Postal History 04

11 & 11A POSTAGE DUES:

Before the introduction of Postage Due Labels in 1914, the amount due to the Post Office was written or stamped on the letter or parcel. However on 28th April 1914, Britain introduced the first series of labels which were designed by G.W Eve.

They were ½d, 1d, 2d and 5d, but these were soon followed by other values which made a comprehensive range by 1924.

The basic design remained in use until 1970 - 71, a period of more than 50 years, longer than any stamp design.

The second design, by Jeffrey Mathews, was issued in 1970 - 71 and a later design issued in 1982, was designed by Sedley Place Design Ltd. These have now been discontinued


	The designs above left Mattews design and the later design, right the are the originals


			11


		left selvedge 17p value in position 10


		11A


	right selvedge 17p value in position 6

New panes ( above ) were introduced into to Pay Booklets ( above top ) on 03 September 1984, and subsequent booklets that followed in this series. Both first and second class rates were introduced which resulted in a change of make up values. 17p ( grey blue ) for the 1st class inland rate up to 60 gr. and 13p ( chestnut ) for the 2nd class inland rate.

Once again, due to the alignment of the phosphor bands separating the two different values, short band configurations can be found. Panes are also available with cylinder numbers in the selvedges or with a plain selvedge. As with previous issues these can also have other types of sheet markings in the selvedges.

A third pane has been discovered from this issue 11B. Interestingly, the pane with the left selvege (11 ), has been discovered with reversed phosphor bands. This, results in the 17p values having the single side bands and the 13p values with 2 bands. This is possible, due to a phosphor alignment error. This pane reversed the short band configeration to the 13p stamps, it is quite rare and carries a £50.00 premium over the norm.

12 & 12A

Embossed Stamps

The 12th in the Postal History series, these booklets were issued on 15th January 1985.

In May 1840, only 1d & 2d value stamps were issued, primary for use on internal mail.

In 1841, the embossing of stamps on envelopes was introduced, and it was the success of the early envelopes which led the Post Office to consider embossing for the first high value stamps.

By 1846, there was demand for adhesive stamps to meet overseas postage rates. As a result, it was decided to Issue a 1/- ( one shilling ) stamp.The Post Office were asked to recommend the method of production and they advised the embossing. The 1/- green value was issued in 1847 and was followed by the 10/- ( ten shilling ) brown and the 6d ( six penny ) purple.

However the cost of embossing proved to great and the post Office reverted to method of surface printing in 1856.


		13 & 13A Surface Printed Stamps

	Cover: ( Right ) The one shilling value issued in 1856, example from plate 1. ( Far right: ) 4d, The first value printed by De La Rue in 1855.

These booklets were relaeaed on 23 April 1985, the covers describing Surface Printed postage stamps. Surface Printed stamps were produced by Thomas De La Rue & Co, first launched in July 1855. The embossed stamps which had previously been used for stamps above 2d (see postal history 12) proved to be slow to produce, to costly and unsuitable for perforation.

In 1853, De La Rue had produced the first adhesive fiscal stamps, and their efficiency in this led to them being offered the contract to produce the new 4d value postage stamp by surface printing. The printing of these stamps was a success and from 1856 surface printing was used for all values above 2d until 1880 and then to all values until 1913.

14 & 14A

350 Years of Service to the Public


	Front and back covers show contemporary illustrations of mounted and foot post messagers

These booklets, describing 350 years of Public Service are the last counter folded booklets ( issued 27 July 1985 ) in the series of Postal History .The new service for inland letters was established by Royal proclamation issued by Charles on 31st July 1635, which opened to everyone the use of his Royal posts in return for set rates of postage.

The service began on the London - Edinburgh post road, and was gradually extended to other major routes. Along these, the bag of Royal Mail was relayed by mounted Postboys, with foot Postboys serving market towns lying off the main highways.

There being no delivery to houses, letters had to be taken to be collected from the nearest Post House, usually an inn where the postmaster advertised the Royal Mail by hanging a Posthorn on his door.

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