Finance and Art, 1817

Eunice Shanahan

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.

The three postal markings trace the path it took from being handed in at the Tottenham Court Two Penny Post receiving office on Saturday 24 May 1817, to the delivery in Cornhill. Unpaid stamp - surprisingly that was applied in red ink which was usually confined to Paid mail, and the letter has a note (4) by the writer that it was paid ! It was transferred to the Westminster Office of the Twopenny Post, for delivery the datestamp - identified as being the Westminster Office, and not the Chief Office, as it has the month before day. This type of indented oval 10 o'clock Forenoon date stamp was in use until 1822. the handstruck '2' showing that the letter would cost twopence. back

This illustration clearly shows how neatly the letter was opened — to which there has been added a note in a different handwriting — presumably the answer. "Mr Thomas Bulkeley, Hatchel - Ellesmere in Salop" Salop is the abbreviation for the County of Shropshire back

Last modified 16 September 2005