Stirling (GB)

4½d QV Jubilee with Stirling Parcel Cancel.

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Stirling; Scots: Stirlin; Scottish Gaelic: Sruighlea, is a city in central Scotland. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its merchants and tradesmen, the bridge and the port. Located on the River Forth, Stirling is the administrative centre for the Stirling council area, and is traditionally the county town of Stirlingshire. Proverbially it is the strategically important "Gateway to the Highlands". It has been said that "Stirling, like a huge brooch clasps Highlands and Lowlands together". Similarly "he who holds Stirling, holds Scotland" is often quoted.

In the early 19th century an "exceedingly low" cost steamboat service used to run between Stirling and Newhaven or Granton. The coming of the railways in 1848 started the decline of the river traffic, not least because the Alloa Swing Bridge downstream restricted access for shipping. The railways did provide opportunity too with one Riverside company selling their reaping machines as far afield as Syria and Australia. Similarly, in 1861, a company making baby carriages was set up. These prams were exported to Canada, South America, India and South Africa.

After the blockades of the World Wars there was some increase in the use of the port including a tea trade with India. However with normal shipping lanes open, the growth of the railways including The Forth Rail Bridge, left the harbour uneconomical and by the mid 20th century the port had ceased to operate.

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Stirling

Stirling to Kirkaldy 20 Jan 1840 prepaid, Uniform Penny Postage red "1" postmark and rectangular paid postmark Stirling with year omitted

Cover sent from Stirling Nov 17 1855 to Auchterarder receiving box in blue for 18/10/1845 Stirling dispatch on reverse of 17/10 1845

Stirling 1905

Stirling 1968

Stirling Experimental duplex

Experimental duplex AP 20 1856 code D

Experimental Duplex JY 15 1856 Code C

Meter cancels

Meter cancel Stirling 2008

Sub-Offices near Stirling

Luib (until 1902)

Passed to Perthshire 1903

Plean (from 1903)

Formerley under Bannockburn until 1902

Stirling Railway Station

Stirling 1905 Bars and maltese cross cancel