Hi Alyn,
It's hard to be sure when the original stamp has been covered by the label but I expect that it was not a regular British stamp but one issued by Universal Mail United Kingdom Ltd.
This is a private company which is allowed (for some reason) to sell labels for sale to the public that cover the delivery of tourist postcards to non-UK addresses.
Here's a link to the company's web site:
http://www.universalmail.co.uk/
This shows some examples of their stamps. The layout of these seems to fit with what can be seen of the stamp here.
The labels are quite pretty and they do cover the payment of a service (even though nearly all the real work is done by Royal Mail and the official postal service in the destination country).
However, from what I've read delivery can be be very slow indeed.
The labels are not sold by Post Offices but in souvenir shops, usually in popular tourist locations.
Thanks @nigelc.
I was talking to a colleague at work and she showed me this postcard she sent to the office while she was visiting family in Cardiff.
The stamp which is hidden by the label was a GB International rate stamp bought from a post office. I am just wondering why the label directing it Budapest if it is undelivered.
All the best,
Alyn
re: Interesting Modern Postal History
Hi Alyn,
It's hard to be sure when the original stamp has been covered by the label but I expect that it was not a regular British stamp but one issued by Universal Mail United Kingdom Ltd.
This is a private company which is allowed (for some reason) to sell labels for sale to the public that cover the delivery of tourist postcards to non-UK addresses.
Here's a link to the company's web site:
http://www.universalmail.co.uk/
This shows some examples of their stamps. The layout of these seems to fit with what can be seen of the stamp here.
The labels are quite pretty and they do cover the payment of a service (even though nearly all the real work is done by Royal Mail and the official postal service in the destination country).
However, from what I've read delivery can be be very slow indeed.
The labels are not sold by Post Offices but in souvenir shops, usually in popular tourist locations.
re: Interesting Modern Postal History
Thanks @nigelc.