daniel
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Post by daniel on Jul 18, 2021 2:16:51 GMT
A new thread for mail from the British Government.
Starting with an internal mail item from the Cabinet Office, Whitehall addressed to D C D Luddington, ESq., CMG c/o the Pacific Dependent Territories at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Royal Coat of Arms on the reverse. Clearly, a mourning envelope. Dated 19th September 1973.
Presumably this was actually Donald C C Luddington, later Sir Donald, who was Secretary for Home Affairs, Hong Kong but by this time had been moved sideways to run the Oceania office but would later become Governor of the Solomon Islands Protectorate. 
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daniel
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Post by daniel on Jul 18, 2021 3:10:53 GMT
A letter from the Official Solicitor (OS) and duly marked as such in the top right corner with an Official Paid cancellation for 13th April 1978.
The Official Solicitor to the Senior Courts acts for people who cannot properly manage their affairs and acts in civil, family and Court of Protection proceedings. This can include welfare, property and child maintenance.
The letter is addressed to Lawes Brothers, in Leigh-on-Sea. They are a domestic and commercial removals company and have been in business for almost 100 years.
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daniel
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Post by daniel on Jul 18, 2021 3:57:45 GMT
An On Her Majesty's Service (OHMS) envelope from the Lord Chancellor's office, the House of Lords. With a House of Lords Official Paid circular red hand stamp dated 12th May 1966. It is addressed to The Town Clerk, Grimsby, Lincolnshire. The Houses of Parliament have their own post office serving both the Commons and the Lords,
The Lord Chancellor is the highest-ranking officer of state, nominally, outranking the Prime Minister, and is is responsible for the efficient functioning and independence of the courts.
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Post by daniel on Jul 19, 2021 5:02:51 GMT
From the First Lord of the Treasury, 10 Downing Street. This title is held by the Prime Minister, the Second Lord of the Treasury is the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Unusual to find a First Lord of the Treasury hand stamp, with an Official Paid, London SW1 cancellation dated 25th March 1981. In 1981, the First Lord of the Treasury was Margaret Thatcher.
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daniel
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Post by daniel on Jul 21, 2021 2:19:31 GMT
From the Clerk of the Parliaments to the Economist magazine (Intelligence Unit). The Clerk of the Parliaments is the most senior official in the House of Lords, it is a permanent position and hence the pluralisation of Parliament. The holder is similar to a chief executive in business. A nice Clerk of the Parliaments handstamp and an Official Paid House of Lords red postmark for 23rd June 1985.
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daniel
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Post by daniel on Aug 4, 2021 3:05:18 GMT
This is an On Her Majesty's Service (OHMS) cover. In this instance Her Majesty refers to Queen Victoria. It has been sent from the Secretary of State for the Home Department to The Clerk to the Justices for the Petty Sessional Division of Marlborough who has noted that the contents relate to school legislation. The red handstamp reads London/Official Paid and is dated 1st January 1896. On the left there is a small Home Office Official mark with a crown. The reverse has a backstamp for Marlborough dated 2nd January 1896, and a Secretary of State Home Department crest.
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Post by daniel on Aug 13, 2021 4:42:34 GMT
This is a Free Front from 1833. Free Frank handstamps date back to 1764 and were applied to letters from members of the Houses of Parliament, Lords or Commons, and also Government departments who had free posting privileges. The term Free Front relates to the collectability of such covers whereby the fronts were cut out and typically stuck into albums.
This particular item, an On His Majesty's Service front from the War-Office is addressed to Charles Pearson, The Town Clerks Office, Gravesend. It is dated 8th May 1833 when William IV was king. It is signed by an official on the lower left. You can just make out a beautiful watermark depicting a crown above an encircled lion rampant, shown sideways.
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