Country Sorting Offices of London (GB)
Based on the extract from the LHPG ( London Postal History Group, available as a download)
Postmark Types
This section Only deals with types L251-L253 and does not deal with the By-Post type cancels which will be dealt with seperately .
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History of their development and structure
In July 1809 the Sorting Offices in the Country area started to be issued with date stamps incorporating the name of the Office. These were required so that bye-letters, which did not go to one of the PrincipalOffices of the Twopenny Post in London, could have a date stamp applied. These stamps were also used, in lieu of Receiving House stamps, on some letters passing to the Town area, as well as on
Cross Post letters. Country Sorting Offices on the Richmond Ride were issued with these date stamps in July 1809, those on the Brentford Ride in 1810, while the remainder of the Country Sorting Offices were issued with stamps in various months in 1811.
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NOTICE TO LETTER CARRIERS Relative to the Bye Post Regulations 1. THE LETTER CARRIERS must carefully sort out from their Collections every Letter intended for Delivery within the Ride to which they belong, and deliver all such letters to the Sorting Office where they attend. It is repeated they must be particularly careful that all such Letters be transferred to the office-Keeper, for delivery by the Bye Post, and that they be not sent up to London.
The above extract gives the instructions to Letter Carriers for the handling of letters passing from one part of a Ride to another, so that they do not have to pass to London.
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Two Penny Post Office ~ April 6th 1811 HIS MAJESTY'S POSTMASTER-GENERAL Being desirous of extending the Benefit and Accommodation afforded to the Public by Means of the Two-Penny Post Office, have been pleased to order that on and after the above date, Letters passing from 'one to another of the following Places.
- Kent Road, from the Bricklayers' Arms - Lee - New Cross - Eltham- Peckham - Charlton- Forest Hill - Woolwich- Deptford- Plumstead- Greenwich - Blackheath- Shooter's Hill and- Lewisham
or from one Part to another of either of the same Places, be delivered direct, by the Means of a Bye-Post, instead of being first sent to London.
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The above is part of a Notice to the Public, informing them of the establishment of the bye-post on the Woolwich Ride.
Similar notices were issued for other Rides, as follows:
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Woodford Ride - May 4th 1811 - covering the following places:
Bow - Barking -Woodford -Bromley [by Bow-Ed] - Ilford -Chingford - Holloway Down - Sewardstone - Old Ford - Leytonstone - Loughton - Stratford - Wanstead - Woodford Bridge - West Ham - Leyton - Chigwell - Chigwell Row - Upton - Walthamstow - East Ham - Snaresbrook
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Beckenham Ride - July 27th 1811 Camberwell South End - covering the following places:
Walworth - Camberwell - Dulwich - Norwood -Sydenham - South End - Beckenham
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Enfield Ride - August 10th 1811- covering the following places:
Kingsland - Ball's Pond - Dalston -Shacklewell - Hackney - Homerton - Clapton - Stoke Newington -Stamford Hill - Tottenham - Edmonton - Southgate - Winchmore Hill - Enfield Bull's Cross - Ponder's End - Enfield Highway
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Barnet Ride - September 21 st 1811 - covering the following places
Islington - Pentonville - Highbury - Holloway - Battle Bridge - Pancrass - Sommers Town - Camden - Town - Kentish Town -Hampstead - West End - North End - Highgate - Hornsey - Finchley - Colney - Hatch - Fryern Barnet - East Barnet - Whetstone - Totteridge - Highwood Hill - Mill Hill - Hendon
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Willisdon Ride October 11th 1811 - covering the following places:
Paddington - Edgware Road - Lisson-Green - Kilborn - The Hyde - Kingsbury - Willisdon
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County Sorting Offices
Most handstamps are known in Black, where another ink is known it is stated.
