COV-2435 — 3 February 1846 Benares HG 12 Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Santosh MS
Census record COV-2435 is a 3 February 1846 pre-stamp cover of British India bearing the Benares HG 12 handstamp of the North Western Provinces, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 3 surviving covers with this mark recorded.
Date
3 February 1846
Description
1846 Benares – London overland entire via Bombay & Southampton route, with Benares Giles 12 "BENARES STA/1846 FEB 3/PAID" despatch handstamp, rate "6" (paid 6A as under ¼ tolah weight, single-letter rate paid to Bombay, as it travelled between 900–1100 miles; Benares–Bombay distance was 927 miles) & weight "½ Ounce" (indicating the single-letter rate for India–UK packet postage via Southampton). At Bombay, Giles SD6 "INDIA" port transit applied & sent to Aden via EIC regular steamer QUEEN, then to Suez via P&O steamer PRECURSOR, travelled overland to Alexandria & sent to Southampton via P&O steamer ORIENT, reached London via Southampton on 1st April, and there "LE/1 AP 1/1846" receipt mark applied. "1/" (1s single-letter bearing postage for India–UK packet postage) applied in manuscript, which was collected from the recipient.