Postal History 02


		Edmund Dulac 1884 - 1953

	Dulac was born in Toulouse on 22nd October 1882. Moving the England in 1904 at the age of twenty two. He became a British subject in 1912.


	As a little known artist and illustrator he came to prominence in 1935 when his design for the Kings Poetry Medal received universal acclaim. This led to a commission to design the famous 1937 Coronation stamp. The first stamps of King George VI combine a profile head by Dulac, with frame and lettering by Eric Gill ( ½d - 6d ) or the other values ( 7d - 5/- ) were designed by Dulac himself.

04 & 04A

The portrait used on all these stamps was an adaptation of a photograph by Bertram Park, and it was so admired by the King, that he would not have it changed, save for one issue, that of the Royal Silver Wedding.


	In 1952 Dulac designed the 1/3d stamp for the 1953 Coronation issue and the 1/-, 1/3d and 1/6d definitives, but unhappily he died before they were issued. The Coronation 1/3d has since been reprinted as a decimal stamp with a value of £1.00 value. See Decimal Wildings

The panes of Machin definitives are the same as the ones in the Chalmers booklet ( previous issue ) The one shown ( 04A ) left is the alternative to the one illustrated on the previous page This pane has the selvedge is affixed to the right.

For phosphor band alignment and printing details please refer to the information described for the Chalmers Booklet.

These booklets, both 04 and 04A issued 06 May 1982 are known with cylinder numbers B4 B2 pB50 in the margins. These carry a Premium above that of plain booklets.

The mixed 15½p / 12½p Machin panes described above , introduced for the Chalmes and Dulac booklets, were also used in the following three booklets, all have the same face value of £1.43p

05 & 05A Forces Postal Service

the text on the rear of the booklet reads: The collection and delivery of mail for the Armed Forces at home and abroad is one of the most important aspects in the maintenance of high moral. It was difficulties during the Crimean War in 1854 - 1856 that led to the decision to send a detachment of the 24th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers, aptly named “ The post Office Rifles” to Egypt in 1882 to provide the first Public Postal Service to an expeditionary Force overseas staffed by military personnel.

Since that time under varying titles - The Post Office Rifles, the Army has provided postal facilities in all major campaigns and many minor ones.

Today over a century after the formation of the service, Mail is carried to all units serving at home and overseas.

The motto of the Royal Engineers - Ubique ( Everywhere ) - is exemplified by this branch of the service.

The front of the cover shows the contents of the booklet and reproductions of cancellation postmarks used by the service in 1882

Booklets with marginal markings including cylinder numbers, half arrows top or bottom, total sheet value and warrant numbers are also collected by specialists in this field.

06 & 06A The £5 Orange

When the Post Office took over Public Telegraph Companies in 1872, a series of special stamps were issued for the Telegraph Service.

These were unconventional to use as it entailed stocks of both stamps being held n each Telegraph Office.

It was decided by the power to be to utilise postage stamps for both services, but at the time the highest value was only 5/- (five shillings ), which was issued in 1867. To meet the need of this new service, and the parcel post a new series of high values was introduced in 1883.

The highest value, the £5 was issued in March 1882 and was used for both services up to the end of the reign and beyond. No other stamp of this value was issued until 1977 ( large format Machin ), almost a century later.

Postmark History

Postmark collecting : Postmarks have always told the story of the way in which letters were handled, routes they followed and towns they visited. In more modern times, special slogans and hand stamps have also been introduced to commemorate important events and facets of the social history of the country.

The interest in collecting stamps over the years has led to an associated interest in the study of postal markings. This has resulted in detailed research into the many different types of hand stamps and the changes in postal methods and operations. There are now specialised societies for collectors, which study this growing aspect of the hobby of stamp collecting.

07 & 07A



	Front Cover: The Two Penny Blue with a fine example of The Maltese Cross

The first mark applied by the British Post office, this was introduced by the Postmaster General, Colonel henry Bishop in 1661.

the earliest types used in London, showed only the date and the month (see illustration ), it was not until 1787 that the year was included.

It quickly became apparent that there were advantages in indicating the town of origin and in the early 1700s town markings began to appear.

in 1784, the payment of mail by distance was simplified by including in hand stamps the distance from London. these “2 mileage marks” made it possible for clerks to quickly compute the amount due by the recipient. this method continued to 1839 when a uniform postage ( 4d ) was introduced. This was superseded a year later in 1840 by the 1d postage and the Penny Black ( see items 01 & 01A )

A second purpose for postmarks now appeared and special marks were designed to obliterate the new adhesive postage stamps.


	All stamps and booklets 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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