Calling Cambridge! - New Post and Go machines and one-day slogan postmark.

This is a special report for residents of the Cambridge area.  

In case you haven't been watching the post and go machine discussions, you now have new NCR machines at 57-58 St Andrew Street Post Office.  See more information here.

Of more immediate importance if you collect local postal history or slogan postmarks, there will be a special ONE-DAY slogan postmark next week to mark the birth centenary of Max Perutz, recently featured on the remarkable lives stamp issue.   Born in Vienna, Max Perutz studied chemistry and moved to Cambridge in 1936 to pursue his research. Interned as an enemy alien at the outbreak of the Second World War, he was sent to Canada but released in 1941 to continue his work. He was the chairman of the Medical Research Council’s Unit (later its Laboratory) for Molecular Biology.  He devoted most of his working life to the study of haemoglobin.

Royal Mail have advised that a special one-day slogan postmark will be in use on Monday 19 May 2014, the anniversary of his birth.  Previous similar commemorative slogan postmarks have been available for mail due to arrive on the designated day, ie in this case it would be on mail posted on Friday 16/Saturday 17 May.  Also, in other cases, the postmarks have been applied on letters being sent TO the key location (ie the CB postcode area), but in this case we understand it will be applied on letters being sent FROM Cambridge, Saffron Waldon, Ely, Haverhill, and Newmarket.

I've sought confirmation of these details in view of the variation from some previous practice, and will update this blog when I hear from Royal Mail.

UPDATE 16 MAY

Royal Mail have advised that this postmark will be in use for one week from 19 May on mail delivered TO addresses in the CB (Cambridge) postcode area, including Intra-CB letters.

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