|
This page - Royal Events :
Philatelic Events
|
January
|
|
February
|
|
March
|
|
April
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
| |
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
|
|
|
May
|
|
June
|
|
July
|
|
August
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
| |
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September
|
|
October
|
|
November
|
|
December
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
Su
|
| |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
29
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
Headlines - UK railways nationalised....
Burma independence from UK.... Gandhi murdered....
Ceylon independent within British Commonwealth, George VI becomes King
of Ceylon.... Berlin Airlift.... Electricity industry nationalised....
Marshall Plan for 16 countries.... World Health Organization
established.... Israel declared an independent state and
attacked.... Bread rationing ends.... UK National Health
Service Act.... Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.... Windrush immigrant ship arrives UK
Royal Events
26 April - Silver Wedding Day. A service of thanksgiving and re-dedication held
at St.Paul's Cathedral.
Ill health of George diagnosed as arteriosclerosis - a planned tour to Australia
and New Zealand has to be cancelled.
14 November - George's first grandchild, Prince Charles, is born.
Philatelic Events
Definitives
: Commemoratives :
Booklets :
Airmail :
Other :
Postmarks
1 July - change of postage
rates for overseas Foreign rate surface letters, overseas commercial
papers rate
Definitives -
3 February - a Post Office note states that the lower values
of the definitive range would need to be changed in order to return to
UPU Universal colours.
The first change does not occur until the 4d is changed on 2 October 1950, and
other low values in 1951.
1 October - Hi-value
£1 brown 'arms' issued
Commemoratives -
1 March - King George approves four essays from six submitted
for the Olympic Games set. Further colour tests carried out after this.
Booklets -
November 1948 -
1/- (series 6E) booklet issued
Airmail -
16 February - BEA begin air mail service between Inverness
and Stornoway. Souvenir envelopes produced.
15 March - after discussions, agreed that
Olympic airletter will be
printed by letterpress at McCorquodale's and the stamp added by photogravure at
Harrison's.
19
March - BOAC first service to Japan
1 May - Postage rates to Central America, West Indies and some South American
countries is reduced from 1/3 to 1/- per ½oz - postcards from
7d to 6d - printed papers from 5d to 4d per ½oz.
|
1 June - First public
helicopter mail service in the UK - carried out by British European
Airways (BEA). Twice daily service for a trial 3 month period.
Experimental flights had previously
been carried out from 27 January in the Somerset and Dorset region, on a
circuit from Yeovil. It was then decided, after a survey of mail delivery
times, that the service should start in East Anglia. Experimental flights
for this route were carried out between 24 and 29 May. The experimental
flights carried dummy mail and even had Post Office vans delivering and
collecting the 'mail'.
The helicopter used for the first flight was a Sikorsky S.51,
registration G-AKCU, piloted by Mr J G Theilman. The flight departed at 10 a.m.,
from Westwood Aerodrome, Peterborough. |
Picture from The Aero Field July 1948 |
|
|
On the morning route the service travelled 170 miles dropping
off mail (no pick-ups), at King's Lynn, Wells, Sheringham, Cromer, Norwich,
Thetford, Diss, Harleston, arriving at Great Yarmouth (12.49 p.m. on the first
day). First flight mail was postmarked in Peterborough at 9 -AM 1 Jun 1948.
The return flight left Great Yarmouth at 5.35 p.m. travelling
102 miles via Lowestoft, Beccles, Norwich, Dereham, arriving at Peterborough
(7.30 p.m. on the first day). Mail was picked up at the stages, but only dropped
at Peterborough. Postmarks for the first day are - Great Yarmouth 4.30 p.m.;
Lowestoft 4.30 p.m; Beccles 6 p.m.; Norwich 4.30 or 5.30 p.m.; Dereham 6 p.m.
Souvenir covers were issued by BEA. Covers addressed Poste
Restante were backstamped.
|
10 June - First air mail by Air India International arrived from Bombay,
(leaving there on 8 June) via Cairo and Geneva. Return flight left London on 11 June,
(backstamped Bombay June 14).
14 June - BEA begin air mail service three times a week from Renfrew to Tiree,
Inner Hebrides.
19 July - SAS flights start for Stockholm - Oslo - Copenhagen
- Glasgow - New York.
23 July - airmail service re-starts to Palestine.
29 July - Issue of air letter sheet for the Olympic Games.
(Also see postmarks below).
6 August - Royal Air Mail service between Balmoral and London while King in
residence. Balmoral / Dyce Airport by helicopter.
4 October - BEA begin air mail service three times a week from Glasgow to Barra,
Outer Hebrides.
27 November - regular BOAC service to Iwakuni, Japan (zone of the British
Commonwealth Occupation Force). A proving flight left London on 13 November to
Tokyo.
Other -
4 to 10 February - British Philatelic Exhibition held at Houldsworth Hall,
Manchester. Labels issued.
 |
 |
<
25 to 28 May - 30th Philatelic Congress of Great Britain, Bournemouth. Special
postmark, cover and 4 colour labels issued.
August - Stamp Collecting magazine announced - 'There seems to be little
doubt but that the birth of an heir to the throne will be greeted with a special
issue of stamps at Home, if not in Britain Overseas also. From all reports the
general features have been decided upon in consultation with the King and Queen
and Princess Elizabeth herself and that they will include a portrait of the
Royal infant.' No stamps were issued.
15 to 21 September - Postage Stamp Exhibition held at Music Hall, Aberdeen.
Labels issued.
|
Postmarks -
All entries, except *, are taken from Special Event Postmarks of the United Kingdom by
George R. Pearson. Published by the
British Postmark Society, 1991 who give kind
permission for reproduction.
| * 20 January to 14 May - 'British Industries
Fair May 3rd-14th 1948 London & Birmingham'. Block. |
| |
| * 1 to 30 March and 1 to 30 June (Belfast and
Londonderry) - 'Lend A Hand On The Land'. Block. |
| |
| * 5 to 30 April and 17 to 31 August - 'Blood
Donors Are Still Urgently Needed'. Block. |
| |
|
3 to 10 May - 'Brit. Industries Fair.
Birmingham (number)'. Single circle, steel handstamps numbered 1, 2 and 3. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 to 10 May - 'Registered B.I.F. Birmingham'.
Rubber oval handstamp struck in violet. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| * 3 to 27 May - 'A Distinguished Career
Nursing'. Block. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 18 to 20 May - 'Edinburgh CS'. Church of
Scotland Assembly. Skeleton handstamp. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25 to 28 May - '30th Philatelic Congress of
Great Britain Bournemouth'. Special design, steel handstamp. |
| 27 May known - 'Chelsea Flower Show SW3'.
Skeleton handstamp. |
| |
