"Halfpenny Packet Post" not acceptable for PC

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Moonraker
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:23 pm

"Halfpenny Packet Post" not acceptable for PC

Post by Moonraker »

I've just bought a panoramic card published by Photochrom Co Ltd showing Bulford Camp and posted in 1909. The size (240 x 100mm) does more justice to the photograph than on normal-sized PCs on which it features quite often. On the address part of the card is printed "Halfpenny Packet Post", but the GPO has stamped the card "Liable to Letter Rate 144", with a large "1d" endorsed with initials. (Postage Due stamps were not introduced until 1914.)

It looks as if Photochrom made a mistake in stating the rate was a halfpenny? Or had the rules changed since the card was printed.

There's a load of guff

here

about what the Halfpenny Packet Post could be used for, but I can't see anything that precludes a panoramic postcard. And a couple of such cards with halfpenny stamps and no surcharge (admittedly postmarked before 1909) are being offered on eBay.

davidnugget
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:05 pm

Re: "Halfpenny Packet Post" not acceptable for PC

Post by davidnugget »

The panoramic cards I have, of similar date, are "Panoramicard"s published by WHSmith, they say they could still be posted for a ha'penny as PRINTED MATTER if the only message on them was a signature. Does your card contain any message?

Moonraker
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:23 pm

Re: "Halfpenny Packet Post" not acceptable for PC

Post by Moonraker »

Thanks for your reply, David, which does answer my question. Printed on the left side of the card at the top is "No writing other than address and signature to be on this card" and at the bottom is "From ", with a temptingly large blank space in between.

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