The History of the Postmarks of the British Isles from 1840 to 1876 - John Hendy (1909)

2 THE POSTMARKS OF THE BRITISH ISLES FROM ISJfO.
It is regretted that, in describing the many changes in connection with the London
Penny Post, the Act of Parhament 4 George II. c. 33 was inadvertently overlooked.
This omission makes it necessary for mc to supplement my former remarks on page 55
by the following explanation. The Act of Anne merely provided that letters by the
Penny Post should be charged a penny, and was silent on the subject of the second or
delivery penny. The Act 4 George II. c. 33, of 1731, made the delivery penny legal.
The Act of 1794 made prepayment optional, and imposed a postage of 2d. in either
direction on letters to or from parts beyond the cities of London and Westminster, the
Bprough of Southwark, and their suburbs ; but letters from one part of the cities of
London and Westminster and Borough of Southwark to another part of the town were,
until the year 1801, only charged one penny.
Another matter that has been brought to my notice in connection with the London
Penny Post is the use of three marks not shown in the earlier volume. These postmarks,
gtMASON
Fig. 3.
Figs. 3, 4, and ' Fig. 4.
London Penny Po->t Varicdes.
Fig. 5.
which are fairly rare, should be included at page 60. As alre.idy pointed out, the London
Penny Post receivers used no stamp or mark previous to the year 1794. As regards
Fig. 3, a correspondent surmises that "Mason" kept the Penny Post Office at Westminster.
This surmise is not quite accurate. The mark shown was probably taken from
a letter of the year 1787. I have one bearing the date '• Nov. 8. 1787 " posted at Edinburgh
for delivery at Battersea Rise. This letter bears the two marks shown in Figs. 4
and 5, with this exception, that the small stamp is " 5 o'clock" instead of " 10 o'clock" ;
but this cover bears no name such as " Mason.'' Upon inquiry, however, I find that one
Daniel Mason was, in the year 1787, chief sorter at the Temple Branch Office of the
Penny Post. I am unable to say why or for what purpose his name was impressed on
the letter. A regul;ir postmark was in use at the Temple Office in 1704, Fig. 6.
Fig. 0.
The chief office of the Penny Post was removed, in 17;^, from Throgmorton Street
to Post Office Yard, Lombard Street.
Many types of postmarks which, according to date, should have been included in
the earlier volume have been brought to my notice by friends who are desirous that they
may now be included in the companion volume, and accordingly they are inserted here,
with notes attached where such is possible or necessary. The two "Free" marks are
particularly good. Fig. 7 is an entirely new type to me. In Fig. 8 the "S" in the centre