by Harry Julsing
26th of September 2010

1859 – Cover from Farnborough Station, Hampshire to York Town, near Farnborough, North Surrey

This cover was postmarked at Farnboro’ station on December 19, 1859 with a double stamp.  The postmark part of the stamp is not the normal size, being 13/16 inches in diameter with designation “C”.  The standard rule established in 1858-1859 being that names with up to 7 letters were to be in a straight line across, longer names were to be curved with a normal size of ¾ inches in diameter.  The stamp was killed with obliterator 023 put into use in 1858-1859.  The post office records show that there was no post office at York Town, so the cover was sent to Aldershot Camp as shown by the backstamp on December 19, 1859, designation “B”, 7/8 inches in diameter; the cover was returned to Farnboro’ station on December 20, 1859 as shown by the back stamp designation “A”, 7/8 inches in diameter.    A way of making delivery was found after the cover was returned to Farnborough Station as the cover was not sent to the Dead Letter Office. 

The stamp is the only penny red-brown shade with perforation 14 and alphabet III issued in November, 1856.  The stamp was printed with Die II on white wove paper, watermarked large crown, by Perkins, Bacon & Co. in sheets of 240 subjects, arranged alphabetically A to L horizontally and A to T vertically.  The vignette is a profile of Queen Victoria after a portrait by William Wyon.  One penny is the correct rate of postage authorized in 1839.

It is listed in Stanley Gibbons 2006 ed. as # 37 1d red-brown (11-56) cat. Value £ 500 (on cover)