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
Pasqua Rosee's Head
First London coffee house, opened by Pasqua Rosée. The Telegraph produced a good article about coffee houses in London.
Caparo Group
Company, based in Portland Place, founded by Lord Paul, specialising predominantly in the manufacture of steel, automotive and general engineering products.
Laurence Corner Army Surplus
Closed when the owner, Victor Jamilly, died January 2007, aged 79. The staff moved on and opened Squadron HQ in 121 Kentish Town Road. Some sources give the opening date as 1947, but possibly tha...
City Road turnpike
From Geograph: This turnpike was merged into the Metropolitan Turnpike Trust by act of parliament and closed by the enactment of the Metropolis Roads Amendment Act 1863 (c.78). From 1 July 1864. S...
Watney Combe Reid
In 1837 James Watney (1800 - 84) became a partner in the Stag Brewery, Pimlico and the Watney family were the main partners there for much of the 19th century. In 1889 James Watney & Co., acqui...