The History of British Postage

StampsAuthor: Laura Paluoja

Supervisors: Marje Maasen, Tiia Pukk

Carl Robert Jakobson Gymnasium 11c2011

• Notable for: • Introduction of postage stamps in 1840.

• establishment of an efficient postal system throughout the British Empire.

Early History• 12th century – messengers were appointed to carry letters.

• 13th century – uniforms were provided to the messengers.

• 13-14th century - posting houses were instituted.

• 14th century -the first postal marking.

• 1516- Royal Mail was created.

• Brian Tuke - "Master of the Postes“

• Thomas Randolph - "Chief Postmaster“

• 1635- Royal Mail available to the public 

• 1661-  Henry Bishop, the first Postmaster General (PMG)

• Post offices - in towns, own postmarks.

• 1680- William Dockwra established the London Penny Post.

Postage Stamps• The Great Post Office Reform (1839 and 1840)

• Uniform Fourpenny Post- 5 December,1839

• 10 January,1840- the Uniform Penny Post

• Penny Black- world's first postage stamp in use.

• Black was changed into brick-red.

Victorian Era• Explosion of experimentation- rouletting, perforation.

• 1 shilling- the first of the British embossed postage stamps.

• Surface-printed stamps by De La Rue.• Surface-printed stamps of the 1860s and 1870s all used the same profile of Victoria.

• The age of the Penny Reds had come to an end along with the Perkins Bacon printing contract.

• Customs and Inland Revenue Act 1881- new stamps

• The new low values were also surface-printed.

• Experimentation with stamps using fugitive inks with the 'Lilac and Green Issue'.

• "Jubilee issue“ in 1887

Early 20th Century• Chalk-surfaced paper was introduced. 

• The stamps of King George V were innovative from the very first.

• A three quarter portrait- first time in use.

• The UK's first commemorative stamps- British Empire Exhibition in 1924

Abdication and War

• The century of the postage stamp was celebrated in 1940.

• In 1950 the colours of all the low values were changed.

Modern Era

• Collection of variations on Wilding issues.

• The Machin issues were introduced on 5 June.

Design Trends of British Stamps

• 1950s- Portrait of the reigning monarch was the dominant element.

• Postmaster General  issued new criteria.

• Stamps to commemorate events related to the present Royal Family.

• Memorial stamps- after the deaths of Diana and Elizabeth.

Regional Issues

• Introduced in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

British Postal Services Abroad

• British post offices in Africa-various issues

• Bangkok (British Post Office) 1882 – 1885

• Madagascar (British Consular Mail) 1884 – 1895

• British post offices in the Turkish Empire 1885 – 1923

• Japan (British Post Offices) 1859 – 1879

• Crete (British Post Offices) 1898 - 1899

• Morocco Agencies 1898 – 1957• Beirut (British Post Office) 1906 only• Bushire (British Occupation) 1915 only• Mafia Island (British Occupation) 1915 – 1916

• Long Island (British Occupation) 1916 only

• Salonika (British Field Office) 1916 only

• Baghdad (British Occupation) 1917 only• Etc.

Interested?• Freeling House, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL, The British Postal Museum & Archive

References

• http://shrt.st/12t0• http://postalheritage.org.uk/

Thank you for your attention!