Post Office Money Order: Bootle, 1841
These letters graciously have been shared with the Victorian
Web by Eunice and Ron Shanahan; they have been taken from their website.
The letters give an insight into the daily lives and concerns of 'ordinary'
people without whom history would not exist. The letters are a wonderful example
of how much history may be gleaned from such sources.
This letter from the past is from A. Scott of Bootle
dated 24th February, 1841, addressed to Peter Hodgson Esqr, Queen Street Whitehaven
- which is north of Bootle, on the Cumberland coast. The postal markings are:
- straightline townstamp BOOTLE.
- standard provincial circular twin-arc undated townstamp RAVENGLASS in red
of the type in use from 1829. Ravenglass is is a very old-established place
in Cumberland. In fact in 1208 King John authorised a Saturday market, and
an annual fair on St James’s Day. I don’t know why the postmark
was applied, on a letter only passing through this town en-route to Whitehaven,
unless it was a transit mark -- but as it is undated, I cannot verify that.
- faint outline of a red Maltese Cross cancellation. As this type of cancellation
was introduced in 1840 to obliterate the stamp so that it could not be used
again, there would have been an adhesive stamp on this letter. Probably a
previous owner has removed it! The appeal of the Penny black is irresistible
to many collectors, and they are frequently removed from old letters, to be
mounted in a stamp collection. However, the letter itself has not been torn
or damaged and the contents are still perfectly legible.
Last modified
10 December 2002