British Empire - Day 6

1827 (December 14th) Folded entire from Kilkenny to Ulverston, Lancashire, showing clear shape strike of the "KILKENNY / 57" mileage mark, "POST PAID" and "LATE MAIL" straight line mkgs alongside, and in manuscript "1/3" Postage paid (over 300 miles, unified rate). The letter was posted after the normal mail was despatched and on arriving in England was inadvertently returned to Dublin at Dublin the clerk applied the "Mifsent to Dublin" handstamp, to explain the delay the word "back" was added by hand. The letter was then probably forwarded to the addressee in England. It was unusual for a post office clerk to tamper with or modify the nature of the handstamp used on mail, an unusual and very rare usage (DF No.234).

Provenance: "Mermaid" Collection