The media coverage of Royal Mail's 2020 Christmas stamps - delayed until the stamps were actually issued - was less than they might have hoped, probably in view of the latest developments and pronouncements by the UK Government on the Void-19 pandemic. But as the stamps are now issued, we can now record their designs and subjects here.
The stamps in detail
2nd class –Adoration of the Magi (detail) from St Andrew’s Church, East Lexham Norfolk
1st class –Virgin and Child (detail) from St Andrew’s Church, Coln Rogers, Gloucestershire
£1.45 –Virgin and Child (detail) from the Church of St James, Hollowell, Northamptonshire
£1.70 –Virgin and Child (detail) from All Saints’ Church, Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire
£2.50 –The Holy Family (detail) from St Columba’s Church, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire
£2.55 –Virgin and Child (detail) from Christ Church, Coalville, Leicestershire
The stamps are also issued in an ordinarily gummed
Miniature Sheet.
Technical details and acknowledgements
The stamps were printed by International Security Printers in gravure in self-adhesive sheets, of 50* stamps per sheet. Perforation: 14.5 x 15. (*it is normal for Christmas stamps to be printed in the same format as definitives, ie without a central gutter.)
Miniature sheet size: 179mm x 74mm. Stamp sizes standard 24mm(w) x 28mm(h), Large Letter 34mm(w) x 28mm(h). The sheet is probably printed in litho on paper with water-activated gum, although this has not been stated by Royal Mail.
Acknowledgements:
2nd class St Andrew’s Church, East Lexham © Peter J Hatcher/Alamy Stock
Photo; 1st class St Andrew’s Church, Coln Rogers © Colin
Underhill/Alamy Stock Photo; £1.45 the Church of St James, Hollowell ©
Alastair Carew Cox/Bridgeman Images; £1.70 All Saints’ Church, Otley ©
Alastair Carew Cox Bridgeman Images; £2.50 St Columba’s Church,
Topcliffe © Alastair CarewCox/Bridgeman Images; £2.55 Christ Church,
Coalville © Colin Underhill/Alamy Stock Photo.
Other products include retail booklets of 12 x 1st and 12 x 2nd class stamps, printed in gravure...
... and the usual unnecessary litho-printed self-adhesive Generic Sheet - continued because Royal Mail think that customers want them, even though the original justification was to provide collectors with a cheap alternative to the relatively expensive customised Smilers stamps - a service which is no longer available and so for which there is no need for a cheaper(!) alternative. As usual there is only one set of stamps per sheet but there may well be provision for these in some pre-printed albums and associated catalogues.
Other products: First day covers (2), stamp cards, presentation pack.
Special Postmarks: we understand that the November Postmark Bulletin has not yet arrived at Tallents House for distribution to subscribers. Special handstamps for this issue can be seen on Royal Mail's website here.
Distribution problems: several people have reported problems with obtaining some or all of the stamps from PO branches on the day of issue.
UPDATE 9 November
Because of new lockdown restrictions in various parts of the UK Special Handstamp Centre deadlines have once again been extended indefinitely. This applied to Christmas, Star Wars and probably early 2021 issues.
UPDATE 10 November. The following detail is taken from a Royal Mail press release, via the (US) Virtual Stamp Club website because Royal Mail have not put the information on their own.
2nd Class stamp Adoration of the Magi
Location: East window of St Andrew’s Church, East Lexham, Norfolk. This is an Anglican church,
dedicated to Saint Andrew and is one of 124 existing round-tower
churches in Norfolk. It is thought to date from circa 900AD and said to
be one of the oldest in England.
The Window: Mid-19th century stained glass, believed to have
been made by Clayton & Bell in c.1859 – the designs adopted the
gothic style of the 15th century in keeping with the perpendicular east
window. The east window depicts scenes relating to Christ’s birth and
death. The upper tier shows Christ carrying the Cross, The Crucifixion
and Christ being taken down from the cross. The lower tier shows events
related to Christ’s birth – the annunciation, Adoration of the Magi, and
the presentation of Christ in the temple.
1st Class stamp Virgin and Child
Location:
St Andrew’s Church, Coln Rogers, Gloucestershire. This is an Anglican
parish church and is dedicated to Saint Andrew. It is often described as
being rather unique, as it has a Saxon nave and chancel which have
survived almost intact. It dates to the mid-11th century.
The Window: The three main lights of the east window of the
church, dated c.1865 and made by the studio of Heaton, Butler and Bayne,
focus on nativity scenes (including the Shepherds, Mary and Joseph with
the Christ child and the three Magi). In the central light (from which
this is a detail) Mary cradles the new-born Christ child.
£1.45 stamp Virgin and Child
Location: Church of St James, Hollowell, Northamptonshire. The Church of St James was built
in 1841 in the gothic style, and is known for its beautiful
stained-glass windows in the eastern apse of the chancel, and the rose
window above the west door.
The Window: Chancel apse, south east window designed by
Henry Holiday (1839-27) and made by J Powell & Sons, 1863. This is
one of three lancet windows in the apse of the chancel. Each lancet
window features a single narrative panel contained within a quatrefoil
set against a background of decorative painted foliate grisaille (in the
manner of the 13th century, decorated style). The north-eastern window
depicts the Baptism of Christ, the central the Crucifixion, and the
south-eastern (as pictured) shows the Virgin Mary and Christ child
within the stable. The brightly coloured pieces of flashed ruby glass,
and turquoise, blue, pink and purple tones demonstrates the wide variety
and high-quality of the glass made at Powell’s glassworks.
£1.70 stamp Virgin and Child
Location: All Saints Church, Otley, West Yorkshire. The first church building on the site was Anglo
Saxon but only the foundations from this early church remain. A Norman
church was built over them in the 11th century and this forms the
present-day chancel. It was enlarged in about 1240. Further additions
and modifications took place during later centuries, Including the
installation of a number of stained-glass windows by various makers in
the Victorian period.
Window: This window is from a two-tier three light window in
the South Transept of the church. The lower tier main lights show the
Nativity with the Crucifixion in the upper tier above. It was
manufactured by Clayton & Bell and installed in 1862. This image is
the central scene of the Nativity. In the centre Mary is seated and
holds the infant Jesus on her knee.
£2.50 stamp Detail of the Holy Family
Location: St Columba’s Church, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire. St Columba’s is the parish church
of Topcliffe, near Thirskand the present building dates from the 13th
century and was largely rebuilt by railway architect George T Andrews in
1885.
The Window: This well-known window is one of two windows
located on the south side of the chancel of the church. The window is
divided into three lights, showing three scenes in the life of Mary
which also relate to the birth of Christ. On the left is the
Annunciation, in the centre panel are Mary and her cousin and the panel
on the right shows the Holy Family – Joseph, Mary and Jesus. This detail
is from the scene of the Holy Family. It was designed by Michael
Halliday and manufactured by Lavers & Barraud c.1860.
£2.55 stamp Virgin and Child
Location: Christ Church, Coalville, Leicestershire. The church was built between 1836 and 1838, with a west tower, large nave, transepts, chancel and vestry added later in 1936.
The Window: Whilst most of the glass is Victorian there are
also three modern windows, which include the North chancel lancet window
of the Nativity. The scene focuses on the virgin and child, with the ox
and donkey watching over them (c. 1976). Harry Harvey (1922-2011)
worked during the latter part of the twentieth-century producing
stained-glass in a distinctive modern style. He died in 2011.
Thanks to Lloyd A. de Vries for posting this information
