George 6th cancellation

  • grandad-47

    113 messages

    United Kingdom

    I have a George 6th 1d pale colour stamp cancelled with a triangular mark with the upper case letters "KL" inside. Can anyone tell me something about this cancellation?
    (I can't seem to get the image uploaded??)
  • moonstone

    943 messages

    United Kingdom

    A telegraph cancellation, almost certainly, KL being the town of origin code.
  • grandad-47

    113 messages

    United Kingdom

    A telegraph cancellation, almost certainly, KL being the town of origin code.
    • Created on Mar 3, 2018 at 5:11 AM
    • #831176
    Many thanks for your reply. I have not heard of telegraph cancellations. Could you supply any more info?
    Regards
    Malcolm (grandad-47)
  • moonstone

    943 messages

    United Kingdom

    Hi Malcolm,

    Telegraphs (or telegrams, as they became known), were able to be sent from a main Post Office with the necessary equipment, usually one in each town of any size. Payment for the service was made by way of stamps affixed to telegraph forms, cost depending on distance, cancelled by a triangular 'telegraph' cancellation (to distinguish them from postal cancellations) with the town initials inside, in your case KL - probably Kilmarnock, I'd guess, but don't have the list of these.

    The telegraph forms were supposed to be kept internally as an accounting verification for stamp usage and telegraph receipts and then destroyed, but like most other things a % 'got out' into the market!

    Hope this is of use.

    Sam
  • tony41

    235 messages

    United Kingdom

    Hi Malcolm,

    Telegraphs (or telegrams, as they became known), were able to be sent from a main Post Office with the necessary equipment, usually one in each town of any size. Payment for the service was made by way of stamps affixed to telegraph forms, cost depending on distance, cancelled by a triangular 'telegraph' cancellation (to distinguish them from postal cancellations) with the town initials inside, in your case KL - probably Kilmarnock, I'd guess, but don't have the list of these.

    The telegraph forms were supposed to be kept internally as an accounting verification for stamp usage and telegraph receipts and then destroyed, but like most other things a % 'got out' into the market!

    Hope this is of use.

    Sam
    • Created on Mar 3, 2018 at 8:56 AM
    • #831320
    I don't have a list of telegraph offices either but KL might be Kings Lynn
  • moonstone

    943 messages

    United Kingdom

    I don't have a list of telegraph offices either but KL might be Kings Lynn
    • Created on Mar 3, 2018 at 9:44 AM
    • #831344
    You could well be right, hadn't thought of that!
  • grandad-47

    113 messages

    United Kingdom

    Hi Malcolm,

    Telegraphs (or telegrams, as they became known), were able to be sent from a main Post Office with the necessary equipment, usually one in each town of any size. Payment for the service was made by way of stamps affixed to telegraph forms, cost depending on distance, cancelled by a triangular 'telegraph' cancellation (to distinguish them from postal cancellations) with the town initials inside, in your case KL - probably Kilmarnock, I'd guess, but don't have the list of these.

    The telegraph forms were supposed to be kept internally as an accounting verification for stamp usage and telegraph receipts and then destroyed, but like most other things a % 'got out' into the market!

    Hope this is of use.

    Sam
    • Created on Mar 3, 2018 at 8:56 AM
    • #831320
    Very many thanks for your interesting info.
    Kind regards
    Malcolm
  • grandad-47

    113 messages

    United Kingdom

    I don't have a list of telegraph offices either but KL might be Kings Lynn
    • Created on Mar 3, 2018 at 9:44 AM
    • #831344
    Hi Tony
    Many thanks for your input
    Kind regards
    Malcolm
  • auctionmike1

    28 messages

    United Kingdom

    Triangular postmarks have also been used a lot on reduced rate business mail. I believe that envelopes posted using this rate had to be unsealed and available for inspection. When inspected they were cancelled with a triangular frank. You will find many envelopes on delcampe and ebay with a triangular cancellation. The 1d rate would have applied any time between 1949 and 1957.

    There should be some images attached to this which I have just grabbed off the two auction sites with apologies to everybody concerned..
  • grandad-47

    113 messages

    United Kingdom

    Triangular postmarks have also been used a lot on reduced rate business mail. I believe that envelopes posted using this rate had to be unsealed and available for inspection. When inspected they were cancelled with a triangular frank. You will find many envelopes on delcampe and ebay with a triangular cancellation. The 1d rate would have applied any time between 1949 and 1957.

    There should be some images attached to this which I have just grabbed off the two auction sites with apologies to everybody concerned..
    • Created on Apr 2, 2018 at 5:53 PM
    • #845192
    Very many thanks for your very interesting answer. Is it significant that the three examples you offer are all sent to overseas addresses?
    Regards
    Malcolm
  • auctionmike1

    28 messages

    United Kingdom

    Very many thanks for your very interesting answer. Is it significant that the three examples you offer are all sent to overseas addresses?
    Regards
    Malcolm
    • Created on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:57 AM
    • #845303
    Business mail rates to foreign destinations were minimal costing, only profitable with the volumes involved, so maybe they attracted greater scrutiny? Also, collectors probably take greater care to rescue foreign commercial mail from the bin, so people abroad help the survival rate of mail that would just be thrown out at home?
  • auctionmike1

    28 messages

    United Kingdom

    You may also find this image interesting...
  • joulie

    6124 messages

    France

    Here is a list of telegraphic codes : Link (http)
    Regards.
  • grandad-47

    113 messages

    United Kingdom

    You may also find this image interesting...
    • Created on Apr 3, 2018 at 5:28 AM
    • #845348
    Mike
    Very many thanks for your input.
  • grandad-47

    113 messages

    United Kingdom

    Here is a list of telegraphic codes : Link (http)
    Regards.
    • Created on Apr 3, 2018 at 7:40 AM
    • #845387
    Very many thanks for your input.
    regards
    Malcolm

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