Thank You Those People Who Have Been In Touch Already

To those of you who replied yesterday.....I don't know how to thank you personally. Can you please tell me about these stamps too ? I am not into the value just what they are....its fascinating - I spent hours today on stamps ![i

The first is a 1d Queen Victoria stamp overprinted for use on outgoing Inland Revenue correspondence. The overprints duscouraged staff from taking them for their own use. The 6d Edward VII stamp has been fiscally used - and is thus no longer a "postage" stamp. British stamps of this period could be used for either postage or fiscal purposes.

The top stamp, as the overprint indicates, is an official stamp used by the offices of the Inland Revenue (I.R.). The basic stamp is an 1881 'Unified Issue,' the first postage stamp also valid to pay revenue tax. The stamps were only intended for use on mail from the Inland Revenue offices, not to pay revenue tax. Ordinary citizens should not hold them. The catalogue number is SG O3. The basic stamp, surface-printed by De La Rue, and issued 1 October 1882, comes with either 14 or 16 full dots in each corner. Only the second one (Die II) was overprinted. It is SG 172.

The second stamp is a 6d stamp from the permanent series of King Edward VII. The manuscript indicates it was used to pay revenue tax. This stamp knows several varieties. It exists on ordinary and chalk-surfaced paper printed by De La Rue. When they lost the contract to Harrison that was busy preparing thestamps for the new King George V, provisional printings for this stamp were done at the stamp printing branch of the Inland Revenue at Somerset House. It was one of the first stamps of Edward VII issued, on 1 January 1902. The printing on chalk-surfaced paper was issued in January 1906, and the provisional printing by Somerset House 31 October 1911.

Very unusual Postmark on the I.R !

HI ???? High? His?
PORTSMOUTH
(Nov 1896)

Hilsea is an area of Portsmouth. High Street may be more likely.

The IR offices are at Lynx House in Cosham that has a High Street.
If H.M. Revenue and Customs have historic ties to Cosham, High Str. would be possible.

HMRC does not fit.

87 High Street, Portsmouth was a Post Office.

http://historyinportsmouth.co.uk/op.../hs87-88.htm
https://www.portsmouth-asitwas.com/blank-page-39

Thanks gentlemen, Solved

Unlisted in database
there are 12 x "High Street " Post offices in Britain
Portsmouth unlisted.

Going by the tiny part postmark top left and "O"
I'd suggest "HIgh Street BO" (Branch Office)

Rod, a lot more 'High Street' offices in 1896

https://www.gbps.org.uk/information...October).pdf

Wow! Thanks a bunch, was not in my library.
A cracking addition.
Thanks Google !

Wasn't in my library either, but it is now

Thank you NSK

The GBPS has several of these up to about 1931 on its website accessible to everyone.

Does the first stamp have a plate flaw?
Broken frame and pearls below "ONE"?

Opinion No, Scuff probably
When looking for flaws on a used stamp
esp over 100 years old, its like inspecting a crime scene.

There are myriads of reasons why damage is mistaken for other things.

Bring me a mint, with the same look, and I'm with you.

The frame break looks like surface damage.