June Slogan Postmarks and other interesting postal markings.

May was quiet with only one new slogan, but we have already had the first for June - will there be any more, though?  

Remember when new stamps were announced with a slogan, and sometimes specific to a particular stamp or location.  Those were the days, and with computer-generated ink-jet, there is no manufacturing costs of slogan dies as there were in the old days.  So the paucity of slogans mus be down to a change in policy and a lack of people available to generate them.

Christmas stamp design winner

East Kilbride New Town

If this month follows the practice of previous years we could see, Father's Day, Pride Month, Loneliness Awareness Week, Armed Forces Day (and possibly Reserve Forces recognition), and Dog Awareness although that might be in July.

However, the first slogan of the month marks the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in World War 2.

JE was the first to send a picture (from Preston Mail Centre) but it is unnecessarily on a postage paid envelope (C9 license, King Charles stamp), so I'm using this one supplied by RS from Bristol Mail Centre - it's better than the one I received this morning from SE Anglia (Chelmsford).

D○DAY80
6 June 2024

D-DAY80 slogan from Bristol (BA,BS,GL,TA) Mail Centre 01/06/2024

Update: JE has now been able to add the iLSM version of the D-Day slogan, from Edinburgh Mail Centre.  Apparently dated 31 May this was allegedly posted on 4 June!

D-DAY80 slogan from Edinburgh Mail Centre 31/05/2024

We understand that the default Heart Foundation slogan resumed on 6 June.   (Update)  Here's an example from Chester & N Wales Mail Centre on 16/06/2024

British Heart Foundation (default) slogan used at Chester Mail Centre 16/06/2024.

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UPDATE 24 June: with the parliamentary general election looming early next month the only likely election-related slogan appeared this weekend, with a reminder to return Postal Votes early.  We had one from Manchester Mail Centre dated 21/06/2024.  I think the slogan reads

Return your
postal vote early
for 4 July election 

with a picture of a postbox and an envelope.

Postal Vote slogan Manchester Mail Centre 21/06/2024

UPDATE 26 June:  Royal Mail have mentioned this postmark on social media, with a mock-up from Warrington dated 24-06-1948

Publicity mock-up of Postal Vote slogan Warrington Mail Centre 24-06-2024

UPDATE 30 June (yes, Sunday - it's raining!).  Thanks to MH for sending a selection of Postal Vote examples including an inverted one from Warrington on 25-06-2024 to compare with the publicity picture above.

Actual impression of Postal Vote slogan from Warrington Mail Centre 25-06-2024 showing the layout actually used, as with the Medway one below.

UPDATE 27 June: RW has sent this example from (I think) Medway Mail Centre dated 21-06-2024, with a totally different layout of the wording on the slogan from that shown at Warrington.

Digitally enhancd Postal Vote slogan Medway Mail Centre 21-06-2024

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OTHER POSTMARKS AND POSTAL MARKINGS

The first postmark of interest this month is a Norwich packet stamp, image provided by JH.  He wondered whether it would pass the threshold for the blog?  Well it is worth showing just because so few people see this sort of handstamp now, with larger items having postage paid by label or with any stamps used either uncancelled or scored out with biro or marker pen.  

The unfortunate thing is that they don't tend to work well with the glossy surface of Post and Go stamps!

Norwich packet stamp with postcode NR1 1AA, used 31 May 2024.

More packet stamps:  MM has sent a similar packet handstamp, dated June 2024 from Preston Mail Centre which includes 'MC' in the text rather than a postcode.

Royal Mail Preston M.C. packet handstamp June 2024

UPDATE 25 June: another packet stamp from MM, this time from Exeter Mail Centre dated 24 June.

Exeter MC / Devon packet handstamp 24 June 2024

 

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UPDATE 19 June.  My thanks to MH of Cambridgeshire for this fine example of the Forres counter datestamp showing a date of 04 JU 24.  This is, today, obviously JUNE.  But later this year how would we know whether it was June or July?  The convention used to be June to be abbreviated to JE and July to JY. 

Forres counter datestamp dated 04. JU 24 on 2nd class Large Machin

The Forres Post Office building has a date of 1911 in the stonework facing the road.  It seems to occupy the whole of the (front at least) of the building: there may still be a Royal Mail delivery office at the back.   The town (ancient royal burgh) is between Inverness and Elgin, in Morayshire.

Forres Post Office, Google Streetview 2023

 

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This cover from NB also belongs on the Postal History blog.   The mark is not uncommon, but I suspect we will see many more uses of it as Revenue Protection are asked to double-check and now that the surcharging of mail with allegedly counterfeit stamps has been halted.

Revenue Protection mark on letter, May 2024.

This is an interesting case: the handstamp is often used on contract mail, or bulk mail which is all underpaid - the wording "correct postage raised" would mean that the sender (Philangles) had been contacted, told what the collective underpayments were and 'invited' to pay the difference - or their RM business account would be debited.

DO NOT SURCHARGE
CORRECT POSTAGE
RAISED BY REVENUE
PROTECTION TREAT
AS 1ST CLASS

The postage paid is 85p, ie fully paid for 2nd class up to 100g.   It is a c5 envelope and could be heavy but I would think the company sought to keep the sending under 100g.   

 After checking it is marked 'treat as 1st class'.  Would this be because it has been delayed by the checking process, or because there was a shortfall and it has been recovered in bulk? 

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If you have any other slogans used this month, or any other interesting postal markings from any period or place, please send them to the email address in the top right of this blog.  Thank you.

Remember, all postmarks appearing in June will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing. 

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