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6th July 2009 Members’ evening
The last meeting of the Society’s year is given over to displays by members of any of material, philatelic or otherwise. This time five members brought in material:
Margaret Emerson: Some of the recent machin booklets showing the security printing and the differences between books of 6, 12, business sheets and commemorative booklets. There was also a small selection of the Post and Go labels which are evolving continually.
George Goodall: Cards showing aircraft used for reconnaissance and observation. They were mostly in the period WWI to 1930 and included some German planes.
Ron Oughton: Zeppelin mail items. A selection of LZ127 flight covers was shown with different handstamps, overprints and receiving marks. There was a postcard and a First Flight Airmail item as well as a commercial cover. There were also some USA receipts for mail carried on LZ127 and items for the Mophila Hamburg Airmail Post.
Derek Rock: Postcards of Brighton including several of the Royal Pavilion, The Lanes, a rough sea, the pier, Preston Park and trams. Some had British Empire Exhibition cancels.
Derek Ward: Three milk bottles with adverts were displayed. These were a short-lived way of advertising and the examples were Seeboard, Maxwell House and Twix.
The Society thanks the members above for bringing in items to display.
7th September 2009 President’s Evening
The theme of our President’s talk and display was Greetings Telegrams 1935 to 1982. Bob started by telling us that he had only been collecting them for the past 2 years and he started off when he saw some telegrams displayed by one of our members, Cyril White. They are interesting in that a new design was only allowed to be used once the previous one had been used up and in all there were 77 designs.
The story of Greetings Telegrams is a short one, born in July 1935 and died October 1982. Like so many good ideas the Greetings Telegram was very slow to be adopted by the GPO, even though many nations, the USA for example, had them from 1928, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Switzerland in Europe, Sweden and Denmark in Scandinavia, had them a few years later. Finally in 1934, a Mr Simon, who was Director of Telegraphs and Telephones referred the suggestion of a Christmas Telegram to the publicity advisory committee of the GPO. It was pointed out that a high quality service of congratulations on anniversaries, weddings, births etc were very common in Germany, Belgium and so on. The Greetings Telegrams and envelopes were always elaborate and often artistic. In Germany they were delivered by special messenger, in the larger towns they were dressed in distinctive uniforms, a red coat and white gloves. The messages were beautifully written, at small post offices where staff were unable to write in a sufficiently dignified hand, the help of a school master or other competent person was enlisted.
The idea of a special form for Christmas was rejected, but when the question of reviving the declining telegraph traffic was under consideration, an all the year round Greetings Telegram service was proposed and adopted. There was much discussion about charges for the service. In many countries on the continent part of the charge of the service went to charitable institutions. This as might be expected was rejected. Several points were raised, should the charge be above ordinary rate, at the usual rate or below as in Australia and New Zealand? Should a list of standard wordings be published? Should the sender be allowed to make their own choice? The idea was to keep everything as simple as possible, so it was finally decided that standard texts would not be provided, but counter clerks would assist anyone who asked.
Only one form would be in use at any one time and this would be delivered by special golden envelope as this would dispel any feelings of ill tidings that most felt upon receiving a telegram. The golden envelope was so favourably received that is remained in use for some time, more or less unchanged. The cost of sending a Greetings Telegram was agreed at 9 pence for nine words, simple and easy to remember. This was of course above the standard rate which in 1935 was nine words for six pence. The service was intended to commence on the 2nd July 1935 but was delayed by two days.
The first Greetings Telegram and this new service were very popular and successful and the response from the public was probably the best form of publicity that the telegram service had ever received. Because of the good reception, it was decided to experiment with a special Greetings Telegram and Valentine’s Day was chosen as number 3 but it was not marked as such. This was replaced each year until 1939 but was then discontinued in 1940 owing to the War and there was a special issue for the Coronation in 1937. Prior to 1938 the decision as to whether or not the artists name should appear on the forms was left to the artists themselves but in 1938 the GPO made it compulsory. The philatelic term ‘First Day of Issue’ could not be applied to Greetings Telegrams apart from number one and the Valentine issue. Bob has tried to get the nearest date to the first day of issue. Although a new design of Greetings Telegram was announced in the press as being issued on a certain date, this could only be used after all previous stock had been used. Therefore not all Post Offices used the new designs on the same date. The service remained in operation for the early War years before being suspended in April 1943 and up to then 23 different designs had been issued, 19 general and 4 Valentine’s. It resumed in November 1950, after a break of 7 years. Consideration was given to a restart many times but paper and manpower shortages were always cited as reasons for not doing so.
The War Telegrams, numbers 21 to 23, had smaller dull gold envelopes with a white panel for blackout readability. The 1937 form was used in 1940 on white paper with a white panel on the cover, being a reprint of the 1937 design, for use before the war time issues were ready. In the War the forms were of inferior quality and the designs much cruder. Wartime economy resulted in ordinary telegrams in a ‘posh’ envelope. The gold envelope was not re-introduced, instead a yellow envelope was used.
From 1950 until the Coronation issue in 1953, all new designs were used simultaneously at all PO’s. It would appear that the Post Office with instructions that it could not be brought into use until 30th November if the local office had any stock of the Coronation form and so some designs from 1950 can be found with postmarks several years later, such as 1954. Stocks appear to have been extensive as no new issues were made until June 1955. When the new issue was announced it was stated that it would be used at all post offices on the day of issue only and thereafter brought into use as earlier stock was exhausted, unless a special request was made for the new design.
The first birthday issue was shown, just a single sheet. When the new telegram design by Barbara Jones was issued on April 1st 1957, the details were so closely guarded that there was no press release until two weeks later. Another birthday single sheet was shown and then new Valentines which appeared in 1951, 52 and 53. Then there was break until 1958 and then no more new designs until 1962, 63 and 64. In 1957 the GPO announced the issue of a new special ‘de luxe’ wedding telegram, number 36. This was a large folded card which is both colourful and ornate and has a special envelope. Designs 37 to 41 are all single sheet issues but design 42 is a Valentine ‘de luxe’ folded card. Issue 45 was the first baby issue and this folded card type remained until issue 47. Issue 48 for Valentines and all the designs to number 57 were all folded cards.
Issue 64 was a single sheet which comes in two printings, one with missing light blue resulting in brown rabbits and a toad stool with a white stalk. Issue 65 was issued on cream and white card with envelopes to match and there is lettering on the back either GPO or POT. Issue 67 had two or more printings with deeper colouring. Number 69 was Bob’s favourite and is said to come in two sizes but he has only seen one. From issue 70 POT were responsible for telegraph services and their logos appear on the cards. Number 70 and 71 are folded cards with special envelopes, number 72 opens from the top and is the first design with a pocket to hold the telegram form. There was a special issue for the Silver Jubilee which has the jubilee emblem embossed in silver on it. There was special card from the Ideal Home Exhibition. From issue 72 until the final issue, 77, all cards used standard envelopes with Post Office Telecoms double outline lettering. There is also a white envelope with no design used for issues 65 and 66 onwards.
This was an unusual and comprehensive display. The vote of thanks was given by Margaret Emerson and members applauded in appreciation of another interesting evening.
President’s Evening – A Member Reflects – Getting One’s Moneysworth
One of the ‘standard’ features of the Society’s meetings programme is the President’s Evening on the first evening of each session. We are fortunate in that our Presidents regularly come up with something different with the result that, whatever our specialist interest may be, we have a fascinating evening.
This year was no exception, with Bob van Goethem entertaining us with an excellent presentation on Post Office Telegrams with a complete range of examples from their inception in the early 1930’s. The tariff arrangements were based on a standard charge for a message of a maximum of 9 words, excluding the additional word ‘Greetings’ which could be used, in effect, as a free-of-charge bonus. As each word had to be typed, there would have been more business logic to have levied a charge based on a maximum number of letters. But in the array of messages in the items displayed, including a Royal Telegram for a 100th birthday, none of the senders had sought to take advantage of this apparent loophole.
Following Bob’s presentation this led to the thought of how to get the most out of the official tariff and the following turgid missive may take some beating: ‘Greetings (free?) Recognising your noteworthy anniversarial occasion heartiest felicitations grandiloquent celebrations.’ 93 letters plus 9 freebies. Sir Ernest Gowers would not have been impressed.
Ron Oughton September 2009
5th October 2009 GB to Ireland
A talk and Display by Gilbert Denton
Gilbert started by altering the title of his talk to GB used in Ireland and told members that all items were Queen Victoria. The first duplex Queen Victoria diamond mark started his interest in Ireland and he identified it as being an Irish mark. Currently about 8 are missing from his collection. It was claimed there would be no 2s brown but one has turned up. The display started with a Bishop mark which had a red Ireland applied to it. There were London from Ireland items and duty marks from Customs and Excise and the Mermaid distinguishing mark. Items going on the Welsh Packet had an additional ½ d charge. There was an item from 1839 with the 4d rate. Documents at that time had seals in colour as the Victorians were obsessed with forging. The Mulready was next and then 1d Blacks from plates 1 to 10 and only plate 11 was missing. There was a Leap year 1d cancel.
We were told that 1840 was a hot year and the red ink used to cancel the Penny Blacks was changed to black to prevent removal. A ‘Cork too late’ was next. There were a dozen recognizable Maltese crosses in Ireland.
The Irish Famine resulted in many Post Offices being closed but Belfast and Dublin were used. The next item was a Plate 12 which was only used in the red imperfs. On a few occasions a penny red can be found cancelled with a red cancellation and there was one location that cancelled in blue. Town marks and transit marks were displayed. We then came to the Spoon experiment cancel where we had an English Type I and II but in Ireland the lozenge was changed to a diamond, the Irish type Dublin Spoon. Some of the Dublin diamonds have paid written in them. The next item was a 1½ d PC-OC error which has been passed as genuine used. Embossed and Bantam issues followed, with the correct use for the latter being on book post. There was an 1870 postcard and a selection of diamond cancels including a Plate 225 Penny Red used in Dublin. Machine cancels were next from Pearson Hill machines which had two screw holes and there was an Anthony Trollope item. Doubling of duplexes was a French style and items from Kingstown and Enniskillen were shown. Packet service items were next and then examples of changes in production when we reached the surface printed era.
Part 2
This section started with check letters and UPU regulations which determined stamp colour. High value stamps were next and a £5 Orange was shown and then a 2s blue and 2s brown, know known to have been used in Ireland. There was Irish Mail with a Euston Station cancel. There was a cover to Ascension Island for a Dr Burke on board Her Majesty’s ship. A £5 orange from 1891 with a Belfast cancel was shown and a Plate 11 blue which was in use for a few weeks. Different colours and different plates were shown and a 5 Mile Town cancel. There were 3d on 3d and 6d on 6d overprints and a Queen Victoria £1 with a broken frame, high values on white and blue paper were shown and political humour featured with Gladstone. There was an item to Sevenoaks and the ‘Jubilee’ issues. This section included the first duplex cancel from Ireland that started this collection off. Parcel Post items were next and government overprints. Postcards with Sloper arrows to deface them were shown, Dublin Newspaper Branch items and revenue stamps.
The vote of thanks was given by Margaret Emerson who commented that the display had given a potted history of Victorian postal issues. Members showed their appreciation in the usual manner for another interesting talk and display.
2nd November 2009
Mails Under London
A Talk and Display by Len Stanway
This was the first talk and display to the Society that had involved a computer to display slides as well as a conventional display of material. Len started by explaining there were three areas he would be talking about, the Pneumatic Dispatch Company, the Post Office London Railway WWI to 2003 and London Underground.
Pressure cooker technology was developed as long ago as 1679 by Denis Papin, 1647 to 1712, but it was 1853 before there was the first commercial application. There was the Stock Exchange to Electric International Telegraph Company system as used in department stores to get the cash away from the tills. A copy of a telegram was shown. In 1855 Rowland Hill was involved in the 15 inch tube Post Office study and it was envisaged there would be a extension Dover to Crewe but the whole idea was dropped. However a 34 mile 2 ½ to 2 ¾ tube was built. In 1859 the Pneumatic Dispatch Company was formed and in 1861 there was the Battersea Demonstration 2 foot gauge. It ran at 16mph and had wheels for the public showing. It was built in May and took its first passengers on 24th July 1861 and ceased on 20th August. On 29th November a £4000 per annum PO contract was signed. The system had no brakes and was simple design. Some engravings were shown and we were told four carriages survive. Hull Museum had one but it was lost in a bombing raid. The BPMA have one, one is at the Museum of London and the only other survivor has ‘disappeared’. The line was moved in 1862 and ran Euston to NWDO Eversholt Street and was completed 15th January 1863. There was a free demo to the Post Office and if they decided to use it they would pay. Thirty trains a day ran Monday to Saturday and took 70 seconds at a cost of £1.4.5 per day so the company was losing £1 a day on the service.
Line 2 ran Euston to 245 Holborn to the GPO St Martin’s Le Grand. It was 3 foot 8½ inch gauge and work started on it in September 1863. It was diverted after protest and ran Euston to Tottenham Court Road which actually worked to advantage as it had less sharp bends. Phase 1 was opened on 7th November. It was more robust and came to halt by a buffer of air to slow it down and open the door. A picture of the large cars was shown. The contractors were J Aird & Son, R Barrow and H Wollaston and they were paid in shares but the value crashed. On 10th May 1866 the Stock Market crashed and thirteen banks went bust with Gurney Overend being the first. This was and still is, the biggest crash in history.
Phase 2 was resumed in July 1868 but in 1869 Holborn Viaduct was built so changes to the plans were needed. On 1st April 1870 it was agreed to use the GPO site and in 1872 trials started but there was no GPO contract in place. The public opening was in November 1873 but the Pneumatic Dispatch Company was not paying the rent. On 1st December 1873 mail started travelling eastbound only and by July the following year 23 trains ran per day. The Pneumatic Dispatch Company was liquidated in 1876.
George Threlfall in 1895 proposed electrification. It was claimed the tunnels were in good repair but they were not, because foundations had been dug into them, there was flooding and they were being used for electric cabling. The PDC came back but was wound up in 1925. In 1921 a telephone cable duct had been built. On 20th December 1928 the railway blew up taking 1 ½ miles of Holborn with it and so pumps were installed for gas removal. In 1930 cars from the tunnels were found and the decision had to be taken whether to vent it or to fill up the line. It was found again when Euston was built in 1963.
Post Office London brought transport in house. In 1900 the Post Office would provide transport and in 1909 Post Office Engineers wanted electricity. In February 1911 the Post Master General’s Study reported in favour. A 6.44 mile line was built with extensions. It was 2 foot gauge with a 4th electric rail and 4 wheel cars. It ran Paddington to Whitechapel, Evershot to Euston in a figure of 8, Kings Cross to Mount Pleasant and Eastern District Office. It went ahead Liverpool Street to Paddington via Mount Pleasant. Crompton and Company built the test track and there was a demonstration to the Post Office in 1912. It proved to be unsuitable for Post Office baskets. Work started in 1913 and in October 1914 Mowlems were doing the tunneling. A number of pictures of the construction were shown. In 1916 it was decided that no contracts would be awarded until the end of the Great War. By 1917 the tunnels were complete but then in 1918 came Zeppelin bombing and art treasures were moved to the tunnels for safe keeping. In March 1920 tenders for the electrics were made and in December 1920 the civil work continued. It was December 1923 when the go ahead was given for the rest, June 1924 came the rails and in October 1924 English Electric were awarded the electrical contracts. Various photos of the tunnels were shown. It was 3 rail electric with return through the running rail. There were Post Office route labels and each bag had one showing the office it was to be sent to. Two was Liverpool Street, 10 Paddington, 6 was yellow transfers to WDO probably, blue 3 with a white bar was priority foreign, but this was not available on the platform as it was diplomatic mail. Photos of Mount Pleasant and the control room in 1988 were shown. There was a passing line and a through line with 3 bays on the platform. Mercury arc rectifiers were used with a 450 volt dc supply.
The first three trailers were English Electric and there was Number 3 a man rider. One was a design buck used as breakdown wagon. Battery locos were used to build the line. In 1924 90 cars were ordered with better containers coming in 1925. Testing started in March 1926 and it was ready for Christmas parcels in 1927 and letters in February 1928. There were roller shutters on the live cars. Warnings about the design proved correct as rails and wheels wore out quickly. They suffered broken wheels, bent axles and lost shoes, so in 1928 wider tyres and shoes were fitted. A pair of white kid gloves was awarded to the manager in 1929 for the first day with no delays. English Electric had built the prototypes at their own expense and the articulated car failed but the maximum traction car was a success. The top covers proved a problem so were removed and were withdrawn in 1930. One was converted in 1967 as a VIP car. Between 1930 and 1936 there were 60 cars but there were still problems as the 1927 carriages had worn the tracks. There were four liveries, grey, green, dark green, yellow and red, and the yellow front came in the late 1990’s. New versions came into use in 1962 and a 1962 stock car has been refurbished. There were 50th anniversary covers. Two cars were in gold but painted yellow for use in a film. In 1980 34 cars were ordered from Greenwood and Batley but they went bust. There was a photo of the Greenbat plate. There were two important trains the Great Eastern Express and the Great Western Express which carried mails to Paddington for the boat trains. The 60th anniversary came up in 1987 with publicity with a done up train which ran one loop back to the sidings in reality!
The lines were declared an Engineering Heritage site. In the 1980’s the stations were refurbished and computerised control was introduced in 1993 but resulted in more accidents. Mini-York containerisation was used between 1996 and 1999 as Yorks were too big for the railway and top covers came back. There was a decline due to changes with the loss of parcels in 1983 and the loss of rail traffic in 1996 and so the line was closed on 31st May 2003. One track is still usable and it is maintained. Finally, Metrofreight came up with a £100m proposal in July 1997 to serve stores in Oxford Street.
Part 2 London Underground
This marked the start of traditional static display part of the evening. London Underground have carried mail for most of their existence. The display started with a telegram with a Blackwall Railway cachet of 1846. Parcels were carried on the Metropolitan line from 1862. Letter stamps, post cards and stationary, stamps and parcel items were shown. The GWR Hammersmith and City Line was covered by display of a milk label. There was a parcel stamp for the West London Railway of which there is only one. The London Underground group was next with London Transport newspaper stamps, London Transport Board stamps, centenary postmarks and covers for the various lines, items for openings such as the Docklands Light Railway, brochures for the Post Office Railway and mailbag labels.
The vote of thanks was given by Margaret Emerson for an interesting and unusual display and members showed their appreciation. For those with internet access the following link may be of interest http://www.mailrail.co.uk/html/home.html
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