December 2022 Postmark Slogans and other interesting postal markings

All slogan postmarks used in December will be shown here; please check for latest updates before spending your time scanning, but if you have something new or another format, then please do send it in for publication.  And look out for anything from machines brought out of reserve instead of from an ink-jet machine!

As a reminder to anybody who is new to the subject, this type of slogan is generally known as the Universal type although over the years other machines have produced similar impressions.  

November 2019 Lancashire & South 6 Lakes Postcode slogan from Universal-type machine.

These are often pressed into service around the country at peak times but they may be few and far between this year.

New slogans

For much of December the current default 'Use your old stamps' slogan has been in use, and continues with the original 31 January date.

But as a result of the current industrial dispute making mail processing days before Christmas fewer than normal, the last dates for posting have been advanced. That for 2nd class mail was 12 December.

A new slogan advertises the 1st class deadline of 16 December - interestingly the date is shown in an unusual format for the UK. Used at Norwich Mail Centre 12-12-2022.

Post early
for Christmas
1st Class deadline
December 16 2022

Post Early slogan for 1st class mail, Norwich Mail Centre 12-12-2022.

UPDATE 16 December. My thanks to JE for this image of the IMP format from Preston (Lancashire and South Lakes also on 12/12/2022.  JE says that this slogan was to run from 12 to 15 December, but with strikes on 14 & 15 Dec. the later dates will be scarcer.

Post Early slogan for 1st class mail, Lancashire and South Lakes (Preston Mail Centre) 12/12/2022.

UPDATE 17 December. And because Exeter always get such a bad write-up, here's the same from there sent in by RW.

Post Early slogan for 1st class mail, Exeter Mail Centre 13-12-2022.

UPDATE 20 December. Despite the strikes reducing collections from mailboxes I know that some managers collected from some Post Offices and maybe some businesses.  Thus even on strike days the mail centres were working and postmarks do exist on those dates.

BM sent the Post Early from Cornwall Mail Centre on 15/12/2022, and MM sent a pair,  on a square envelope from Tyneside NE/SR Mail Centre on 14/12/2022 (I think!), and a conventional one from Plymouth and Cornwall Mail Centre on 15/12/2022.

Post Early slogan for 1st class mail, Cornwall Mail Centre 15/12/2022.

Post Early slogan for 1st class mail, Plymouth and Cornwall Mail Centre 15/12/2022.

Post Early slogan for 1st class mail, Tyneside Mail Centre 14/12/2022.

After the last posting day, the current default slogan to Use Up non-barcoded stamps returned to use,and our own mail included two square envelopes with the backward printing - Post Early on 13/12/2022 and Use Up on 17/12/2022 both from Sheffield Mail Centre.

Reversed layout Post Early slogan for 1st class mail, Sheffield Mail Centre 13/12/2022 and Use non-barcoded stamps slogan used at Sheffield Mail Centre 17/12/2022

But MM went one better and had them both on the same envelope.  Apparently Use non-barcoded on 09-12-2022 from South Midlands and Post Early from Tyneside possibly on 12/12/2022. 

Two for one!

 

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UNIVERSALS

My thanks to RL for sending this image of a Universal die usage (on a forged 1st class MA12 stamp!). This is said to have been posted in Southend-on-Sea but the postmark, I believe, is Jubilee Mail Centre (JMC at lower left), with [KT-TW]-GU postcode areas at the top.  No year unfortunately, but I suspect that mail centres don't have a 2022 die for these machines.

Universal postmarking machine usage Jubilee Mail Centre 6-XII (2022)

UPDATE 23 December. A neighbour has given me this with a (very dumb) Peterborough Universal postmark.  No year, but no date.  The stamp is M16L so nothing to prove that it is this year's which is unfortunate.

Universal canceller used at Peterborough, December 2022 but undated.

UPDATE 29 DECEMBER: My thanks to 'Rapido' for providing these images which conclusive prove that the Peterborough Universal -A- has been in use in 2022 - with a year-coded M22L Machin.

Universal canceller used at Peterborough, December 2022 undated but with year proved by M22L coded 2nd class stamp.

UPDATE 9 January - I'm told that STROMNESS used its universal, without a year plug as usual, but as CP didn't use a 2022 stamp there is no proof that what he has is this year's. Update, I now have a picture from 5 December scanned from a photocopy. I'd forgotten that they used the Snowman Happy Christmas Please Post Early slogan.

Stromness Universal machine postmark used 5 December (2022) with Snowman slogan.

Remember, all postmarks appearing in December will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing.  I'll try to add new ones as quickly as possible.

 

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