Page 95 - My Victoria

Postal Uses
Auxiliary Handstamps Penny Post Receiving Handstamps

September 21, 1840. From
Oxford to Potton. Red
“Potton / PennyPost”
handstamp used as
receiving townstamp.
Plate 8 adhesive.

Plate 12

September 29, 1841
Plate 12 adhesive used
locally within London.
“T.P. / Hampstead NO”
receiving house
handstamp

In 1793, Penny Posts were authorized to carry mail from the main Post Towns to surrounding areas, charging 1d
for their services. In London, a system of Twopenny Posts (TP) were established separate from the General Post
for the handling of local mail. Both of these systems used handstamps to designate mail that entered their
systems. Although the general rate of 1d for mail within Great Britain was adopted on Jan. 10, 1840, the name of
the Twopenny Post was retained until 1844. Most of the Penny Post and Twopenny Post receiving houses
retained their “Penny Post” and “T.P” marks to designate mail that passed through their systems beyond the
date the uniform 1d rate was introduced.
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