This page - Royal Events : Philatelic Events

 Headlines - Korean War continues.... Treaty of Paris establishes European Coal and Steel Community....  

Royal Events

3 May - George VI opens Festival of Britain from steps of St.Pauls. The Festival is held 100 years after the Great Exhibition and is a demonstration of national recovery.

15 August - Princess Anne born.

September - confirmation that George is suffering from a malignant growth.

23 September - George has an operation to remove his left lung.

October election - Winston Churchill is returned as Prime Minister at the age of 76.

7 October - Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh leave for Canadian and US tour for 35 days. Canada issues Royal Visit stamp, 26 October.

Philatelic Events

Definitives : Commemoratives : Booklets : Coils : Airmail : Postage Dues : Postmarks

4 / 19 April - major debates in House of Commons concerning Post Office service charge increases.

3 May - many postal events - low value definitives; high value stamps; commemoratives for the Festival; stamp booklet; air letter; pre-paid envelope, letter card; postcard....

1 June - Change of postage rates for printed papers

1 July - Change of postage rates for parcels

Definitives -

3 May - Definitive issue of ½d, 1d, 1½d, 2d, 2½d 'colour change'

3 May - Hi-value issue of 2s6d, 5s, 10s, £1 'Festival'. Note - these stamps were issued as high value definitives, they became known as the 'Festival' high values simply because they were issued on the same date as the opening of the Festival of Britain.

10 May - the assistant Postmaster-general, Mr Charles Hobson, announced in the House of Commons that; "....Stocks of the five low denomination stamps of the old design will be pulped; the high value denominations will remain on sale until they are exhausted."

11 May 1951 - in the House of Commons, Mr. W. R. A. Hudson; "asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that as the recently-issued 2½d postage stamp so closely resembles the colour of the previously-issued 1d. stamp confusion has resulted, cheating of the revenue has been made possible and the closer scrutiny required by Post Office servants has involved loss of time and extra labour; and whether he will consider withdrawing this issue and replacing it with an issue of more distinctive colour.

Mr. Ness Edwards replied; "As explained in the Press notice which I issued on 9th May, the recent changes in the colours of the postage stamps were made in order to conform with the Universal Postal Convention and all practicable steps have been taken to reduce the possibility of confusion to a minimum. Difficulties will disappear as stocks of red penny stamps in the hands of the public are used up."

[Very similar questions / replies are again raised on 30 May, 27 June and 21 November].

Commemoratives -

3 May - 'Festival of Britain' set

Booklets -

3 May - 1/-(series 6D); 1/-(series 6E) booklets issued

May - 2/6 (series 7); 5/- (series 8) booklets issued

13 June - the Postmaster-General was asked about the amount of paper required for the reintroduction of inter leaves for advertisement purposes in books of stamps and the estimated revenue.

Mr. Ness Edwards replied; "Forty-five tons annually: the estimated net revenue is of the order of £25,000 annually."

Hansard House of Commons Debate, 13 June 1951, vol 488 c181.

Coils -

May - first ½d, 1d, 1½d, 2d and 2½d colour change coils issued

May - first ½d, 1d, 2d and 2½d coils with sideways watermark issued

14 September - first 1½d pale green with sideways watermark in coils issued

30 March - Forces Air Letters to POWs in Korea accepted without charge. Had to be marked "Prisoner of War Service".

3 May - air letters with Festival symbol on sale at 6d.

3 May - new pre-stamped 2½d carmine envelope - and new pre-stamped 2½d carmine letter card - and new 2d buff postcard

3 May - in the House of Commons written questions/answers, Mr. Ronald Russell M.P. asked about the average time needed for letters to be sent by air mail and by surface mail between London and each of the capital cities of Europe in 1939 and in 1951.

Mr. Ness Edwards, the Postmaster-General, set out the following information:

* Between latest time of posting advertised at London Chief Office to connect with relative service and the approximate time of arrival of the mail at the distant transport terminal.
† Mails to these cities are forwarded on some or all occasions via other countries.
‡ Surcharged air mail services.

Hansard, House of Commons Debate 3 May 1951, vol 487

17 October - start of twice weekly Calcutta to London service by Air India International. Saturday service : Calcutta - Bombay - Cairo - London. Tuesday service : Calcutta - Bombay - Cairo - Geneva - London.

3 November - BOAC London to Nairobi service includes Malta.

7 November - BOAC service starts London - Tripoli - Kano - Brazzaville - Livingstone - Johannesburg. Arriving 8 November - mail back-stamped 9 November. Return service started 10 November, arriving 12 November.

Postage Due -   

2 August - the Postmaster-General was asked about the arrangements for approving slogans for use with postal franking machines; and in what circumstances is approval withheld; and if he would publish a list of slogans for use in postal franking machines submitted to him during the past 12 months for which approval has been withheld; and the reasons why.

Mr. Hobson replied; "Slogans of a controversial character are not accepted for inclusion in the impressions of postal franking machines because they are liable to be interpreted by members of the public as associating the Post Office with the slogan. The companies supplying the machines implement the policy in consultation with my Department. The following are the slogans which have been rejected by the Post Office during the past 12 months; 'Under free enterprise British Cement is the cheapest in the world.' / 'Join the Conservative Party.' / 'Vote Conservative.' / 'Taunton Conservative Party, Parade Rooms, Taunton.' / 'Just one more heave.' / 'Free enterprise gives everyone a chance and a choice.' "

Hansard, House of Commons Debate, 2 August 1951 vol 491 cc271-2.

21 November - The assistant postmaster-general refused to produce stamps for Scotland. [Hansard 21 November]

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.

Back to top

Contact : Malcolm Sanders :  kg6gb@hotmail.com