  3. First Day Usage Referring to New Means of Paying Postage
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Frame 2

Chapter 2. First Day and Other Early Usages (cont)
  1. First Official Day of Use - London Inland Office and Twopenny Post Office, Provincial Office
  2. See sheet 13
  3. Contemporary Adverse Comment
  4. Within the London Suburbs - Kingston 7 May 1840
  5. Unnecessary and Unofficial Use
  6. Contrary to Regulations
  7. Black Obliterating Ink
  8. Black Obliterating Ink (Cancelling Charge Mark)
  9. Maltese Cross Omitted
  10. Within the London Suburbs - Edgware 11 May 1840
Chapter 3. The Change of Obliterating Ink Colour
  1. Introduction
  2. Unofficial Early use of Black Obliterating Ink
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Frame 3

Chapter 3. The Change of Obliterating Ink Colour (cont)
  1. Thomas Watson's Experiments - Manuscript 'V' Cancellation: October 1840
  2. Rowland Hill's Report on the Obliteration of Postage Stamps 17 September 1840
  3. See sheet 26
  4. Thomas Watson's Experiments to Remove Maltese Cross Obliterations 8 November - 12 December 1840
  5. National Bank of Ireland Stamp
  6. See sheet 26
  7. See sheet 26
  8. The First Day of Experimental Use of Black Obliterating Ink
  9. Within the London Suburbs: Unofficial Early Use of Black Obliterating Ink
  10. Within the London Suburbs: Continued Use of Red Obliterating Ink During the Official Trial of Black Ink at the Chief Office
  11. Within the London Suburbs: First Official Day of Use of Black Obliterating Ink
  12. Within the London Suburbs: Latest Known Use of Red Obliterating Ink
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Frame 4

Chapter 3. The Change of Obliterating Ink Colour (cont)
  1. Claim for Reimbursement of the Cost of the Red Obliterating Ink
  2. See sheet 37
  3. London Inland Office - Last Day of Use of Red Ink
  4. London Inland Office - First Day of Use of Black Ink
  5. Statistics - English Provinces and Wales
  6. Transition from Red to Black Ink - Manchester
  7. Continued Use of Red Ink at Derby
  8. Earliest Recorded Official Use of Black Ink Outside London
  9. Transition from Red to Black Ink - Leeds
  10. Late Use of Red Ink at Ravenglass
  11. Transition from Red to Black Ink - Stourbridge
  12. Statistics - Scotland
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Frame 5

Chapter 3. The Change of Obliterating Ink Colour (cont)
  1. Transition from Red to Black Ink - Edinburgh
  2. The Official Introduction of Black Obliterating Ink in Scotland - Notice to Postmasters
  3. See sheet 50
  4. Statistics - Ireland
  5. Late Transitional Use of Red Ink in Ireland - Newry
  6. Earliest Official Use of Black Ink - Dublin and Continued Use of Red Ink - Mallow
  7. Unofficial Late Use of Red Ink - Great Heywood (under Rugely)
  8. Unofficial Late Use of Red Ink - Chumleigh and Southport
  9. Unofficial Late Use of Red Ink - Redcar
  10. Unofficial Late Use of Red Ink - Omagh
  11. Unofficial Late Use of Red Ink - London Foreign Office (1)
  12. Unofficial Late Use of Red Ink - London Foreign Office (2)
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Frame 6

Chapter 4. Unofficial Ink Colours and Combinations
  1. Introduction
  2. Brown and Black Ink Combination - Glasgow
  3. Red and Black Ink Combination During the 'Red Ink' Period
  4. Red and Black Ink Combination During the 'Black Ink' Period
  5. Blue and Black Ink Combination - Cookstown
  6. Blue and Red Ink Combination - Settle
  7. Different Red Ink Compositions on the Same Cover
  8. Mixed Red and Black Inks
  9. Part Black and Part Blue Maltese Cross
  10. Pink and Ruby Ink
  11. Unusual Red Ink Compositions: Village Crosses
  12. Crosses Struck in Unusual Ink Shades
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Frame 7

Chapter 4. Unofficial Ink Colours and Combinations (cont)
  1. Blue Ink - Ambleside
  2. Blue Ink - Lancaster and Truro
  3. Blue Ink - Continental Mail
  4. Blue Ink - Allonby
  5. Blue Ink - Preston
  6. Black Maltese Cross of Preston
  7. Blue-Green Maltese Cross of Preston
  8. Blue Ink - Preston
  9. Magenta Maltese Cross - Preston
  10. The 'Lord Holland' Original Wrapper and Facsimile
  11. See sheet 82
  12. The Myth of the 'Oxidised' Cross
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Frame 8

Chapter 4. Unofficial Ink Colours and Combinations (cont)
  1. Brown Ink - East Kilbride (Glasgow) and Wenlock
  2. 'White' Obliterating Ink of Cirencester
  3. Vermilion and Purple Ink
  4. Green Ink - Moate
  5. Olive Green Ink - Brentford
  6. Greenish Crosses - Rushyford and Rugby
  7. Unusual Red Ink Compositions - Solid Orange Crosses, Kingstown and Glasgow
  8. Unusual Red Ink Compositions - Oily Composition of Boston
  9. Unusual Shades of the Official Colours - Bright Scarlet of Hounslow and Grey of Turnham Green
Chapter 5. The Inland Office Numbered Series
  1. Introduction
  2. First Day of Use - No 2 in Cross
  3. First Day of Use - No 7 in Cross
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Frame 9

Chapter 5. The Inland Office Numbered Series (cont)
  1. First Day of Use - No 3 in Cross, The Earliest Known Use of Any Numbered Cross
  2. First Day of Use - No 4 in Cross
  3. First Day of Use - No 8 in Cross
  4. First Day of Use - No 7 in Cross
  5. First Day of Use - No 9 in Cross
  6. Continued Use of Common Crosses - 18th March 1843
  7. Continued Use of Common Crosses - 28th March 1843
  8. Re-Introduction of the Generic Cross - Earliest Recorded Use
  9. Numbered Cross Used in Conjunction with a Common Cross
  10. Unusual Usages - Albino Penny Pink and Sunday Datestamp Cover
  11. Unusual Usages - Double Strikes of Numbered Crosses
  12. Unusual Usages - No 12 Cancelling Single Adhesive and No 3 with Constant Blemish
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Frame 10

Chapter 5. The Inland Office Numbered Series (cont)
  1. Unusual Usages - Numbered Crosses on Re-Directed Mail
Chapter 6. Alexander Kirkwood and Son Designs
  1. Introduction
  2. Summary of Kirkwood Crosses in the Company Records
  3. Kirkwood Records Continued
  4. Edinburgh
  5. Dumfries
  6. Alexandria
  7. Greenock
  8. Dumfries Distinctive Cross with Retained Debris
  9. Kelso
  10. Kelso
  11. Greenock
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Frame 11

Chapter 7. Other Scottish and Irish Unusual Crosses
  1. Introduction
  2. Mullingar and Ross
  3. Early Correspondence Regarding the Shape of Irish Crosses: J.B.Seymour
  4. See sheet 123
  5. Tallow
  6. Belfast and Cork
  7. Knocktopher
  8. Dunnet Manuscript Maltese Cross
  9. Kilmarnock
  10. Arbroath and Stirling
  11. Perth
  12. Double Lined Cross, Campbelton
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Frame 12

Chapter 8. English and Welsh Unusual Crosses
  1. Introduction
  2. York
  3. Manchester Fishtail
  4. Coventry Type 1
  5. Coventry Type 2
  6. Leeds
  7. Brighton
  8. Norwich and Leamington
  9. Alresford
  10. Crosses with Constant Breaks - Cirencester and Kendal
  11. Crosses with Constant Breaks - London 'Broken Points' Cross
  12. Crosses with Constant Breaks - Newcastle under Lyne
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Frame 13

Chapter 8. English and Welsh Unusual Crosses (cont)
  1. Plymouth
  2. Whitehaven
  3. Wotton-under-Edge
  4. Small Number in Cross
  5. Dublin Small '1' in Cross
  6. Solid Centred Crosses - Shrewsbury and Birmingham
  7. Solid Crosses - Lawton and Markinch
  8. Solid Outer Crosses - Kington and Thornhill
  9. Solid Centred Cross - Cove
  10. Whitehaven Common Cross
  11. Coleford
  12. Clitheroe
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Frame 14

Chapter 9. Unusual Usages
  1. Introduction
  2. Adhesives Used as a Seal: The Public Campaign, Post Office Policy and the Vigilance of its Clerks
  3. See sheet 158
  4. Single Maltese Cross Cancelling Two Adhesives
  5. Maltese Cross Omitted - to Sir Edward Lees
  6. Maltese Cross Omitted
  7. Multiple Strikes of the Cross
  8. Additional Strikes of the Cross
  9. Accidental Usage
  10. Stampless Covers To or From Overseas
  11. Stampless Covers
  12. Spilsby Double Strike
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Frame 15

Chapter 9. Unusual Usages (cont)
  1. Mulready Caricatures
  2. Used to Obliterate Another Mark
Chapter 10. London Suburban Use of the Maltese Cross
  1. Introduction
  2. Mail to be Delivered Along the Same Ride or Local Mail
  3. Mail Transferred to the General Post Without Passing Through the Chief Office
  4. Mail Transferred to the General Post Without Passing Through the Chief Office
  5. Mail Transferred to the General Post or Via London
  6. Mail to be Delivered Along the Same Ride
  7. Mail Transferred to the General Post
  8. Maltese Crosses of Hounslow and Barnet
  9. Mail to be Delivered Along the Same Ride or Via London
  10. Continued Use of Red Obliterating Ink During the Official Trial of Black Ink at the Chief Office
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Frame 16

Chapter 10. London Suburban Use of the Maltese Cross (cont)
  1. Mail to be Delivered within the Vicinity of the Office
Chapter 11. Dissatisfaction with the Obliterator
  1. Introduction
  2. The Times, 10 May 1844: 'New Obliterating Stamp at the Post Office'
  3. Attempted Fraudulent Re-Use of An Adhesive
  4. Stamp Fallen Off
  5. Rowland Hill's Report on the Obliteration of Postage Stamps, September 1840
  6. See sheet 186
  7. Stamp Fallen Off
  8. Successful Attempt to Mitigate Loss of an Adhesive
  9. See sheet 186
  10. See sheet 186
  11. Attempt to Mitigate Loss of an Adhesive
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Frame 17

Chapter 12. Replacement of the Obliterator
  1. Introduction
  2. Transition to Numeral Obliterators - Liverpool
  3. Transition to Numeral Obliterators - Birmingham
  4. First Day of Use of Numeral Obliterators - Bradford
  5. Continued Use of the Maltese Cross - Darlington
  6. Continued Use of the Maltese Cross - Brecon
  7. Continued Use of the Maltese Cross - Newcastle upon Tyne
  8. Continued Use of the Maltese Cross - Liskeard
  9. Transition to Numeral Obliterators - London Inland Office
  10. Transition to Numeral Obliterators - London Inland Office
  11. Transition to Numeral Obliterators - London Inland Office
  12. Transition to Numeral Obliterators - London District Post Office
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Frame 18

Chapter 12. Replacement of the Obliterator (cont)
  1. Last Known Use at a London Suburban Office
  2. Continued Use of the Maltese Cross - Edinburgh
  3. Continued Use of the Maltese Cross - Glasgow
  4. Continued Use of the Maltese Cross - Glasgow
  5. Concurrent Use of Maltese Cross and Numeral Obliterator
  6. Continued Use of the Maltese Cross - Dublin
  7. Combination of Last Day Maltese Cross and First Day Numeral on Same Cover
Chapter 13. Late Use of the Maltese Cross
  1. Introduction
  2. Adhesives Printed After the Obliterator Had Been Generally Replaced
  3. See sheet 213
  4. Plates Registered After 1844 - 1d red Imperf Alphabet I
  5. Castle Cary
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Frame 19

Chapter 13. Late Use of the Maltese Cross (cont)
  1. Edinburgh Area - Costorphine
  2. Edinburgh Area - Costorphine
  3. Edinburgh Combinations
  4. Edinburgh Area - Cramond
  5. Edinburgh Area - Currie
  6. Edinburgh Area - Currie
  7. Edinburgh Area - Roslin
  8. Edinburgh Area - Roslin
  9. Edinburgh Area - Granton Pier
  10. Edinburgh Area - Ratho
  11. Edinburgh Area - Chirnside
  12. Edinburgh Area - West Salton
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Frame 20

Chapter 13. Late Use of the Maltese Cross (cont)
  1. Milnthorpe Area - Backbarrow
  2. Milnthorpe Area - Backbarrow
  3. Milnthorpe Combinations
  4. Milnthorpe Combinations
  5. Milnthorpe Area - Penny Bridge
  6. Milnthorpe Area - Penny Bridge
  7. Milnthorpe Area - Newby Bridge
  8. Milnthorpe Area - Newby Bridge
  9. Milnthorpe Area - Newby Bridge Combination
  10. Milnthorpe Area - Overcancelling of a Numeral Obliterator
  11. Milnthorpe Area - Overcancelling of the Maltese Cross
  12. Padiham, under Blackburn
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Frame 21

Chapter 13. Late Use of the Maltese Cross (cont)
  1. Padiham, under Blackburn
  2. Padiham, under Blackburn
  3. Kirkwall Combinations
  4. Much Wenlock
  5. Chapeltown (under Sheffield)
  6. Perforated Issues - Ramsbury, Maltby, Waltham and Ivinghoe
  7. See sheet 246
  8. Gargrave
  9. Llannerchymedd
  10. Llannerchymedd in Official Period
  11. Aberffraw
  12. Aberffraw
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Frame 22

Chapter 13. Late Use of the Maltese Cross (cont)
  1. The 'Whitehaven' Maltese Cross used at Egremont
  2. Ballylongford
  3. The Green-Blue Crosses of Ivinghoe and Leeds
  4. Ivinghoe - Blue Obliterating Ink
  5. Echt - Blue Obliterating Ink
  6. Echt (under Aberdeen)
  7. Wolsingham and Padiham - Blue Obliterating Ink
  8. Used as a Backstamp - Downton
  9. Bruton - Olive Obliterating Ink on Late Fee Cover
  10. Used as Instructional Mark - to Obliterate Incorrect Postmark and as a 'Missent To' Mark
  11. Chapeltown and Newby Bridge - 6d Postage Rates
  12. Maltby - A Cursed Royal Letter