Mulready letter sheet from Chard, Too Late in November 1840

The Mulready letter sheet below was sent from Chard to London at the end of November 1840.  The black wax seal on the back indicates that it came from J. Toms of Bridport Bank in Chard.  Unfortunately it was posted too late to catch the mail coach so was handstamped "Too Late" to indicate to the recipient why it had not arrived beforehand [imagine that happening today ?!]

The Chard "Too Late" handstamp has previously only been recorded used in black in 1841 and the "CHARD" double-arc datestamp was also only previously recorded used in black.

London 1980 Coaching Cover

The cover below commemorates London 1980, and went by Air from the HQ of the British Forces Post Office to Earls Court where the London 1980 Stamp Exhibition was being held.

The cover illustrates an early Victorian mail coach as well as one from 1980.

Downend UDCs under Bristol

Downend in Gloucestershire came under Bristol and was issued with two undated circular handstamps (UDCs).  The first UDC, the standard double-arc handstamp, was issued in February 1848 and is currently known used until June 1858.

A late format single ring UDC was issued in November 1858.  The example below is currently the only recorded example, used in December 1859.

Schweppes Ltd, Bristol commercial envelope used in 1897

The envelope below is from Schweppes Ltd., Bristol to Cirencester in November 1897 and has a "BRISTOL / 9" squared circle cancel.

Schweppes received a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria in 1837 and the envelope is marked "Purveyors to H.I.M. the Queen and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales" [H.I.M. - Her Imperial Majesty].

The envelope has a backstamp from Swindon Station, possibly indicative of a mis-sort.

J.S. Fry & Sons security overprint, 1939

The receipt below, from J.S. Fry & Sons, Bristol has a KGVI 2d with a "J.S.F. & S. Ltd" overprint.  Overprint, like Perfins, were used to prevent employees from stealing stamps to cash them in at a Post Office.

Imperial Tobacco Recycling 1951

The envelope below went from Imperial Tobacco's Returned Material Department in Bristol to Blackburn in March 1951.  The letter it contained asked for the return of tobacco and snuff tins and cardboard containers.

Bridgwater Postcard, Insufficiently Prepaid, 1922.

The commercial postcard below, titled as "Printed Paper Rate" was franked with 1d stamp in February 1922.  To qualify as Printed Matter, the postcard had to contain a maximum of five words.  Unfortunately it did not do so, so was liable to the Postcard rate which was 1½d from the 13th June 1921 to 28th May 1922.  As a result it was under franked by ½d and was charged 1d postage due.

 

Private Parcel Post Label, Wellington, 1896

The Parcel Post Label below, used in March 1896, is for Egerton Burnett's Special Private Post Office.  It was probably printed by the Government printer given that its style is so close to standard Government printed labels.