Figure 2. Derek Hammond Giles 1913 2003

India’s First Ship Despatch Handstamp

This article was published,with some modifications, as “India’s First Ship Despatch Handstamp″ in India Post 57 no. 1 whole no. 226 (January – March 2023). India Post is the journal of the India Study Circle for Philately. I have made changes to this blog post in January 2023 so that it is up-to-date. The appearance…

Figure 8 Robertson Post Roads 1975 Reprint
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‘Ship Letter’ Robertson on ‘Post Roads’

A few weeks back I wrote a blog post on an 1834 entire from Calcutta taking the curricle from Morpeth to Edinburgh. In it, I discuss how one needs to know the distances between the various towns the letter passed through in order to figure out the inland rate markings in Great Britain. Further, I…

Figure 7 Tweed National Maritime Museum

East India Company’s ‘Punjaub’: Horsing Indian Mails

Some months back, when I was writing up some postal history covers, I came across the one pictured in Figures 1 and 2 from the Indian Mutiny period of 1857-58. It was sent by (later Sir General) Robert Cadell (more about him hopefully in a future post) to Cockenzie House in Prestonpans, nor far from…

Figure 4 London Edinburgh Royal Mail coach James Pollard 1821

An Indian After Packet rides the British Curricle

Seasoned postal historians caution the inexperienced, who is unable to explain the route or the rate or markings on a particular cover, against jumping to the conclusion that ‘the post office made a mistake’. At the same time, one cannot rule out the possibility, however slim, of them indeed committing errors. Secondly, the postal historian…

1823.06.12 Government Gazette Rates 1

Madras Presidency 1823 Concessionary Rates for Law Papers

A few days back, T. Kesava Prasad of Bengaluru (earlier Bangalore) shared images of a cover (no contents) (Figure 1 and 2) and requested me to help him understand its postal history. Noting on the front right by the recipient indicates it was sent on 14 November 1828. A black rectangular OOTACAMUND / POST NOT…

10RsStrip Book

Gandhi Rs 10 Service: Strip of Four

The 1948 issues of Mahatma Gandhi can be said to be the most popular and collectible stamps of modern India. Further, these stamps overprinted “Service” for exclusive use by the office of the then Governor General of India, C. Rajagopalachari, are known for their elusiveness being one of India’s rarest stamps. Finally it is one…