Page 91 - The Sideways Experimenatal Duplex 1852-1858

TYPE Via
Tiris hand stamp which has two sub-types a and b was unique to London.

LONDON S.E.8
The Type VIa stamp was sent to four Districts S.E.7 and 8 along with W11and12
all issued on 24th March 1857. The obliterator was quite different from all other sideways duplex.
The town name though was placed around the side of the date stamp the same as all other
sideways duplex except that is the Type I. It has an upright oval frame containing 17 thin
horizontal bars which are broken in the middle to take the initials of the Districts. The majority
of codes used with these hand stamps were numeral with the figure 8 sometimes followed by either
MG or NT likely representing morning or night. The letters X, Y and Z are also used, very
occasionally followed by the letter A. These S.E. hand stamps have a rarity rating of D.
Although each of the Districts received only one hand stamp they were all recut at some time.

c~z'
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Above can be seen an example of this hand stamp used on an entire from Rochester
to London. It is dated 11th May 1861 and has the scarcer letter code 'X'. The entire was
redirected within London when this hand stamp was used. There are various manuscript
marks after each attempt to deliver the letter finally stating, No better address to be obtained.
On the front is also an inspectors mark used to confirm the attempts at delivery.