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Disallowed Frees - London. 1802 (Feb 20) Entire letter from London to Derby with red boxed "Above Privileged / Number" (LN2), a Free datestamp crossed out, 7d and 8d charges, scarce. £160-200
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Disallowed Frees - London. 1821 (Aug 1) Entire letter from Exeter to London, written by R. Cartwright but franked by Lawrence Palk (a clear abuse of the franking privilege), manuscript "above 1oz" with red "ABOVE / WEIGHT" (LW2), charged 3/8, vertical file fold. £100-120
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Disallowed Frees - London. 1827-32 Entire letters from the Bishop of Norwich, both to John Kitson in Norwich, posted at Cheltenham or London, both handstamped "ABOVE / WEIGHT" (LW4) in red (two strikes) or black and charged, a fine pair. (2). £250-300
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Official Mail. 1689-1837 Entire letters to or from official bodies which did not have the franking privilege, including 1689 entire letter to the Collector of Customs at Exeter concerning a patent and a hearing before the Lords of the Navy, charged 3d; later items from the Customs, Victualling Office (2, one 1794 letter with boxed "POST / PAID" handstamp, Jay 97 only used April - July 1797), Commissioners of Charities, Uniformity of Weights and Measures (printed wrapper), etc. (9). £200-240
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Official Mail. 1803-39 Wrappers from the Paymaster General (2, one with "Wincanton / 5" CI. Post"), Ordnance Office (3, one unused), Quarter Master General's Office, or Navy Pay Office (5), two with manuscript heading and inscription, the others printed; also 1804 Act granting franking to the Ordnance Office and Quarter Master General's Office and 1830 Royal Navy Pay Act. (13). £250-300
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House of Commons. 1821 Wrapper with printed heading and address "HOUSE OF COMMONS / To The Churchwardens / and Overseers of (Aylsham) / FREE. / F. FREELING", with an enclosed form asking for details of money spent on maintaining the poor in the year to March 1820, the printed address panel to The Clerk of the House of Commons with F. Freeling frank. A rare letter sheet and enclosure, addressed but never posted. £200-250
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Parochial Return. 1836 (Jan 13) Entire (side flaps removed) with partly printed address "To the Minister of (Santon House, Thetford)" and "Parochial Return / Sir F. Freeling, Bart." handstamped "BRANDON" and superb "MISSENT TO / LYNN" alongside a Lynn datestamp. £120-150
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Waterloo Subscription. 1816 (Sep 21) Entire letter from the Waterloo Subscription Office posted within London, with scarce "WATERLOO / SUBSCRIPTION", red "Lombard St / 2py P. Paid" and a Two Penny Paid datestamp on reverse. The letter states that the fund is for the benefit of widows only, and no other relatives of soldiers killed. The second line of the handstamp faint in places, otherwise fine and very scarce. £250-300
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Churches and Chapels. 1828 (Nov 8) Lettersheet with printed heading "On the Business of the Collection for the Purposes of Enlarging and Building of Churches and Chapels in England and Wales", partly printed address and "Free, F. FREELING", sent to Barton Seagrove, Northants with red Free datestamps. The reverse with three ink drawings of men, partly showing through the address panel, otherwise fine, Scarce and unusual. £100-120
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Forwarding Agent - Portsmouth. 1834 (Feb 7) Free entire from Portsmouth to Scotland, reverse with blue boxed "Forwarded by Yours &c / GARRATT & GIBBON / PORTSMOUTH / AGENTS TO LLOYDS". A rare F.A.C on a free letter, clearly originating overseas. £120-140
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c.1837 and 1839 Printed P.O Circulars giving the regulations for franked mail to foreign parts, only public despatches to and from Secretaries of State, British Embassies and Legations at foreign courts being free; also 1839 (July 19) printed G.P.O letter sent with the second notice explaining that this applies to the Indian mail through France, but franking is still possible via Falmouth and heavy documents should be sent by that route. From the Chelsea Hospital archives, the letter signed by Maberley. (3). £120-150
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Money Letter. 1839 (Oct 12) Free letter from Dorking to London, headed "Money Letter" by the sender, again endorsed "Money Letter" in red. A very unusual free franked Money Letter. £80-100
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1826-30 Letters to the G.P.O, a long 1826 letter from Ballymena endorsed "Inclosed in a frank of G. O'Neill of April 29th 1826" and addressed to Charles Claude Hamilton at the G.P.O Lombard St; and an 1830 letter franked by Edward Cust to Francis Freeling complaining about his servant being charged for free letters, posted at Broadstairs with boxed "No. 1" and "Ramsgate / Penny Post", charged 1d. Also an 1828 letter from Freeling to a lady who complains at the delay in sending letters whilst waiting for Sir Charles Forbes to frank them for her - he was not concerned about the abuse of privilege but simply suggests she gets franks from Sir Charles beforehand which she can then post herself. (3). £120-150
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1841 (Nov 23) Entire letter from the Admiralty to William Shield in Exeter informing him of this promotion to Admiral of the White, with a red crowned datestamp, clearly a Free datestamp from which the word "Free" has been excised, the year shown as "184", small stain, otherwise fine and very unusual. £100-120
| Hooded Circle Cancels - The Dr Simon Kelly Collection | |
London E.C | |
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1882 (July 7 - Aug 16) Covers (4) franked 1d (3) or ½d pair, also four stamps, all with the first experimental hooded circle datestamp with central "R" and code letter/number, three bars above and below and two arcs at either side, "A" above and date below, the covers with codes R2, R4 or R5 (2). Very scarce, the earliest and latest recoded dates of use, possibly the only recorded covers. (8). Photo on Page 38. £200-250
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1882-95 Covers and cards (15) and stamps (25) all with the second experimental hooded circle datestamp, central date with three horizontal bars above and below, a code letter or number above and "A" at base, five covers and twelve stamps with day before month (recorded Aug. 19 1882 - Feb. 3 1883), the remainder with month before day. (40). £200-300
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1888-1900 Covers and cards (17) and stamps (21) with reuse of the first experimental hooded circle datestamp but with the "R" prefix removed from the centre, two 1888 cards with day before month, the others all with month before day, one card with the day and month apparently omitted, also four stamps with the central code number or letter replaced with time. An uncommon lot, stamps to the 2/6 value. (38). £150-200
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1882-1927 Covers and cards (131) and many stamps and pieces, the detailed collection written up in two albums, including 1882 covers (2) and stamps (11) with experimental cancel with date (day before month) between single bars, code number or letter above and "A" at base; red arrival datestamps with date and code entirely omitted or with day "26" only; red datestamp with code omitted from base (3); 1906 official cover to France with 2½d block of four; 1887 revenue stamps with "IL" code at base of cancel (2, only recorded examples, possibly forged); a few Board of Trade perfins, late fee covers, etc. (100s). £300-400
| London - "Royal" Cancels |
Datestamps with "V.R" at centre or base were usually used on royal or official correspondence, but are also occasionally found on private letters. The rare "E.R" and "G.R" cancels were issued for use on royal correspondence.
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1882 (July 26 - Aug 11) Pieces (2) and stamps (4) with the very scarce hooded circle datestamp with central "V.R", 1d and 2½d on pieces with code "C", 1d stamps with code "A" or "C", 1½d and 6d grey plate 18 with code "B", the 2½d piece dated 26 JY, the earliest recorded date and first day of use, the Mount Pleasant Impression book dated July 26th alongside a proof strike of this datestamp. (6). Photo on Pages 36 & 130. £180-220
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1882 (Sep 1) Piece bearing 2½d blue plate 22 strip of three with Board of Trade pefins (all sharing broken "B" in "B.T"), cancelled by two strikes of the very scarce hooded circle datestamp with central "V.R", code "B", fine and unusual. Photo on Page 10. £120-150
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1890 Archival page with impressions of 13 London datestamps on both sides (also a "75" numeral obliterator "for trial only") with notes alongside concerning their use, including six hooded circle datestamps (referred to as "Massey" patent handstamps). These include experimental handstamps with central "13" within bars dated "28 SP 82", or with "R.V" within bars with "A" above dated "SP 90" (virtually identical to the first experimental "royal" hooded circle with central "V.R"), both noted as brought into use Sept. 8th 1890. Other datestamps include a rubber type hooded circle in violet with tiny date plugs (10 JAN 91), not apparently recorded on mail. Some edge faults and folds but an interesting and unique page. £700-800
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1882-1901 Stamp and piece with V.R at base hooded circle datestamps, 1/- brown plate 13 with code "B" datestamp dated No 10 82, the first date of use of the datestamp as shown in the Mount Pleasant Impression book; and a proof strike of code "A" datestamp on piece dated 22 JA 01, one of five such proof strikes recorded, the latest recorded date and the day Queen Victoria died. Also an1882 (?) piece bearing 1d lilac (clipped corner) with London hooded circle dated 25 JU, san-serif "VR" above the date and "A" below, the year date a little unclear but probably "82" which would make this the first V.R experimental hooded circle, predating the very scarce central "V.R" type, a rare (possibly unique) and previously unrecorded London VR cancel. (3). Photo on Page 130. £150-200
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1883-94 Pieces with V.R hooded circle datestamps with codes A-E, 1894 piece bearing 2½d + 5d pair with "A" code datestamps, 1½d with "B" code and 1d lilac pieces with "C", "D" and "E" codes, "D" code rare, the "E" code the only recorded example. (5). Photo on Page 36. £120-150
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1882-91 Stamps (35) and pieces (4) with V.R hooded circle cancels, including 1887 2½d pair on large piece (Osborne crest), 1880-83 4d brown plate 18, 1/- orange-brown plate 13 and 14, 1884 4d green, 1887 10d, datestamps with code "A" (7), inverted "A" (2), "B" (21), sideways "B" (5), or "C" (4), eight with month before day, the rest with day before month. (39). Photo on Page 130. £160-200
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1882 (Nov 21) Large cover to Dunstable with 1d lilac pair each cancelled by V.R hooded circle datestamp code "B", a very early use (the 12th recorded day of use) showing month before day, two light horizontal file folds. £120-150
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1883 (Jan 11) Mourning cover from Col. Paul Methuen to his fiancee in Wellington, 1d lilac tied by five V.R hooded circle datestamps with sideways "B" code (day before month), also three single stamps with the sideways "B" code datestamp. (4). £100-120
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1883 (Aug 14) Commercial cover from Charles Double Co. to Crewkerne with 1d lilac pair perfined "C.D" (double perfin on left stamp) each cancelled by V.R hooded circle datestamps, code "B", small fault at left corner but unusual. Also code "B" cancels on single 1d lilacs with "I&R/M" perfins (2), and code "C" cancel on 2d with Board of Trade perfin. (4). £100-120
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1883 (Aug 20) 1d Pink envelope to Wales with V.R hooded circle datestamp code "C", unusual on postal stationery, exceptionally fine quality. Photo on Page 38. £150-180
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1883 War Office envelopes to the Isle of Skye or to Lady Laverton at Woolbeding near Midhurst, both franked 1d with V.R hooded circle datestamps, code "A" or sideways "B", the code "A" cover with minor faults, sideways "B" cover extremely fine. (2). £150-180
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1883-84 Long covers all with commercial company names and addresses on the flap, franked 1d (2) or 1½d, all with V.R hooded circle datestamps, code "B". Unusual uses of this datestamp on mail with no official or royal origin. (3). £150-200
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1883 (Oct 25) Cover with royal arms and "Government House" embossed on the flap, to Lady Reay in Scotland, 1d lilac cancelled by V.R hooded circle datestamp with sideways "C", scarce. £120-150
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1883-84 Covers addressed to Lord or Lady Reay in London (2) or Scotland franked 1d, two with royal arms above "Government House" embossed on the flap in blue, the third cover with royal arms in red (initialled "H.R" by the sender), all with V.R hooded circle cancels, one with unclear code, the others with codes "C" or sideways "C", the last scarce. (3). £150-180
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1884 (Aug 23) Long O.H.M.S cover from the Secretary of State's office to Paris franked 5d green, VR hooded circle cancel code "B", unusual on this stamp. £150-180
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1884 (Apr 7) Mourning cover with "Marlborough House / Pall Mall S.W" flap franked 1d to C. Dyson, Abbotsroyd, Halifax, cancelled by V.R hooded circle datestamp code "D". The enclosed letter, on Marlborough House notepaper, written by Francis Knollys thanking Dyson for his letter of sympathy and condolence sent to the Prince & Princess of Wales following the death of the Prince's brother Leopold. The "D" code datestamp rare on cover. £150-180
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1889 (Mar 2) Cover with "Privy Purse Office / Buckingham Palace" printed flap, signed by Henry Ponsonby, addressed to Brighton franked 1d, V.R hooded circle datestamp code "A". The enclosed letter, from Ponsonby on Privy Purse notepaper, thanks Miss Halsted for her petition to the Queen but regrets Her Majesty is unable to contribute to the fund being raised for St. Georges parochial work at Kemptown. £100-120
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1890 (Jan 27) Mourning cover addressed in Queen Victoria's handwriting to "Mrs Drummond, Magginch Castle, Errol, Perthshire, Scotland", signed "The Q" in the corner, a 1d lilac cancelled by VR hooded circle datestamp code "A", flap missing, otherwise a fine cover from The Queen. Photo on Page 38. £150-180
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1908 (Jan 29) Cover with "Clarence House / St. James's S.W" printed flap, addressed to "Miss Adam, Alta Chiara, Porto Fino, Genoa, Italy", initialled in the corner, franked KEVII 2½d cancelled "LONDON / E.R" hooded circle code "A". Fine and rare, the latest recorded example of this E.R datestamp of which no more than half a dozen examples are recorded in total. Photo on Inside Front Cover. £1,000-1,500
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1914 (Apr 17/18) Cover with proof impressions of seven London E.C cancels or handstamps comprising London E.C Krag machine, 1d Paid and Official Paid datestamps in red, "E.C / 2d" charge mark and boxed "Found Loose / at G.P.O., E.C" (2 strikes), and "LONDON / G.R" hooded circle datestamp code "A". This datestamp is recorded in the E.C proof impression book dated 9 August 1910 "for use on The Kings mail" but is not recorded on a postally used cover, this proof strike the only example known to us. Photo on Page 38. £400-500
| Station "Late Box" Cancels |
Datestamps inscribed Manchester Sta., Liverpool Sta., Bradford Sta. or Leeds Station with "Late Box" at base were issued to the Circulation Dept., Inland Branch in 1883, and used in London on mail posted into the late fee boxes at the named stations, which was carried directly by train to London and cancelled upon arrival in the Inland Branch.
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1884-1911 Covers (2), pieces (3) and stamps (24) comprising 1900 cover to London with 1d lilac tied by Manchester Sta. 2.15PM cancel and 1902 cover to London with KEVII 1d tied by Liverpool Sta. 2PM cancel, 1898 piece bearing ½d + 1d + 4d + 1/- pair with Liverpool Sta. cancels, 1895 ½d on piece with very scarce Leeds Station cancel, and other stamps and pieces with cancels of Manchester Sta. (12, one on KEVII 5/-), Liverpool Sta. (9) or Bradford Sta. (4), an interesting study. (29). £200-250
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Liverpool Sta. 1889-90 Cover franked 2½d + 3d (perfin "LFB" of L.F Bahr) and 1d postcard franked ½d, both to Germany, each with two strikes of the Liverpool Sta. Late Box hooded circle cancel. (2). £150-180
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Liverpool Sta. 1888-99 Covers with Liverpool Sta. Late Box hooded circle cancels, the 1888 cover to Germany franked 2½d + 3d (perfin "LFB" of L. F Bahr), the 1899 cover to London franked 1d, 2PM time shown in the 1899 cancel. (2). £120-150
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Manchester Sta. 1887-88 6d + 1/- or 4d + 2d P.T.P.O postal stationery envelopes to France or Germany, both cancelled by Manchester Sta. Late Box hooded circle datestamps with a third strike alongside the embossed stamps, some minor faults. (2). £120-140
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Manchester Sta. 1901 (Oct 4) 1d postcard franked 1d pair (one with fault) and 2d, to Switzerland, the four stamps each cancelled by Manchester Sta. Late Box hooded circle datestamp with 2.15PM time, an unusual 4d late fee rate. Photo on Page 38. £150-200
| London - Late Fees | |
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London E.C Branch Offices. 1884-1937 Covers and card (63), stamps and pieces (89), the detailed study in an album, the majority with "L1" or "Lld" above the date, others with "L", "LA", "LB or "L½d", comprising cancels from 47 Cannon St. (3 covers + 9 stamps/pieces), Eastcheap (8 covers + 7 stamps/pieces), Fenchurch St. (3 covers + 9 stamps/pieces), Fleet Street (4 covers + piece), 49 Fore St. (cover, scarce), Gracechurch St. (3 covers + 2 stamps), Leadenhall St. (9 covers + 14 stamps/pieces), Ludgate Circus (10 covers + 13 stamps/pieces), Mark Lane (3 covers + 11 stamps/pieces), Threadneedle St. (11 covers + 22 stamps/pieces), Throgmorton Avenue (8 covers + 1/- stamp block), a good lot with stamps to the 5/- value. (152). £600-700
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London Foreign Section. 1926-36 Covers (20), stamps and pieces (6), various steel or rubber hooded circle datestamps with "L" above the date, some with codes "A" to "D" at base. (26). £150-200
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London Foreign Section - W.L.O. 1900-26 Covers and cards with London F.S hooded circle datestamps containing W.L.O, steel single ring datestamps (3 covers/cards + 7 stamps/pieces) or rubber double ring datestamps (cover + 6 stamps/pieces), including 1900 cover to a soldier in South Africa with three 1d lilacs, 1902 cover to Barbados with KEVII ½d block of eight tied by violet rubber datestamps, etc., stamps include QV 2/6 (3) and KEVII 2/6 (2), an uncommon cancel. (17). £150-200
| London - Parcel Post | |
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G.P.O London. 1884 (June 3) Postal Stores Department first type "Parcels Post" label franked 9d green Govt. Parcels overprint cancelled by the "G.P.O LONDON / PARCELS POST / DEPOT" hooded circle, code "A" above and below the date. Also similar cancel with codes "C" and "E" on a single 1/- orange-brown Govt. Parcels stamp, and 1897 Postal Stores Department parcel label with 6d purple Govt. Parcels tied by the second type "Parcel Post" hooded circle with lower code letter removed. The 1897 label with several faults, 1884 label a little clipped at right corners but otherwise fine and very scarce. (3). Photo on Page 42. £150-200
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G.P.O London. 1883-86 "G.P.O LONDON / PARCELS POST / DEPOT" hooded circles on a Found Open and Officially Secured label (28 NO 83), blue first type Parcels Post label (27 NO 84), white second type Parcel Post label (11 DE 84) and on single stamps (5), code letters above and below the date. The Parcels Post was renamed the Parcel Post in 1884 after little more than a year with new parcel labels and cancels issued, this Parcels Post cancel continuing in use until at least Nov. 1886. (8). Photo on Page 42. £150-200
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London E.C Chief Office. 1890-99 Parcel Post labels for London (Chief Office) (4, three blue) or St. Martins-Le-Grand (blue), also 3d on piece and a 5/- stamp, all with "LONDON (CHIEF OFFICE) E.C" Parcel Post Depot hooded circle cancels with a number above the date and code letter below. (7). £120-150
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London E.C Chief Office. 1902-03 Parcel wrappings to Nova Scotia franked 8d or 1/2 bearing Parcel Post labels and Customs declaration forms (real hair fungi nets, German made) and a 1911 Despatch Note for a parcel to Switzerland, all with "LONDON (CHIEF OFFICE) E.C" Parcel Post Depot hooded circle cancels, also a 1936 C.O.P with similar cancel but with "Parcel Post Depot" removed and a large "3" at base, the only recorded example of this datestamp. (4). £120-150
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