Postal History


		Alternative GB: Decimal Booklet Covers and Contents

	Someone once said "all stamps, and the material they depict are postal history in their own right, or in the case of modern material, they will be will be in the years to come". The Daddy of them all "The Penny Black". Issued in 1840 -1841. This was the worlds very first adhesive postage stamp. Introduced to Britain by Rowland hill (Postal Reformer) for his idea of a uniform penny post. Contrary to pubic opinion Penny Blacks are not as rare as people think. Perkins & Bacon had printed more than a staggering 68 million of them in the space of one year before they were replaced by Penny Reds in 1841.


	It is because the stamps are so well known, and are as such, part of history as the first postage stamp issued, they do tend to fetch premium prices. To collect and display a page would cost a collector thousands of pounds.

We can again use the Alternative Method if we look close enough at certain modern issues. These can actually describe Postal History through the nature of the theme and content.

For this theme I am looking at Decimal Definitive Booklets and their covers, issued from April 1981 through to July 1985. The contents of these form a very interesting collection of Machin definitives and the subject of the booklets describe stamps and Philatelic related material that was issued through the ages.

01& 01A: The Penny Black

The stamps of the period bore the Wyon portrait of Queen Victoria, which is based on the commemorative City Medals of 1837. The design was well thought out and contained corner letters which served to identify the location of every stamp on the plate, or printed sheet, of 240 stamps. An additional safeguard against forgery was the inclusion of a special watermark in the handmade paper on which the stamps were printed.

Moving on one hundred and forty years, issue date 06th May 1981, Number one in the series describes the stamp in question.

The Front covers of this Post Office Folding Counter booklet, has a face value of £1.30p. It shows a picture and


	describes the contents of the booklet. The rear cover relates to some interesting text describing Rowland Hill, the design and short history the Penny Black.

The contents of the booklet are a mixed pane of ten stamps 6 x 14p ( steel blue ) Machin definitives, with two side 4.5 mm phosphor bands, these covered the first class inland rate up to 60 gr.

Making up the remainder of the pane, joined se-tenant we have the remainder 4 x 11½p ( mushroom ) Machins these covered the second class inland rate up to 60 gr.

The 11½p values have either one 4 mm side band left or 4 mm side band right, . The pane is available affixed to the booklet with either the selvedge affixed to the left 01 or right 01A

The stamps are printed by Harrison and Son on Fluorescent Coated paper and have a PVAD ( dextrin ) gum.

The 2 band stamps in positions 2 & 4 (14p values) have a right band short top and bottom, and Positions 3 & 5 left band short top and bottom. The 11½p values in position 7 & 9 have the left band and stamps 8 & 10 a right band. The phosphor known as latterlite B3 glows violet when viewed under a short wave ultra violet light and has an afrerglow.


	02 & 02A: The Downey Head

	The first George V stamps ( 1d and 1 ½d ) were issued on 22nd June 1911 which was Coronation day. Although the design of these stamps are attributed to the name Downey, the actual work is also of three other people

Some philatelists do refer to the name of Mr. Bertram Mackennal ( later to become Sir Birtram ) and Mr. G. E Eve, who drew the sketches. The name Downey only comes into the equation, as the sketches were engraved from a copy of a photograph of the King in a Admirals uniform taken by W & D Downey, who at the time were Photographers to the Royal Court.

The fourth name, almost a forgotten figure is the freelance engraver J. A. C Harrison who was contracted from the Royal Mint.


	Issued on 30 September 1981, this booklet the 2nd in the series has the same contents as the Penny Black booklet described earlier ( above). The pane shown right is the alternative ( 01A or 02A ) with the selvedge affixed to the right. For phosphor band alignment and printing details please refer to the information described above.

	03 & 03A: James Chalmers 1782 - 1853

With the increase of postal tariffs this booklet has a new price tag of £1.43p. The front and rear covers describe Postal Historian James Chalmers.

Chalmers was born at Arbroath on 2nd February 1782. He took over the family book selling business in Castle Street, Dundee, Scotland in 1809 on the death of his brother William.

In 1822, James turned his attention to the Post Office improvements and forwarded a suggestions on re-organisation of the delivery service in Dundee. His proposals led to a saving of one day in each direction for the London to Edinburgh post and for this he was rewarded by the Dundee merchants and councilors.

In 1837, he submitted some examples of gummed labels ( left ) to Robert Wallace, the MP for Greenock. Thus, James Charmers produced the first essays of adhesive postage stamps, which were in fact the forerunner to the Penny Black.

With the advent of the price rise the contents of this booklet changed. A rise of 1½p to 15½p for the 1st class (up to 60 gr weight ) and a rise of 1p to 12½p for the inland 2nd class ( up to 60 gr. weight ).

The change has produced another a mixed pane of ten stamps 6 x 15½p ( violet ) with two side 4.5 mm phosphor bands, joined se-tenant to the remaining 4 x 12½p ( light emerald ).

The 11½p values have either one 4 mm side band left or 4 mm side band right, . As with previous booklets , the pane is available affixed to the booklet with either the selvedge affixed to the left 03 or right. 03A.

The stamps are again printed by Harrison and Son Ltd on Fluorescent Coated paper and have a PVAD ( dextrin ) gum.

The 2 band stamps in positions 2 & 4 (15½p values) have a right band short top and bottom, and Positions 3 & 5 left band short top and bottom. The 12½p values in position 7 & 9 have the left band and stamps 8 & 10 a right band. if you look at the image above you can just make out the contour of the bands. The phosphor B3 glows violet when viewed under a short wave ultra violet light and has an afterglow.


	All stamps that are described on this page are for sale subject to availability. Please contact us for the latest price on any item listed.


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