SHOW MENUUniform Penny Post Exhibition at South Kensington 1890
Introduction
In 1890, to celebrate its 50 year Anniversary, two exhibitions were held. The first, organised by the Corporation of London and the Post Office, was held at The Guildhall in The City of London, from 16th‑19th May 1890.
The second, the official Post Office celebration, was held at the South Kensington Museum, now known as the Victoria and Albert Museum, on July 2nd of the same year.
The Display is concerned with the latter exhibition, and shows various aspects of the handstamps and cachets available and their many uses. Available at the South Kensington exhibition was a specially produced Jubilee Penny Post card, with envelope, sold with or without a Special Handst amp. A quantity of 252,000 cards and envelopes were printed, though slightly less of each were delivered to the Post Office.
As with the Mulready Envelope of 1840, this envelope had it detractors and two imitations were produced. One by William Elliot, who claimed it was produced after the event, though subsequently the envelope had been discovered cancelled by the South Kensington Special Handstamp, so could not have been so produced. Of the 3000 envelopes printed, all but 500 were recovered as the Post Office claimed they were in contravention of the Post Office Protection Act. I show an unused copy.
The second copy was produced by Harry Furniss, a Punch cartoonist, on 23rd July 1890. 100 'Special Subscription' copies were printed in black to help pay for the 10,000 public issue in blue. Whereas the Elliot Caricature had an impressed 'one penny stamp' the Furniss copy did not, and thus did not contravene the Post Office monopoly. Again, I show an unused copy.
References:
1. A Jubilee Reminiscence. John Davies FRPSL
2. Collect British Postal Stationery. Alan Huggins and Colin Baker 2007
3. Special Event Postmarks of the United Kingdom. Volume 1. 1851‑1962. Colin Peachey and John Swanborough
4. Postal Directory, General Post Office Edinburgh & Leith 1890‑1891. Morrison & Gibb for HMSO
