Scan or Photo Courtesy of Kishore Chandak
Date
October 1809
Description
1809 : H.G. 1 : NEGAPATAM, a sea port on the TANJORE coast, MADRAS Presidency. In 1799, the TANJORE kingdom came into British hands by treaty, NEGAPATAM became the District headquarters & remained so until 1845. NEGAPATAM and NAGORE were incorporated as a single municipality in 1866. Until this letter was discovered in 1972, the handstruck stamp "POST PAID / NEGAPATAM" had not been recorded, but it is quite clear in impression on this letter dated 4th October, 1809, which was sent to Madras, for shipping on the Fleet about to leave Madras on the 15th inst., according to the information in the letter. On arrival in England, the letter was stamped with the "SHIP LETTER / LONDON / Crown" on 10th April, 1810, the letter taking roughly six months in transit between India and England.
Auction
Provenance
Derek Hammond Giles
Same office
Other recorded marks at Negapatam
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Negapatam are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this record
This October 1809 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Negapatam HG 1 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark with 1 example recorded in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far. It has appeared at auction with Spink, Giles, lot 333, (Oct. 2000).