Inked date stamps were at first called 'Bishops marks' after their inventor, Henry Bishop, Postmaster General, 1660-1663. The post office was receiving complaints about late arrival of the post. Bishop claimed: 'a stamp is invented, that is putt upon every letter shewing the day of the moneth that every letter comes to this office, so that no letter Carryer may dare to detayne a letter from post to post; which, before, was usual.' As we now know, this did not actually solve the problem, just provided more evidence that the problem existed.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
First postmarks in the world
Commemorated ati
General Letter Office
Near this spot the General Letter Office stood in Post House Yard, 1653 - 166...
Other Subjects
Anthony Richard Petch
Anthony Richard Petch was born on 22 August 1945 in East Appleton, North Yorkshire, a son of Hugh Herbert Petch (1914-1996) and Peggie Petch née Smith (1921-1979). His birth was registered in the 4...
1 memorial
1 memorial
Sir Albert Levy
Founder of the Ardath Tobacco Company. Honorary Treasurer at the Royal Free Hospital in 1926. See Lord Riddell. Also helped fund the 1928 new extension for which the maternity section was named t...
1 memorial
Julian Metcalfe
Co-founder of Pret a Manger with Sinclair Beecham, who he met at the Polytechnic of Central London. Also founded the itsu chain of Asian-inspired restaurants.
1 memorial