Two More British Mysteries

Can anybody identify these?

Top:
1856 Revenue Chancery Court Typo De la Rue
Watermark = 2 Maces
Surfaced paper Perf 16

3/- (3 shillings) Barefoot # 29 Lilac CV 50c 1989

Lower:
Inland Revenue 1868
Typo De la Rue Wmk 14mm Anchor (No rope) Perf 14
Barefoot # 27 1d (One Penny) Lilac CV 5c 1989
Exists SPECIMEN CV $15

British revenue stamps.
The first one is #13 (Chancery Court) in Forbin catalogue,year of issue 1856/7

Your 1d has what looks like a postal cancellation
Duplex 5-1-1-5 37 or 237
37 = used in London
237 = Dartmouth
Nope, that is a 4-2-2-4 duplex.
CHANCERY COURT
Petitions could be brought before the court of the Chancellor of the King when the common law courts failed to satisfy.
(Notoriously cumbersome and expensive)
Usual cancellation =Manuscript
Source : John Barefoot.

I agree the inland revenue stamp has been used fiscally.

It looks like die 4 so should be SG F22 (small anchor watermark) or SG F23 (orb watermark).

I think a 37 postmark (Buckfastleigh?) is unlikely given the symmetry of the postmark but I guess there are a few other possibilities.

I haven't seen a full table of post office numbers by the precise number of bars in the killer.

Have you considered 137 (Broadway), 337 (Harlow), 437 (Kirkby Stephen), 537 (Morpeth), 637 (Reigate) etc? Also D37 (Coggeshall) etc?

Hi Nigel,

?

Nice work, about to consult my SG, and take this further, along with the Pmks. You have me working.



Agree, it's a 3 digit numeral, (or alpha numeric) I'd bank your wallet on it.

Nigel,
I am thinking this may be folly, I am not sure if I can count the bars correctly / accurately,
I'd need the stamp in front of me.
Could it be a 4-2-2-4 ? etc, it's hard to tell by the small image.

I discounted most, which left Broadway, Harlow, and Coggeshall, un accounted for, I have yet to find these duplexes.

Note: It seems to me (most) London hammers, do not have the vertical side bars, these appear mainly on Town Duplexes.

Certainly not "D37" London Inland Branch, Bulk Mail, the "3" forme does not match.

Numeral 37 was first issued to Seaton in Devonshire but the numeral was last used there in 1866.

The upright numeral with four bars top and bottom was introduced in 1864.

The upright numeral with three bars was introduced in about 1869.

The flat topped 3 will hopefully help narrow it down.

Here's a D37 of Coggeshall, on ebay:



Hope this info helps

It's an intriguing puzzle Rod!

Yes, sorry, of course I meant that the stamp had been used postally!

I wrote that in too much of a hurry before going out.

I agree that it's not clear whether there are four or five bars at the top.

George Brummell wrote in his 1946 book in the context of discussing England and Wales duplex postmarks that he knew of the following postmarks with five bars at the top and bottom:

HULL - 383
GRAMPOUND - 671
SOUTHAMPTON - 723
ALEXANDRIA - B01

where this Alexandria is the one in Egypt

and also LIVERPOOL (I assume 466) with the name horizontal.

I guess the mark is probably from a duplex, either type G Duplex (name curved) or type H Duplex (name horizontal) using the terminology of Collect British Postmarks.

I suppose though that it could be an older type B (vertical) single postmark.

The stamp was cancelled no earlier than 1881 when die 4 stamps were first produced.

This would be too late to be an Inland Branch D37 postmark as this block of D numbers was last in IB use around 1870 according to Parmenter & Smith (on the GBPS website).

Coggeshall was listed as D37 in the 1882 official post office list so I think it's a possibility.

It's not clear to me how many different hammers may have been issued over the years to a single office (to to different offices when the post office number was re-assigned).

However, it would be satisfying to find an example of one that matches the postmark on this stamp.

I see the following postmark types for "?37" offices in Collect British Stamps lists the following (including only England & Wales types B, G & H) where the dates seem possible:

137 - Broadway - H
237 - Dartmouth - H
337 - Harlow - B, H
437 - Kirkby Stephen - H
537 - Morpeth - G, H
637 - Reigate - B, G, H
737 - Broadstairs - B, H
also Broadstairs/Station Office - H
and Broadstairs/Station Office B.O. - H
837 - Reeth - B
937 - Barnet - B, G, H
037 - Castletown/Isle of Man - B, H
D37 - Coggeshall - H
G37 - Grosmont/Yorks - H
H37 - Horley Station/Surrey - H
also Horley Station Rd - H
J37 - Bramley/Surrey - H
K37 - Mumbles - H

Thanks for sharing your Coggeshall card Bobby.

Another candidate appears to have bitten the dust.

Wow!
you guys have no idea how excited I get, when information like this flows,
I am like a 5 year old

Bobby, just Super! Unlisted in Allan's WW database, do you want to submit the scan ? Or l ? (I am assuming Coggeshall, Allan will no doubt confirm)

Nigel I need a week or so to evaluate all this info..........

Nigel,
There is Postmark "Mumbles" ? That's a new one for moi.

Wales
Looks like a beautiful bay.
"Mumbles" may be a corruption of the French les mamelles, meaning "the breasts."

Mumbles H Duplex K37 3-2-2-3 ebay
Addressed to Weston-super- Mare. (Glorious Somerset)

If you could submit the scan Rod I'd be much obliged!