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Postmarks and Postal History
From time to time I include postmarks from bulk mailings, which are often used by charities. This time I have one found on a mailing from the NSPCC, see left below.
The postmark to the right above was on an ordinary, personal and standard size envelope posted in Tonbridge and has SCM in the base of the ring and the wavy line cancel to the right. Any member who can shed light on this type of cancel, can send details to the Editor.
BPMA Postal History
The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) placed over 3,000 searchable postal history records online on the BPMA website www.postalheritage.org.uk from 2 March 2009.
The three listings, Penny Posts, including 5th Clause Posts, Mileage Marks and Missent Marks, consist of listings of all covers held in the philatelic collection of the BPMA. All of the listings have introductions illustrated with specific types. There are also a few examples of complete covers; however, the listings do not provide illustrations of all covers. The listings have been compiled by volunteers over a period of 15 years and most listings and descriptions in the above sections have been compiled by Mike Bament, the well-known postal historian.
From the very beginning of the postal service in 1635, letters were charged according to the distance they were carried. To assist the Post Office in determining the correct postal rate, mileage marks were used from 1784. This principle continued until December 1839 when Rowland Hill’s reforms introduced a uniform rate of postage throughout the kingdom based upon weight. The earliest known “missent” handstamp is dated 1787 on a letter addressed to Newark in Nottinghamshire. From then on, a variety of “missent” and “misdirected” handstamps were used. They are known in several designs, both framed and unframed, and in various colours.
This is just the first part of material that will be made available online. Subsequent listings will include Shipped Letters, London Markings and Railway Letters.
Edited from a BPMA Press Release.
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