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
Wheatsheaf pub
Public house popular with London's Bohemian set in the 1930s, as were all the pubs in Fitzrovia, and beyond. Customers including George Orwell, Dylan Thomas, Edwin Muir and Humphrey Jennings were k...
2 memorials
Trustees of Borough Market
Borough Market is a charitable trust, run by a board of volunteer trustees. They ensure that the activities of the market meet the trust's clearly defined responsibilities.
2 memorials
Portman Market
From UCL "{J. T.} Parkinson ... designed the new part-covered Portman Market for hay, fruit, vegetables, meat, and also pigs, erected in 1829–30 in Church Street off Edgware Road. Run by the agent ...
1 memorial
Harndale Group
Harndale Shipmanagement Services Limited was one of several companies formed by Keshava Raghuveer and Harini Raghuveer. It was incorporated on 31 January1984 with a company registration number of 0...
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
Previously viewed
Harrow rail crash
A rare three-train crash which resulted in the death of 112 people and more than 300 injured. Contributory factors: a foggy morning rush hour; one train unusually full due to a previous cancellatio...
3 memorials
Joseph Benbow
Crew member of the 'Olga'. Died during the voyage bringing Cleopatra's Needle to London.
1 memorial
Charles Morgan
W8, Campden Hill Square, 16
Charles Morgan, 1894 - 1958, novelist and critic, lived and died here. English Heritage
1 subject commemorated,
1 creator
Elizabeth David
Cookery writer. Born as Elizabeth Gwynne into a wealthy family. Travelled in Europe and around the Mediterranean, spending some years in Cairo, where she married in 1944. Returned to England in 194...
1 memorial
Sir John Lubbock
Banker, politician and scientific writer. Born at 29 Eaton Place. He went into his father's banking business at the age of 14 and became a partner in 1856. Entered parliament in 1870, and succeeded...
1 memorial
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