1839 Pre-stamp mail. An interesting entire spanning three da...

Estimate

£300 - £400

1839 Pre-stamp mail. An interesting entire spanning three days of Postal History when Rowland Hill's new arrangements for "the cheaper promotion of correspondence and business activity in the country" first came into being in December 1839. The entire (a request for law stationery forms) was posted, not prepaid, on DE.4.1839, at Penryn, Cornwall, and was rated, in manuscript, at 7 pence. To be collected upon delivery at Wadebridge, some 30 miles distant. However at Wadebridge the entire was then re-directed to Plymouth a distance of 38 miles, and was also re-rated at 4 pence, again in manuscript - being the then uniform rate for the General Post, which came into effect on Thursday 5th December 1839. Delivery took place at Plymouth on Friday 6th December 1839, as noted within by the manuscript reply date. Given the distance involved it can therefore be established that the re-rating took place on the first day of Rowland Hill's Uniform Fourpenny Post - 5th December 1839. Unusual cover spanning the first day of the Uniform 4d Post.