Morning Duty date stamps
A new stamp was introduced in 1810, which had the date both sides of the month. Up to 1836 the letters A to G were used at the top of the circle, then the letter H was added in 1826, and others after 1840.
click here for details	This example was from Cardiff to London in 1834. Note that it was opened by cutting the seal, which can be seen attached to the lower half of the letter
	two examples showing the letters B (Oxford to London, 1836) and C (Plymouth to London, 1830)in the datestamps. This code letter only identified the table at which the letters were sorted, or the clerk using the stamp at the time.
The letter from Oxford in 1836 has interesting contents. It is addressed to Messrs Law & Tindal, Solicitors, 10 Lincolns Inn, London (The same address as the letters on the previous page, so this was possibly a 'set of rooms or Chambers' for a group of solicitors. Oxford 13th December 1836 Gentlemen, In obedience of your Letter of the 2nd instant, I have caused the Steeple Aston Inclosure Award to be again searched through to discover if there were any Allotments to the Trustees of the Will of, or of a Settlement made by Sir Francis Page, Knight, and I find there are no other Allotments either to Francis Page Esquire or to Sir Francis's Trustees beside those contained in the Extract with which you have already been furnished. I am, Gentlemen, Your very obedient Servant John M Davenport.
Copyright 2002 E. J. Shanahan By EARS Leisurewrite	Morning Duty P.5 Introduction Return to our Home Page