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

122 THE POSTMARKS OF THE BRITISH ISLES FROM ISJfi.
from the public, deducting a commission for so doing. The arrangement was far from
satisfactory, and not only added largely to the temptations to which the servants of the
Post Office were exposed, but became a most fertile source of crime in merchants' and
other offices;
so that, as early as 1866, with a view to prevent the abuse of the system,
firms were allowed to print their names on the back of their postage stamps, each firm
making its own arrangements with the Inland Revenue Office, under which the work was
done by Messrs. Perkins Bacon and Co., the printers of the stamps. The concession was
adopted by a large number of firms, but on account of the ease with which the gum and
printing could be removed from the stamp the plan was far from effectual. In 1868,
permission was given for the perforation of initials in postage stamps, this plan being considered
a more effectual means of putting an end to stamp robberies, and Postmasters
were instructed not to purchase any stamps with names or initials perforated through
them or printed on the back ; but once obliterated the postage stamps had run their course,
at least so far as the Post Office was concerned.
The hobby of collecting stamps, which originated in France, spread to England in
the early fifties, and has since become world-wide.
A reference on page 35 of the fourth report of the Postmaster-General, issued in
1858, is of some interest as indicating the probable means by which some unprincipled
people commenced business. The paragraph refers to an advertisement occasionally
appearing, requesting that " defaced postage stamps may be sent to the advertiser, on
the pretence that a certain number will enable him to procure admission for a child into
some charitable institution. Thinking it possible that there was a fraudulent purpose in
view, I have several times directed inquiry to be made, but have always found that there
was no truth whatever in the alleged object, and generally that the whole proceeding was
the work of an unknown person, actuated apparently by a silly desire to give useless
trouble."
The collecting of defaced stamps by persons of mature age appeared so ridiculous
to the official mind, that they could only conclude that some fraud was intended, and
when another advertiser had the hardihood to announce that the Government offered a
payment of £2f>
3- milKon for such stamps, an announcement which caused many useless
letters to be written to the Post Office on the subject, they came to the conclusion that
fraud was the main object. An Official Circular was issued, stating that " recent
experience having shown that old postage stamps are occasionally used for the purpose
of defrauding the revenue of the Post Office," all officers of the Department were warned
to use every possible vigilance to prevent any such frauds, by carefully examining the
letters passing through their hands. All letters bearing stamps which appeared to have
been previously used were to be charged with double rates of postage, as in the case of
unpaid letters, and to be marked " Old Stamp."
The suspected stamps, whether appearing to have been previously obliterated or
defaced, or otherwise imperfect, were not to be again obliterated, but carefully marked
across thus, X, with pen and ordinary ink, so that the mark should not be an obstacle to
any subsequent inquiry. It was also pointed out that frauds were committed by carefully
ioining together portions of stamps imperfectly obliterated, but that if the obliterating
duty was properly performed no fraud of the kind could possibly be practised.
In reply
to this circular, Mr. J. R. Bettesworth, Postmaster of Amersham, on the nth July, 1857,
called attention to the fact that sufficient protection was not given by the labels then in
use, as they bore no private mark or character to
prevent fraud, and suggested a plan
of lettering the stamps both top and bottom. The suggestion was adopted (in a
modified form) as a good one ; but for the purpose of a more precise comparison, in the
case of a suspected stamp, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue suggested that each
stamp should be identified with the particular plate from which it was printed by the
number being repeated in the border, on each side of the stamp, in case the perforation
encroached on either side, which sometimes happened. This suggestion was also
adopted, and the alteration was first made in the Twopence stamp issued in July, 1858
(Plate No. 7) ; it was afterwards applied to other values, as fresh plates became necessary.