MILL PRISON, PLYMOUTH - RARE SMUGGLED (?) LETTER VIA SMALL B...

Hammer

£320

MILL PRISON, PLYMOUTH - RARE SMUGGLED (?) LETTER VIA SMALL BRITTANY PORT TO FRANCE; Unusual and fine 2 Mar. 1801 EL from "Marin Beguin Matelot, provenant de la prise du Corsaire Le Hazard" in "Mill Prison near Plymouth" to La Rochelle municipal council asking for 100 francs; exceptionally not sent through the London Transport Office system but only having a very fine "21/GUINGAMP" mark of the small town near the Brittany coast opposite Plymouth and charged "5" decimes to La Rochelle. Thought to have been carried by a returning repatriated prisoner on board the Morlaix cartel. Rare. [Illust. in Renollaud, p.88.] [See Sept. 2015 Cavendish lot 1132 for a similar cover; realised £384.]Cross Reference: MILITARY - P.O.W. MAIL, DEVON, FRANCE