ISSUE 160 - April 5, 2024 - Stamp News Online Magazine

April Events in History

Starting this month we will feature two Events a Month—one a history of fhe world subject and the other a philatelic history subject, the only exception being when there are two very important events in each category we will add to our selections.

This month's historic events category is Charles Darwin—who died April 19, 1882. Hundreds of stamps have been issued for Darwin and his accomplishments. For collectors with an interest in Darwin philately, the Biology Study Unit of the American Topical Association does include some Darwin collectors in its ranks, at http://www.biophilately.org.

The "Dockwra" is regarded as the world's first post paid marking, introduced by William Dockwra's Penny Post in London. As explained in our coverage, it is now considered that the Penny Post may have been started as early ad March 25, 1680, but the start date also has been reported to be April 1. The significance of this event prompted us to opt for the April 1 date to get it into this month's Stamp News Online.

Philatelic Events in History:
The Dockwra Post Paid Mark

(From Mekeel’s Weekly and STAMPS, with images added)

1682 Penny Post Paid Dockwra handstamp on letter posted at Lime Street to Warwick Lane in London. A prime artefact in the Fletcher Collection.

The curtailment of postal services in the United States because of an effort by the
Post Office Department to cut its expenses, has raised a hue and cry throughout the land. Something will be done about the reduction in mail deliveries, and other services to which we have been accustomed, but suppose there were no mail deliveries whatever, as was the situation in London in 1680? What would we do? Would we as individuals be permitted to start up our own service as William Dockwra did in 17th Century London?

Howard Robinson, in The British Post Office: A History, writes: “Such a service was badly needed. The Post Office had made even less adequate provision for London than for the smaller urban communities elsewhere in England. There was but one General Letter Office in London, though receiving houses for London letters were already in use, that is, for London letters that were going out of town. A Londoner could send a letter to …

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