red and black chargemarks

British postmarks of all kinds and eras.
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PeterChad11
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Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2016 5:33 pm

red and black chargemarks

Post by PeterChad11 »

It is well recognised that red indicated "prepaid", black unprepaid, at least by 5 Dec 1839. Can anyone tell me when this convention first started to be used?
From Peter Chadwick
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admin
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Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:00 am

Re: red and black chargemarks

Post by admin »

Hi Peter -- I moved this topic from "Postal Stationery" to "Postal Markings", slip of the mouse presumably. :)

As for the question, I suspect the answer is an unsatisfactory "it sort of grew up over time". David Robinson in "For the Port & Carriage of Letters" (page 13) gives the date as "From about the 1780's", but also gives examples of other usages with a warning to check carefully, and mentions that small post offices and receiving houses often did handwritten prepaid marks in black. I can't argue with that.

Maurice
jcopeland
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Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 11:52 am

Re: red and black chargemarks

Post by jcopeland »

In a letter to postmasters dated 30th October 1820 Francis Freeling said:;
"And I am to direct you, in every case, to mark the Rates of Postage plainly and legibly on all Letters: and that such as are Post-paid may be invariably marked with Red Ink."
I think this was a reminder not an initial instruction.
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