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

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THE POSTMARKS OF THE BRITISH ISLES FROM ISJfi.
The population of Ireland in 1841 was 8,175,124, but in 1851 it had decreased to
6,552,385. This decrease is accounted for by the disastrous period of famine and
pestilence which commenced with the potato blight of 1846-47; leaving out of account
the decrease in the numbers of the people occasioned by death, a process of emigration,
so vast as that by which Ireland was drained of the most reproductive part of its people
between 1845 ^'^^ '^S'j certainly had its effect upon the local posts of the country. In
1851 it was found that the correspondence of many of the country post-towns had
dwindled down to less than a thousand letters a week each, and therefore it was thought
necessary to reduce all such towns to the rank of Sub-Offices, with the result that over
sixty post-towns were so reduced without any difficulty or material loss to the public.
The offices so reduced continued to use the same postmarks as when they were head
post-towns (Figs. 752-755).
858. .3859.
Fig. 752. Fig. 753. Fig. 754. Fig. 756.
Smaller and neater types of straight stamps were introduced about 1852 for use at
the Sub-Offices and Receiving Houses (see Figs. 756-759).
BALLY Oft/SSAN
Fig. 756.
K/LTORiyiER
COOLSALIAGH
DROMORE
Fig. 757.
EA5KEY
Fig. 758. Fig. 750.
These stamps remained in use until 1859, when 'it was decided to allow them to
die out, the worn-out stamps being replaced by circular stamps of various types
(Figs. 760-767).
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Fig. 760.
Fig. 761.
Fig. 762,
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Fig. 764.
Fig. 765. Fig. 766, Fig. 767.