Scan or Photo Courtesy of Santosh MS
Date
23 October 1840
Description
1840 Rajcote – London overland entire via Falmouth route (though sender endorsed "Via Southampton"), with Rajcote "RAJCOTE/1840 OCT 23/Paid" hand stamp & "INDIA PAID" (similar to Bombay Giles SD9) mark applied, rate "6As" (paid 6A inland rate to Bombay for a letter between ¼ and 1 tolah, travelling 400–600 miles; Rajcote to Bombay 458 miles) & "1/" in red (indicating 8A, or 1s, paid by the sender, including steam & inland postage up to London for a letter under ¼ oz.) applied in manuscript; sent to Suez via EIC steamer VICTORIA on 31st October, then travelled overland to Alexandria & reached Falmouth via P&O steamer ORIENT on 10th Dec. At London, delivery mark "PAID/14 DEC 14/1840" applied.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Rajkote
5 marks5 other pre-1854 postal markings of Rajkote are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Rajkote pre stamp cover
COV-2482 is a Rajkote pre stamp cover of 23 October 1840 bearing the Rajkote HG 5 handstamp, struck in mauve, recorded in the census of Rajkote postal history — the office known today as Rajkot, Bombay Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
1840 Rajcote – London overland entire via Falmouth route (though sender endorsed "Via Southampton"), with Rajcote "RAJCOTE/1840 OCT 23/Paid" hand stamp & "INDIA PAID" (similar to Bombay Giles SD9) mark applied, rate "6As" (paid 6A inland rate to Bombay for a letter between ¼ and 1 tolah, travelling 400–600 miles; Rajcote to Bombay 458 miles) & "1/" in red (indicating 8A, or 1s, paid by the sender, including steam & inland postage up to London for a letter under ¼ oz.) applied in manuscript; sent to Suez via EIC steamer VICTORIA on 31st October, then travelled overland to Alexandria & reached Falmouth via P&O steamer ORIENT on 10th Dec. At London, delivery mark "PAID/14 DEC 14/1840" applied.
1 image of COV-2482 is recorded (front); the Rajkote HG 5 mark itself is recorded in use 1840–1847.
Questions about COV-2482
- What is COV-2482?
- COV-2482 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Rajkote, Bombay Presidency of 23 October 1840, bearing the Rajkote HG 5 handstamp in mauve. 1840 Rajcote – London overland entire via Falmouth route (though sender endorsed "Via Southampton"), with Rajcote "RAJCOTE/1840 OCT 23/Paid" hand stamp & "INDIA PAID" (similar to Bombay Giles SD9) mark applied, rate "6As" (paid 6A inland rate to Bombay for a letter between ¼ and 1 tolah, travelling 400–600 miles; Rajcote to Bombay 458 miles) & "1/" in red (indicating 8A, or 1s, paid by the sender, including steam & inland postage up to London for a letter under ¼ oz.) applied in manuscript; sent to Suez via EIC steamer VICTORIA on 31st October, then travelled overland to Alexandria & reached Falmouth via P&O steamer ORIENT on 10th Dec. At London, delivery mark "PAID/14 DEC 14/1840" applied.
- How scarce is the Rajkote HG 5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Rajkote HG 5 as scarce, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1840–1847.
- When was COV-2482 posted?
- COV-2482 is dated 23 October 1840, within the recorded period of use of Rajkote HG 5 (1840–1847).
About this record
This 23 October 1840 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Rajkote HG 5 handstamp of the Bombay Presidency, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — one of 3 surviving covers with this mark recorded.