Great Britain - 1857 mourning cover

First it sports an 1856 SC#27 - oddly trimmed of perfs on both sides.
The front also shows a black clipped diamond stamp dated August 1 from the Liverpool office, just above the notation 'per mail steamer'.
This issued in Liverpool as an arrival / transit mark - known used from 15 June 150 to 5 December 1857
The 2 1/2 stamp in black would indicate Canadian postage due. 6d per half ounce as of 1851.

Following up, let me respond to a couple of your comments with excerpts from the above mentioned book.

The numeral 16 in diamond is a London Chief Office cancel (Not Chigwell)

pg 50  "Another very important change was carried out in 1857, when a late evening de- livery, terminating about 9 p.m., was established to all places within, six or seven miles of London. This late delivery had the effect of rendering unnecessary the Sunday morning delivery of letters in the districts served.
The whole of the receiving houses, some 500, and the following branch or letter- carrier offices, were under the control of the Postmasters of the districts in which they were situated :
1 Highgate.
2 Finchley.
3 Whetstone. 4 Hampstead. 5 Hendon.
6 Edgware.
7 Stoke Newington. 8 Tottenham.
10 Edmonton. 11 Enfield.
12 Bow.
13 Stratford. 14 Leyton.
15 Woodford. 16 Chigwell. 17 Ilford.
18 Deptford. 20 Greenwich. 21 Woolwich. 22 Eltham. 23 Bexley.
24 Dulwich.
25 Sydenham. 26 Beckenham. 27 Clapham.
28 Tooting.
29 Mitcham.
30 Carshalton. 31 Wandsworth. 32 Putney.
33 Mortlake.
34 Richmond.
35 Twickenham. 36 Hampton.
37 Brompton.
38 Kensington. 39 Hammersmith. 40 Acton.
41 Brentford.
42 Paddington.
43 Charing Cross.
44 North Row (Branch Ofifice), 45 Portland Street.
46 Stepney.
47 Southwark.
48 Shoreditch.
49 Sidmouth Street (Branch
Office)."


Although evening duty (due to delivery at Liverpool the following day), I am not aware that different colours were used for the various duties

pp 18-19 "Following on Lord Campbell's complaint, it was determined, if possible, with a view to the clear and legible stamping of letters, to obtain a superior ink. The firm of Shackell and Edwards submitted a specially manufactured ink, which upon test was found to be far superior to the inks then in use, and a contract was entered into with that firm for a regular supply of their inks, which they agreed to furnish at the following prices : Black and red, 2s. 6d. per lb., and blue at 2s, 3d. The additional cost was about ;^30o a year. Another ink, Henry Stephens' "blue fluid," was also brought into use at this period. This ink gave a very clear impression, but could only be used with wood stamps (Figs. 86, 87). On account of the regulation that red ink was to be used with morning stamps, and blue in the evening, these stamps were in use in the Inland Office on the evening duty only."

The red circle with cross was used on letters transferred to / from the penny or two penny post

Fig. 343. (image of circle with crossed lines inside) "Used in red on Foreign Letters which miss the Mail owing to being Missorted."

Again tallanent, I don't doubt your expertise, but I just wanted to point out some of the information I was using. Seems contradictory, perhaps more information has come to light since the book was published in 1909. I will no doubt need to read this book in more depth to understand the full details of the British system. 
One question. You suggest that the 1d mark was inland postage. Does that mean the 6d stamp would have covered the foreign mail costs? i.e. postage to Canada? That probably makes more sense than my assertion of insufficient postage. That idea came from figure 78 on pg. 17, and I'll admit was a little tenuous.

Well how about making this a thread for mourning covers?


Mourning Cover to Edinburgh London E.C. 4 MY 14 1864 duplex 78

Mourning Cover to Edinburgh London E.C. 4 MY 14 1864 duplex 78

Someone has died recently. Queen Victoria used them for years mourning the death of Prince Albert.

Good idea!