Christmas 2015
Issue Date: 03.11.15Reason & Inspiration
Royal Mail has issued Christmas stamps since 1966. From 2005 it introduced a policy of alternating secular with religious designs each year, and 2015 is a religious year. The stamps tell the traditional Nativity story in an impressionistic style, from the Annunciation, through to the Nativity and journey of the Magi.

As is usual, separate stamps at 1st and 2nd class rate of the Madonna and Child will also be available from Post Offices.

Experts
David Holmes (Illustrator)
David Cecil Holmes was born in Chelsea, London. He attended the Ealing College of Art and The Central School of Art, and he began his career in advertising. After working in several top London agencies, he became co-founder and Creative Director of the award-winning Holmes Knight Ritchie Ltd., later TBWA Holmes Knight Ritchie. He works as a painter and illustrator, but he is also well known as an art director and designer.

Studio David Hillman (Stamp designers)
Educated at the London School of Printing, David Hillman started as a designer on The Sunday Times Magazine. In 1968, he joined Nova magazine as art director and in 1975 he set up his own design practice, with a commission to design a new French daily newspaper, Le Matin de Paris. After joining Pentagram in 1978, he continued his work in editorial design, identity, signage and packaging. In 2007, he left Pentagram to set up Studio David Hillman.

David has won numerous awards and his work has been exhibited worldwide. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers and a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). In 1997, he was made a Royal Designer for Industry, and between 2001 and 2003 he served as International President of the AGI. In 2004, he was made a Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art.

The most recent job David Hillman has undertaken for Royal Mail prior to the Christmas 2015 stamp issue was the 30 stamps celebrating the sports of the Olympic and Paralympic Games form 2009 to 2011. He also worked on 2007’s The Queen’s Diamond Wedding stamps and products and on the Millennium stamps.

Mint Stamps In Detail
Stamp Set Price: £8.96
Stamp Set Code: AS46B

The Christmas 2015 stamps feature scenes from the Biblical story of the Nativity, painted by artist David Holmes, with art direction and design by Studio David Hillman.

The images are as follows:

2nd Class and 2nd Class Large: The journey to Bethlehem
1st Class and 1st Class Large: The Nativity
£1.00: The animals of the Nativity
£1.33: The shepherds
£1.52: The three wise men
£2.25: The Annunciation

Miniature Sheet In Detail
Price: £8.96
Code: MZ112

The Miniature Sheet has been designed by Studio David Hillman and illustrated by David Holmes.

Technical Details:

Number of stamps: Eight
Design: Studio David Hillman
Acknowledgements: Illustrations by David Holmes
Stamp Format (Standard): Portrait
Stamp Format (Large): Landscape
Stamp Size (Standard): 24mm x 28mm
Stamp Size (Large): 34mm x 28mm
Sheet size: Sheet Stamps: 165mm x 323mm
Miniature Sheet: 179mm x 74mm
Number per Sheet: Stamps: 50
Miniature Sheet: 8
Printer: Sheet Stamps: De La Rue
Miniature Sheet: De La Rue
Retail Books: International Security Printers
Print Process: Gravure
Perforations: 14.5 x 15
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum:Stamps: Self – adhesive
Miniature Sheet: PVA

Winter Fur & Feathers
Issue Date: Tuesday, 16th November 2015Reason & Inspiration
During the winter months, the UK countryside can lose some of its natural colour, as leaves fall and trees become covered in snow. Yet among the seasonal changes linger some spectacular animals, often hard to see but occasionally revealing themselves with a flash of an underwing or shiny pelt. The robin, for example, is at its most dramatic during the British winter, its colourful red breast standing out from its surroundings, while other creatures, like the mountain hare, stoat and weasel, become completely transformed by their winter ermine.

Some birds and mammals visit British shores only in winter, including species such as the edwing. During this time of year, the UK becomes a migration hotspot, with millions of animals passing through or taking up temporary residence for a few weeks or months. So, while many animals hibernate and sit out the British winter, the rest of the countryside plays host to some wonderful sights and sounds, making it well worth keeping one’s eyes and ears open during a bracing wintry walk.

Stamp Specifications

Post & Go Stamps: Winter Fur & Feathers
Number of stamps: Four
Date of issue: 16th November 2015
Design: Osborne Ross
Acknowledgements: Illustrations by Robert Gillmor; photography © Royal Mail Card design © Royal Mail Group Ltd 2015
Printer: International Security Printers
Process: Gravure
Format: Landscape
Size: 56mm x 25mm
Perforations: Die-cut simulated
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: Self-adhesive

As overprinted by Post & Go machine: Mountain Hare A true alpine mammal, the mountain hare inhabits upland areas with a height of more than 500 metres. From October onwards, it undergoes a series of remarkable moults, transforming from brown to pure white. During average British winters, this makes the hare virtually invisible.

As overprinted by Post & Go machine: Redwing The smallest member of the thrush family, the redwing is a winter migrant in the UK, first appearing in late September. Easy to identify with its distinctive red flanks, in harsher winters it can be seen in gardens, foraging for berries and other food.

As overprinted by Post & Go machine: Red Fox One of the UK’s most abundant wild animals, the red fox is at home in a wide range of habitats – in both rural and urban areas – and its numbers are on the increase in towns and cities. With its sleek coat and bushy tail, it is an instantly recognisable and iconic sight.

As overprinted by Post & Go machine: Red Squirrel Most known for its red fur, tufted ears and bushy tail, the red squirrel is one of the UK’s favourite native mammals, although increasingly rare to spot. It is most at home in the coniferous woodlands of Scotland, but also survives in isolated spots in England.

[press release]

Rugby World Cup
Issue Date: Friday, 18th September 2015AT A GLANCE

• Mint Stamps – 8 1st Class Stamps
• First Day Cover
• Presentation pack
• Stamp Cards
• Retail Stamp Book

REASON & INSPIRATION

On Friday 18th September, England will kick off the 8th Rugby world cup when they face Fiji in the first game of the 2015 Rugby world Cup.

20 of the world’s best International Rugby Union Teams will take part in a tournament that will be televised to an audience of billions throughout the world, running between 18th September, culminating with a final that will take place on 31st October.

Rugby is a huge game in the UK with England alone accounting for almost 2000 separate clubs and over 1 million regular participants. Fierce rivalry between the British home nations ensure that all international games are well attended and keenly followed.

MINT STAMPS IN DETAIL
A set to celebrate Rugby coming home to the country that invented it, and to demonstrate that stamps are contemporary markers in time of such major national events as the Rugby World Cup. Convey the physicality, excitement and skill of the top-level sport of Rugby Union in the context of the key moves and set pieces within the game.

Mint Stamps: £7.38
Code: AS26B
A set of 8 stamps printed as se-tenant pairs (note that stamp are shown above as singles – not se-tenant Pairs. These stamps cover a range of values and bear the official Rugby World Cup 2015 logo that only official, approved products can display.

• 2nd class – Tackle
• 2nd class – Scrum
• 1st class – Try
• 1st class – Conversion
• £1.00 – Pass
• £1.00 – Drop Goal
• £1.52 – Ruck
• £1.52 – Line-Out

Designed by hat-trick and illustrated by Geoff Appleton, the Rugby World Cup 2015 stamps are uncompromisingly black and white. “It’s a celebration of the game of rugby itself,” explains hat-trick’s Creative Director Gareth Howat, “so there are no favours to particular teams, players or stadia. The images are stripped right back, and in the context of stamps, they feel quite radical.”

Appleton worked on canvasses of around A4 size, supplying the designers with three or four painted layers per image, which were then combined in the studio using Photoshop. The foregrounds were more detailed and contrasting; the backgrounds lighter and roughly textured, with rudimentary elements like thumbprints suggesting faces in the crowd. The unusual angles and compositions put the viewer right in the thick of the action – inside the scrum, watching a ball as it flies over the post, observing a pass being made to a player behind.

The gritty style is reminiscent of a comic or graphic novel; there’s a real sense of dynamism (and even heroism) about the all-action figures. Most of the basic scenarios were composed from stock shots and reference materials, although the diving try (with tackler attached) involved a trip to Saracens training camp to get the technique and details right. “In certain passages of play, the area may be packed with bodies,” says Howat, “and so the tricky part was creating a clean, uncluttered image, where it’s clear what’s going on.”

Stamp technical details:

Number of stamps: Eight
Design: Hat-trick design
Acknowledgements: The illustrations reference the following photographic sources – tackle © AP/PA Images; scrum and line-out © Image Source/CORBIS; try and drop goal © Camillo Natale-Miles/Saracens RFC; conversion © Getty Images; pass © Douglas Fisher; ruck © International Rugby Board; TM © RWC Ltd 1986
Stamp Format (Standard): Landscape
Stamp Size (Standard): 41mm x 30mm
Printer : International Security Printers
Print Process: Lithogrphy
Perforations: 14.5 x 14
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA

3.Product Portfolio

First Day Cover
Prices: £9.33 (Inland) £7.38 (Overseas)
Code: AF396

This colourful First Day Cover bears all 8 of the RWC Special Stamps, canceled with a handstamp design that uniquely ties the stamps to the cover to commemorate the first day of issue. Drawing heavily on the RWC branding and use of colour whilst remaining true to the design focused ethos of Royal Mail stamps and collectibles, this First Day Cover is provided direct from tallents House will be personalised with the buyers name and address.

Filler Card
The filler card features a fixture planner, listing all 48 games along with the dates that they will be played. Additionally, in true classic World Cup ‘tracker’ style the knockout phases of the competition are shown with the teams names left blank so that they can be filled in once the key results are known!

First Day Envelope
Price: 30p
Code: AE354

Stamp Souvenir
Price: £9.33
Code: TBC
The new version of the FDC’s will share the same FDE design, stamp configuration, cancellation and insert card as the standard, personalised FDC. The USP’s of the new version are:

• Available for sale for 90 days after stamp issue date – Allowing customers who miss the issue day to buy the product.
• Non-personalised (no customer name and address) – Appealing to customers who want a stock, unaltered product.

Presentation Pack (number 517)
Price: £7.90
Code: AP408
A visual feast and a true memento of what promises to be the most exciting Rugby World Cup yet, this Presentation pack is an official Rugby World Cup item and comes complete with an ‘official merchandise ‘ hologram on the outer protective packaging.

Written by esteemed sports writer and journalist Richard Rae, this Presentation Pack, when folded out provides two full A4 sides of Rugby World Cup trivia. One side focuses on key facts and figures and stats from the history of the RWC, including images of RWC legends Johnny Wilkinson, Jannie de Beer and Jonah Lomu. Also covered are the incredible traditions of the world cup including a picture of the whistle that was used to referee 1905 test match between New Zealand and England and will be used again for the first match of the 2015 RWC,

The flip side of the pack charts the development of Rugby as a game from its origins at Rugby School in 1823 when William Webb Ellis first picked up a football and began running towards the opposition goal, Detail about the development of the international side of the game including the formations of the nation Rugby Football unions, flows into a history of the Rugby World Cup itself.

Definitions of the 8 game situations covered on the stamp designs are included superimposed overran image of the William Webb Ellis cup itself.

Stamp Cards
Price: £3.60
Code: AQ227
This set contains 8 cards in total – five comprising an image of each individual stamp in the issue..

Retail Stamp Book
Price: £3.78
Code: UB386
The Retail Stamp Book, featuring the two First Class RWC stamps (Tackle & Conversion) alongside 4 of the new ‘Long to Reign Over Us 1st Class definitive stamps.of the new First Class Machins, The stamps have been printed in gravure by International Security Printers.

The book features the official Rugby World Cup logo as befits a genuine licenced collectible.

Note: whereas the Special stamps in the book will be self-adhesive the corresponding Mint stamp versions will be gummed which will be of interest to collectors.

Previous Royal Mail Stamps Issued with the same or similar theme:
December 2003 – England victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup

Postmarks
Tallents House Postmark
The TH postmark has been cleverly and unusually designed in the shape of a set of rugby posts.

Alternative Postmark
The alternative post mark depicts the ‘Crouch, Bind, Set’ scrum command which is well known to rugby players the world over. Rugby has been selected as the postal town as it shares its name with the sport itself and is the location of the origin of the game.

Non-First Day of Issue:
TALLENTS HOUSE: Pictorial: FD 1522-TH
Primary Postcode: Pictorial: FD 1522-PL
Primary postcode: Non-pictorial: FD 1522-NP

First Day Facilities
Unstamped Royal Mail First Day Cover envelopes (price 30p) are available from main Post Offices and philatelic outlets.

Orders for Serviced First Day Covers have to reach Royal Mail by 18th September 2015. Customers may also send stamped envelopes on the day of issue to Royal Mail, Tallents House for the Tallents House, Edinburgh postmark. The address for Royal Mail is as follows:-

Royal Mail
Tallents House
21 South Gyle Crescent
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB

Customers who hand in or post stamped Royal Mail First Day Cover envelopes at main Post Offices on the day of issue will receive the pictorial Rugby first day postmark.

Alternatively, customers may send stamped envelopes to any of the Special Handstamp Centres quoting the reference number of the postmark required.

Special Handstamp Centres

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail, St Stephens Street
BIRMINGHAM B6 4AA

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail, 220 Penarth Road
CARDIFF CF11 8TA

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail
Tallents House
21 South Gyle Crescent
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail, Mount Pleasant
Farringdon Road
LONDON EC1A 1BB

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail, South Shields DO
Keppell Street
SOUTH SHIELDS NE33 1AA

British Postmark Bulletin
Details of all forthcoming first day of issue and all sponsored special handstamps are announced in the Postmark Bulletin. This is available on subscription from Royal Mail, Tallents House at £12.25 UK & Europe or £24.55 rest of the world.

Special Handstamps
A number of different sponsored Special Handstamps are available for every new stamp issue. They are announced in the British Postmark Bulletin.

Presentation Pack Details:

Number of stamps: eight
Date of issue: 18 September 2015
Design: hat-trick design
Illustrations: Geoff Appleton
Acknowledgements: the illustrations reference the following photographic sources – tackle © AP/PA Images; scrum and line-out © Image Source/CORBIS; try and drop goal © Camillo Natale-Miles/Saracens RFC; conversion © Getty Images; pass © Douglas Fisher; ruck © International Rugby Board; TM © RWC Ltd 1986
Printer: International Security Printers
Process: lithography
Format: landscape
Size: 41mm x 30mm
Perforations: 14.5 x 14
Number per sheet: 30/60
Phosphor: bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA

[press release]
ROYAL MAIL ISSUES SPECIAL STAMPS TO CELEBRATE STAR WARS

• Royal Mail to issue a set of 18 Special Stamps next month to celebrate Star Wars and the upcoming release of the new movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• The stamps will feature classic characters such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Emperor, Boba Fett and a stormtrooper along with new characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens , Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren
• The stamps are illustrated by British artist Malcolm Tween and depict nine popular characters from the first six iconic saga films and three from the forthcoming film
• Each stamp will feature a secondary character or scene created by Tween especially for the stamps
• Six further stamps will explore the iconic vehicles and spaceships from the film series such as the Millennium Falcon, X-wing fighter and TIE fighter
• The stamps celebrate the British expertise behind the Star Wars films as each episode was made with a largely British cast and crew. The new film Star Wars: The Force Awakens was predominately shot at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire
• The style of the ‘1st‘ value on each of the stamps will replicate the iconic font used for the films
• Fans can pre-order the stamps in advance by visiting www.royalmail.com/starwars
• The stamps will be on sale from 20 October 2015 at www.royalmail.com/starwars and from 8,000 Post Office branches across the UK and by calling 03457 641 641

Royal Mail announces it will publish a set of 18 Special Stamps to celebrate the Star Wars series of films and mark the release of the forthcoming episode, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The stamps, illustrated by British artist Malcolm Tween, depict nine iconic characters from the first six  films and three from the forthcoming film: Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren.

Incorporated onto each stamp is a secondary scene or character including new droid BB-8, illustrated by Tween especially for the stamps.

In addition, the ‘1ST’ font used in the ‘1ST’ value of the stamps will replicate that of the iconic typeface used for the films. 

Also being issued on the 20th October will be a Miniature Sheet of six stamps featuring intricately detailed illustrations of six iconic Star Wars vehicles, brought together against a backdrop of the dreaded Death Star. The Star Wars series began in 1977. So far, there have been two trilogies of movies that have included major British involvement at UK studios. 17 December 2015 will see the UK theatrical release of the latest instalment in the Star Wars saga, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which has been filmed at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, using British expertise in cast and crew. The two further episodes in this trilogy will also be filmed in the UK.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will reunite the three principal actors from the original trilogy as well as the robots R2-D2 and C-3PO. New characters Rey and Finn will be played by British actors Daisy Ridley and John Boyega respectively, with additional British cast members including Gwendoline Christie and Andy Serkis.

Disney’s decision to base production in the UK is a major contributor to the British film industry. Not only is it providing employment and exposure for British acting talent, it also employs the British technical expertise in set design, cinematography, and costume design at Pinewood Studios. In the field of digital special effects, London is already a world centre, and the effects for the new Star Wars film have been created by the London office of Industrial Light & Magic (Lucasfilm’s special effects company).

The UK is the third largest market in the world for the Star Wars films, and the new stamps will reflect the passion of the British public for the movies, and celebrate the major British contribution to the film series.

Fans can pre-order the stamps and view the product range at www.royalmail.com/starwars

The stamps will be on sale from 20 October 2015 at www.royalmail.com/starwars and from 8,000 Post Office branches across the UK, and by calling Royal Mail Tallents House on 03457 641 641

[edited from press release]
ROYAL MAIL ISSUES STAMPS TO MARK HISTORIC LANDMARK FOR THE ROYAL FAMILYRoyal Mail is issuing a Miniature Sheet on 9 September to commemorate the historic landmark of Her Majesty The Queen becoming the longest reigning UK Monarch.

Queen Victoria’s reign of 63 years and 216 days WAS exceeded by The Queen this morning.

The Miniature Sheet will comprise five stamps including a specially created purple coloured First Class Definitive which will replace the current red version for the next 12 months.

The stamps will be on sale from 9 September 2015 online, from 8,000 Post Office branches across the UK, and by phoning Royal Mail Tallents House on 03457 641 641.
The full line-up of stamps on the Miniature Sheet is as follows:

• 1st class — William Wyon’s City Medal, featuring the head of Queen Victoria, commemorated her first visit to London. The image on the Penny Black (the world’s first postage stamp) was based on this portrait, which in turn was based on a sketch of Princess Victoria when she was 15 years old.
• 1st class — Dorothy Wilding’s three-quarter profile photograph of Her Majesty was one of a series taken in April 1952 and was printed on British postage stamps from 1952 until 1967.
• 1st class — The classic Machin definitive, featuring the iconic profile of Her Majesty by sculptor Arnold Machin has been in use on definitive stamps since 1967. The iridescent overprint on the stamp bears the text ‘Long to Reign Over Us’. This new stamp is also available in stamp books.
• £1.52 — The Badge of the House of Windsor, featuring a depiction of the Round Tower of Windsor Castle flying the Royal Standard, was approved by King George VI in Council at Buckingham Palace.
• £1.52 — Created for use in Commonwealth countries, The Queen’s Personal Flag was designed at Her Majesty’s request in 1960. This is a gold ‘E’ with a crown, surrounded by a garland of roses. It symbolises the Queen’s role as Head of the Commonwealth. The device from the flag appears on the stamp.

Andrew Hammond, Director, Stamps and Collectibles, Royal Mail said: “Royal Mail stamps mark the most significant anniversaries and landmark events in the life of our country. We are proud to commemorate Her Majesty becoming the longest-reigning monarch in UK history.”

-0-

News coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s reign surpassing Queen Victoria’s:

• BBC
• The Telegraph
• The Mirror

 

[press release]
ROYAL MAIL ISSUES SPECIAL STAMPS TO MARK THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN

• A miniature sheet featuring six Special Stamps will be issued to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, which was fought in the skies over southern England during the Second World War [more on the stamps]
• The decisive air campaign would change the course of the War, and with it, the course of history
• Royal Mail vans in a selection of locations close to RAF bases will carry an image of a stamp from the set
• The anniversary will also be marked with a special postmark on all stamped UK mail between 16 and 18 June. It will read; ‘75th anniversary Battle of Britain’
• The stamps will be on sale from 16 July 2015 at www.royalmail.com/battleofbritain  and from 8,000 Post Office branches across the UK and by calling 03457 641 641
• Some of the veterans shown on the stamps were given a preview 10 July. Photographs courtesy Royal Mail.

The Battle of Britain took place over the summer and autumn of 1940 and saw the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe contest the world’s first independent and decisive air campaign in the skies over southern England. The Battle of Britain would change the course of the Second World War – and with it, the course of history.

The six stamps feature photographs from this period, showing some of the many aspects of the battle and the service personnel involved, including pilots, ground crew, observers and Operations Room staff.

The miniature sheet border features an image of Prime Minister Winston Churchill at a coastal defence position on 31 July 1940, alongside the famous quotation from his speech about the battle; ‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.’

The Battle of Britain began in early July with German attacks on Channel convoys and ports. On 1 August, having probed Britain’s defences, Hitler ordered the rapid defeat of the RAF prior to the launch of an invasion, eventually set for 15 September. The Luftwaffe sought to overwhelm Fighter Command in the air and on the ground. The main targets were 11 Group’s airfields in the south and south-east, which were heavily bombed. The RAF’s fighter command had 715 serviceable aircraft, against the Luftwaffe’s 2550.

The RAF responded well, but the air raids intensified. Between 24 August and 6 September, 300 Hurricanes and Spitfires were lost and the airfields and communications network were severely damaged. Worryingly, 230 pilots were killed or wounded and there were insufficient replacements. With the pilots of 11 Group exhausted, reserves of aircraft low and Fighter Command seemingly on the verge of defeat, the Germans changed tactics.

Impatient to see the RAF beaten and angered by British raids on Berlin, Hitler ordered attacks on London. On 7 September, 300 German bombers, escorted by 600 fighters, raided the capital. The bombers caused serious damage and killed 400 civilians, but with the change of target, pressure was taken off 11 Group’s airfields, allowing the RAF to recover and regroup.

On 15 September, the Luftwaffe launched two massive raids on London, but both were fiercely repulsed by the RAF pilots, who shot down 60 enemy aircraft. This day is now commemorated as Battle of Britain Day. It was clear that the Luftwaffe could not defeat Fighter Command, and on 17 September 1940 Hitler postponed the invasion plan ‘indefinitely.

The German raids on Britain continued, and the night ‘Blitz’, lasting into May 1941, would cause widespread destruction and over 40,000 deaths. Nevertheless, the Battle of Britain had been won by the RAF in the fighting over London in September 1940. Fighter Command’s decisive victory represented the first check to Hitler’s ambitions for world domination. It also ensured that Britain would survive as a rallying point and strategic base from which the invasion and eventual liberation of Europe could be launched.

Royal Mail vans in a selection of locations close to RAF bases will feature a stamp from the set.

The anniversary will also be marked with a special postmark on all stamped UK mail between 16 and 18 June, reading ‘75th anniversary Battle of Britain’.

Andrew Hammond, Director, Stamps and Collectibles, Royal Mail said: “Our new stamps pay tribute to the men and women who helped protect Great Britain from the formidable threat of the Luftwaffe 75 years ago. It is fitting that these stamps will help us remember the debt that we will forever owe them.”

The stamps will be on sale from 16 July June 2015 at www.royalmail.com/battleofbritain and from 8,000 Post Office branches across the UK, and by calling Royal Mail Tallents House on 03457 641 641

Left to Right Top row Standing – Wing Commander T F Neil DFC AFC AE, Wing Commander PC Farnes DFM, Geoffrey Harris Augustus Wellum DFC.
Left to Right bottom row Sitting – Wing Commander T M Kane, Squadron Leader TG Pickering AE, Flying Officer K A Wilkinson AE.

[press release]

The Battle of Britain
Issue Date: 16th July 2015 Reason and inspirationThis miniature sheet commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, which was fought in the skies over southern England from July to late October 1940 and was a key turning point of the Second World War. The six stamps feature photographic imagery from this period, showing some of the many aspects of the battle and the people involved, including pilots, ground crew, observers and Operations Room staff. The miniature sheet border features an image of Prime Minister Winston Churchill at a coast defence position near Hartlepool on 31 July 1940, alongside his famous quotation about ‘the few’. [Additional historic information and photos here.]

Stamp Details

• RAF fighter pilots rush to their Hurricanes after receiving the ‘scramble’ call to engage enemy aircraft.
• Supermarine Spitfires of 610 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill, patrol the skies in close formation.
• Armourer Fred Roberts re-arms a Supermarine Spitfire while the pilot, Sergeant Bernard Jennings, talks to his mechanic.
• Recruits of the Auxiliary Territorial Service receive their first lesson in identifying enemy aircraft.
• The Operations Room at Bentley Priory, the headquarters of Fighter Command, was part of a complex air defence system.
• Fighter pilots of 32 Squadron relax between flying missions at RAF Hawkinge in Kent.

The miniature sheet border features an image of Prime Minister Winston Churchill at a coast defence position near Hartlepool on 31 July 1940, alongside his famous quotation about ‘the few’.

Miniature Sheet Price: £5.88 Code: MZ108

Miniature Sheet Technical Details

• Number of stamps: six
• Stamp Design: The Team
• Miniature Sheet Design: Supple Studio
• Acknowledgements: pilots and Hurricanes photo © William Vandivert/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images; Supermarine Spitfires photo © IWM CH741; Armourer photo © IWM CH1458; Auxiliary Territorial Service photo © Associated Press/Daily Mail/Rex Features; Operations Room photo © IWM C0018701; Squadron 32 photo © Fox Photos/Getty Images; Winston Churchill photo © IWM H 2628; Winston Churchill quotation reproduced with permission of Curtis Brown Ltd, London, on behalf of The Estate of Winston Churchill, copyright © Winston S Churchill
• Miniature sheet size: 179mm x 74mm
• Stamp Format: landscape
• Stamp Size: 41mm x 30mm
• Printer: International Security Printers
• Print Process: lithography
• Perforations: 14.5 x 14
• Phosphor: bars as appropriate
• Gum: PVA

Miniature Sheet First Day Cover The First Day Envelope, designed by The Team, features a photograph of Supermarine Spitfires in formation during the Battle of Britain.

The filler card includes a brief overview of the Battle of Britain, written by Peter Devitt, Curator at the RAF Museum in London, alongside a photograph of pilots of 303 (Polish) Squadron, the Fighter Command’s most successful individual unit during the battle.

With Tallents House Postmark

Filler Card
Price: £7.53 (Inland) £6.28 (Overseas) Code: MF107

First Day Envelope Price: 30p Code: ME106

Presentation Pack
In the presentation pack, designed by The Team to recall the posters and publications of the era, RAF Museum Curator Peter Devitt offers a look at how the Battle of Britain unfolded and what it meant. The main narrative is complemented by a detailed timeline and an overview of each of the key British and enemy aircraft involved in the battle, accompanied by silhouettes of each plane. In addition, the pack explores the contribution of ‘the many’, not just ‘the few’, with sections on ground crew, intelligence officers, the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and the Air Transport Auxiliary recruits.
Price: £6.40 Code: AP405

Stamp Cards
The six special stamps and the complete miniature sheet are reproduced at postcard-size in this collectable set of stamp cards.
Price: £3.15 Code: AQ224

Coin Cover issue date 15th September 2015
The product code will be available on the system for pre-orders on 1st July 2015. Product can be ordered but will not be despatched until the issue date.

This coin cover, issued on Battle of Britain Day, includes a special 50p coin issued by the Royal Mint and a cancelled miniature sheet commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The insert focuses on the contribution of ‘the many’: among other topics, Historian James Holland describes the air defence system designed by Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, the role of the Bentley Priory (which served as headquarters of Fighter Command during the battle) and the key part that Royal Observer Corps played during the summer and autumn of 1940.

Designed by Supple Studio and richly illustrated with historic photographs as well as images from Bentley Priory Museum, the coin cover offers a fitting tribute to those who helped ensure that the Hitler’s plans to invade Britain had to be cancelled.

Coin Specifications

Diameter: 27.30mm
Weight: 8.0g
Alloy: cupro-nickel
Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated
Obverse design: Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS
Reverse design: Gary Breeze
Limited edition of 10,000
Price: £17.50 Code: AN120

Postmarks Tallents House Postmark
The Tallents House handstamp features a graphic image of the Supermarine Spitfire.

Alternative Postmark
The alternative location is London NW9, the home of the RAF Museum. The alternative handstamp includes a graphic image of the Hawker Hurricane. The design alludes to the story of Sergeant Raymond Holmes of 504 Squadron, who on 15 September 1940 took off from Hendon as part of an action to intercept a large formation of Dornier bombers over London. After seeing a Dornier that looked like it was about to bomb Buckingham Palace, Sergeant Holmes decided to ram it. He was forced to bale out of his damaged aircraft and landed by parachute in Hugh Street, where the colourful story continued. In 1994, shortly before Ray Holmes died, his Hurricane, which had crashed into the Ebury Bridge Road, was excavated on live television, and when that evening Holmes was handed the control column, he discovered it was still set to ‘fire’.

TALLENTS HOUSE Pictorial FD- 1519- TH
Alternative Pictorial FD – 1519- PL
Non Pictorial Non-pictorial FD – 1519- NP

First Day Facilities
Unstamped Royal Mail First Day Cover envelopes (price 30p) are available from main Post Offices and philatelic outlets approximately one week before the stamps go on sale.
Serviced (i.e. stamped and postmarked) Royal Mail First Day Cover is available by Mail Order from Royal Mail, Tallents House priced £7.53 (overseas £6.28). Orders for serviced First Day Covers have to reach Royal Mail by 16th July 2015. Customers may also send stamped envelopes on the day of issue to Royal Mail, Tallents House for the Tallents House, Edinburgh postmark. The address for Royal Mail is as follows:

Royal Mail
Tallents House
21 South Gyle Crescent
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB

Customers who hand in or post stamped Royal Mail First Day Cover envelopes at main Post Offices® on the day of issue will receive the pictorial Waterloo, Liverpool first day postmark.

Alternatively, customers may send stamped envelopes to any of the Special Handstamp Centres for the pictorial or plain Waterloo, Liverpool postmark quoting the reference number of the postmark required.

Special Handstamp Centres:

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail,
St Stephens Street,
BIRMINGHAM B6 4AA

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail,
220 Penarth Road,
CARDIFF,
CF11 8TA

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail
Tallents House
21 South Gyle Crescent
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail,
Mount Pleasant
Farringdon Road
LONDON
EC1A 1BB

The Special Handstamp Centre
Royal Mail,
South Shields DO,
Keppell Street,
SOUTH SHIELDS
NE33 1AA

The Battle of Waterloo
Issue Date 18th June 2015

Reason and inspiration:
It is 200 years since one of the most famous battles in British history, that was the culmination of two decades of conflict, and which essentially saw the birth of modern Europe. The Battle was a contest between Napoleon’s army and an Allied army composed of British and German forces under Wellington and Prussian forces under Blucher.

The Waterloo 200 organisation plans a number of commemorative events in June, including a service of thanksgiving in St Pauls Cathedral as well as re-enactments of the battle which will take place in Belgium. The UK government has given £1m towards the commemorations including the first ever monument at the battlefield to the British troops who died, which features the defence of Hougeoumont Farm, as well as funds to restore the buildings there.

Stamp details
The key events and exchanges of the Battle on the day are marked with the six sheet stamps, in chronological order and using paintings made within a few years of the battle.

• Defence of Hougeoumont Farm
• Scots Greys at the charge of the Union Brigade
• Massed ranks of French cavalry (Cuirassiers) charge and repulsed by British infantry squares
• La Hay Saint Farm defence by King’s German Legion
• Prussians arrive and capture of Plancenoit
• The final attack of the French Imperial Guard

We have worked with historians and art historians on this issue. The final stamp is of the large painting that hangs in Apsley House, London and was bought by Duke of Wellington himself.

Stamp Set Price: £6.30 Code: AS12B

Stamp technical details

• Number of stamps: six
• Design: Silk Pearce
• Acknowledgements: Defence of the Chateau de Hougoumont by the Flank Company, Coldstream Guards, 1815 by Denis Dighton, 1815 © National Army Museum London/Bridgeman Images; The Battle of Waterloo: The Charge of the Second Brigade of Cavalry by Denis Dighton, 1815–17, Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014; Attack on the British Squares by French Cavalry, Battle of Waterloo, 1815 by Denis Dighton, 1815 © National Army Museum London/Bridgeman Images; The Defence of the Farm La Haye Sainte, Battle of Waterloo by Adolf Northen, 1858, Niedersaechsisches Landesmuseum, Hannover © Erich Lessing; Prussian Troops Storm the Village of Plancenoit during the Battle of Waterloo by Adolf Northen, 1863, Kunsthalle, Hamburg © Erich Lessing; The Battle of Waterloo by Sir William Allan, 1843, Apsley House, London © English Heritage
• Stamp Format: landscape
• Stamp Size: 60mm x 30mm
• Number per sheet: 18/36
• Printer: International Security Printers
• Print Process: lithography
• Perforations: 14.5 x 14.5
• Phosphor: bars as appropriate
• Gum: PVA

Miniature Sheet details
The miniature sheet commemorates the rank and file soldiers who fought on the day, of the key nationalities that took part, noting the multinational nature of the conflict

• 92nd Gordon Highlanders
• Light Infantry, King’s German Legion
• Prussian Infantryman
• French Imperial Guard Grenadier

Miniature Sheet Price: £3.92 Code: MZ107

Miniature sheet technical details

• Number of stamps: four
• Design: Webb & Webb Design Limited
• Illustrations: Chris Collingwood
• Acknowledgements: The Battle of Waterloo map engraving by Alexander
• Keith Johnston © Private Collection/The Stapleton
• Collection/Bridgeman
• Miniature sheet size: 146mm x 74mm
• Stamp Format: portrait
• Stamp Size: 27mm x 37mm
• Printer: International Security Printers
• Print Process: lithography
• Perforations: 14 x 14
• Phosphor: bars as appropriate
• Gum: PVA

[press release]

Post & Go Pictorial Stamps – Heraldic Beats

Issue date 13th May 2015
Stamp design and background
Award-winning illustrator and print-maker Chris Wormell was commissioned to create images of the six beasts chosen for this stamp issue. Working closely with Royal Mail and a heraldic expert, he portrayed all of the beasts except the falcon in the ‘passant’ position, that is, facing the viewer’s left and with the right foreleg raised. The brightly coloured background, chosen from a heraldically appropriate palette, adds vibrancy of the images.

Stamp Set with Carrier Card £3.72 Code ZS034
The Heraldic Beasts carrier card, designed by Osborne Ross and written by Jim K Davies, features a brief introduction to the origins of heraldry and a description of each of the six beasts featured on stamps: lion, unicorn, yale, dragon, falcon and griffin. It also describes illustrator Chris Wormell’s method of working and includes sketches he made before tracing them onto lino boards and preparing the final images using traditional tools, hand-printing and Photoshop.

First Day Covers
Inland £4.94 Code: ZF018
Overseas £4.12 Code: ZF018
First Day Envelope 30p Code: ZE017

The filler card includes similar information to that included on the carrier card, except that it features sketches of different beasts.

The alternative handstamp location – Dragonby, Scunthorpe – has been chosen based on its name.

Post & Go Stamps HERALDIC BEASTS Stamp Specifications
Number of stamps: Six
Date of issue: 13 May 2015
Design: Osborne Ross
Acknowledgements: illustrations and sketches by Chris Wormell
Printer: International Security Printers
Process: Gravure
Format: Landscape
Size: 56mm x 25mm
Perforations: Die-cut simulated
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: Self-adhesive

Beasts of all persuasions and permutations have appeared on coats of arms and heraldic badges for nearly 900 years. Each has its own particular meaning and significance, but often they include traits demonstrated in battle, such as courage, strength and resilience. One reason for this is that heraldry originally emerged from the need to distinguish participants in combat when their faces were hidden by armour. From these practical beginnings, however, heraldry developed into a complex and sophisticated visual language. Royal Mail’s Post & Go: Heraldic Beasts stamps feature six creatures found in British heraldry as interpreted by Chris Wormell, an English illustrator best known for his distinctive etching and linocut work. The beasts, with the exception of the falcon, are shown ‘passant’ – that is, walking towards the viewer’s left, with the right foreleg raised and the others on the ground. Each painstakingly hand-crafted image occupies a brightly coloured background chosen from a heraldically appropriate palette to add to the vibrancy.

The lion is one of the most familiar ancient heraldic figures, or charges, often representing courage and valour in battle. The king of beasts can also signify Christ or royalty and comes in a bewildering array of poses and variations, from double-headed to crowned, wielding a sword or with a knotted tail.

The unicorn has the body of a horse, the tail of a lion and the legs of a deer – as well as an impressive spiral horn protruding from its face. Known for its virtue, courage and strength, the unicorn was a relative latecomer to the heraldic bestiary, first gaining popularity during the 15th century.

The yale is another mythological hybrid, about the size of a hippopotamus, usually with a goat-like body and the tusks of a boar, although descriptions vary wildly. Most agree on its crowning glory: a pair of large, swivelling horns, perfect for fighting – the reason it came to symbolise ‘proud defence’.

The dragon is a mainstay of heraldry, usually portrayed as a large, ferocious reptilian beast with bat-like wings, a forked tongue and a pointed tail. These fire-spewing creatures are known for their keen sight, power and wisdom – and as zealous guardians of treasure. A two-footed dragon is called a wyvern.

The falcon is one of many birds, actual and imagined, to feature in heraldry. It symbolises majesty and power – as well as someone utterly determined, who does not rest until his or her goal is achieved. Anne Boleyn’s badge bore a crowned falcon with a sceptre, later adopted by her daughter, Queen Elizabeth I.

The griffin has the head, wings and talons of an eagle, fused with the back parts of a lion. It is often depicted with large, leonine ears, which reflect its acute sense of hearing, to go along with other extraordinary powers. As a symbol in heraldry, the griffin stands for strength and vigilance.

ROYAL MAIL POST & GO STAMPS
Post & Go stamps are a new generation of postage available from self-service machines in main Post Offices. The first Post & Go stamps with pictorial designs were introduced in 2010 with a series on British birds. A second series on traditional breeds of farm animals was issued in 2012, followed by a series featuring freshwater life in 2013 and another on British flora in 2014.

[press release]
ROYAL MAIL COMMEMORATES THE BICENTENARY OF ANTHONY TROLLOPE’S BIRTH, THE “GRANDFATHER” OF THE POSTBOX

Royal Mail is commemorating the bicentenary of Anthony Trollope’s birth in 1815 with a limited edition Commemorative Sheet of stamps

The Commemorative Sheet will go on sale on 24 April 2015 – 200 years since Trollope was born

Famous as a novelist, Trollope is also known for introducing freestanding postboxes, or pillar boxes, to the UK from 1852 during his time working at the Post Office. In recognition of this, Royal Mail has created an online “family tree” of postboxes through the ages, with help from the Letter Box Study Group

Postboxes were first erected in London on five streets in 1855. Royal Mail will attach a plaque to a postbox in each of these streets in the capital as part of its Trollope bicentenary celebrations. The streets are: Fleet Street, The Strand, Piccadilly, Pall Mall and Rutland Gate in Kensington.

Royal Mail has created a special postmark to mark Trollope’s bicentenary. This will appear on stamped mail across the UK from 24 April for one week. Royal Mail only issues special postmarks for major events in the UK or to mark special historic dates.

Royal Mail is also supporting the British Postal Museum & Archive’s “Pop it in the Post” exhibition examining how the postal service changed in the Victorian era, driven by the appearance of postboxes in streets across the UK. Further details about the BPMA’s exhibition can be found here.

Pillar boxes were instrumental in changing the postal service during the latter half of the 19th century as they were installed across the UK. Royal Mail is supporting The British Postal Museum & Archive’s “Pop it in the Post” exhibition that examines those changes, The introduction of stamps and the expansion of the network of postboxes around the country made it easier and cheaper for people to send letters across the country.

The family-friendly exhibition opens at the Islington Museum in London on 28 March and runs to the 2 May 2015. It moves to Mansfield Museum in the autumn and will run from 3 October to 21 November 2015. It will then open at the Havering Museum early in 2016. Visitors will be able to see some of the original postboxes, as well as some of the equipment used by Trollope during his time with the Post Office.

Sue Whalley, Royal Mail’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are delighted to contribute to this year’s bicentenary celebrations of the birth of Anthony Trollope. He is well-known as a former Post Office employee and we have him to thank for introducing pillar boxes to the UK. Whether in walls, on poles or freestanding, the network of postboxes has grown from Trollope’s time to reach around over 115,000 boxes which are now an iconic feature of communities across the UK.”

Michael Williamson, Chairman of the Trollope Society, said: “The Trollope Society is delighted that the Royal Mail are commemorating the bicentenary of Anthony Trollope’s birth in so many different and exciting ways. These perfectly complement the many other events, book launches, exhibitions and activities that will be taking place throughout 2015 in honour of this prolific and distinguished novelist.

“Trollope’s career in the Post Office, during such an interesting time in its development, undoubtedly influenced his writing and provided him with several plot ideas. The considerable travel that he was able to undertake on behalf of the organisation, throughout the world, helped him to create realistic geographical backgrounds for his novels. This was a unique partnership that deserves full recognition.”

Andrew Young, chairman of The Letter Box Study Group, said: “We are very pleased to be able to help Royal Mail celebrate the bicentenary of Anthony Trollope and illustrate the enormous variety of postboxes that can be found in cities, towns and villages throughout the UK. It is also a good opportunity to showcase the volunteer-led work of the LBSG. Hailed as the ‘leading authority on the British roadside postbox’, it maintains the most comprehensively detailed database of the nation’s 115,500 boxes, and several thousand more from overseas.”

Trollope was born in London on 24 April 1815 and went to school in Harrow. When he was 19 he began working for the Post Office and was based in London for the first seven years of his career. In 1841 he moved to Ireland, where he met Rose Heseltine and they married in 1844. He moved back to England and settled in Waltham Cross with his wife and their two sons in 1859. It was there that he wrote many of his best-loved novels. He left the Post Office in 1867 and tried but failed to become an MP. He continued to write, and by his death on 6 December 1882, had produced 47 novels, five travel books, two plays, biographies, many short stories, reviews, essays, articles and lectures. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in London.

He has a memorial stone in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey. He also has a blue plaque on the Custom House in Belfast (where Trollope had an office as Postal Surveyor for Northern Ireland) and on 39 Montague Square, London W1, where he lived from 1873.

Royal Mail’s postboxes are a much-loved part of the UK landscape and we have over 115,000 boxes across the country.

The first pillar boxes in the British Isles were erected in Jersey in 1852 as a trial. This was in response to public demand for improved posting facilities, due to an increase in mail following postal reform in 1840. The trial was considered a success and boxes began appearing across mainland Britain from 1853.

Many of the UK’s first postboxes were painted green, to blend in with the landscape. However, to make them more visible to the public, bright red was chosen instead. The new colour was introduced in 1874 and it took 10 years to repaint all postboxes. Red has remained the standard colour for UK boxes from then on with only a few exceptions, one being blue postboxes for overseas mail.

The Commemorative sheet will be available at selected Post Offices branches, online, and from Royal Mail Tallents House (tel. 03457 641 641), 21 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB.