COV-2451 — 24 March 1845 Wallajahabad HG 7 Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Santosh MS
Census record COV-2451 is a 24 March 1845 pre-stamp cover of British India bearing the Wallajahabad HG 7 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Scarce” in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far.
Date
24 March 1845
Description
1845 Wallajabad – London overland entire, with Wallajabad Giles 7 "WALLAJABAD/FREE" handstamp, date "24 March 1845" applied in manuscript. Passed free to Bombay as an EIC service letter. The sender endorsed his name at the left bottom corner, "Thomas Wheeler". At Bombay, Giles G2 "GPO/1845 MR 29" & SD7 "INDIA" transit marks applied. Sent to Suez via EIC steamer CLEOPATRA from Bombay on 1st April, then travelled overland to Alexandria & from there sent to Malta via P&O steamer IBERIA, then sent to Marseilles via H.M.'s packet SYDENHAM, and finally reached London. There "LI/4 MY 4/1845" receipt mark applied. "1/10" (indicating 1s 10d India–UK combined British packet rate, comprising 1s 5d British postage & 5d French postage via the Marseilles route, for a letter under ¼ oz.) bearing postage was collected from the recipient.