Pieces of History was the title of the first article in this special section that commemorates August 11 each year since the launch of Satoricha.com. The original idea, back in August 2024, was that this section would not focus on a special guest contributing their expertise to any section of Satoricha.com. However, since then, it was decided that, starting that year, the articles celebrating August 11 would focus on timeless little pieces of paper, whose content tells the stories of people or events that marked a particular moment in time.
On that occasion, it was said: “Just like tea, to appreciate its beauty, we must be gentle and attentive to the grand details and the small nuances that compose it.”
Yet, as the only constant in this world is change, upon reflecting on that premise, I realized how limited it was. The true beauty of history is that it helps us understand the context that shaped our present and, in some way, also extends toward our future. And what better way to appreciate it than through the people who bring life to the meaning of these timeless stamps? In the world of philately, there are passionate individuals who can see beyond the ink and paper, connecting time and history through their passion.
This year, at Satoricha.com, we are honored to have contributions from the Postal Museum in London, thanks to Tom Harrow-Smith, who connected us with the museum’s curator, Georgina Tomlinson.
As is tradition, we asked which stamp(s) she considers emblematic and whether there are any little-known practices or anecdotes from the United Kingdom she would like to share. The best part is that Georgina managed to convey her knowledge warmly and engagingly, like chatting with a friend who explains every detail, so that you, too, can see beyond the ink and the paper.
Tomlinson & The Postal Museum (2025) responded:
Name: Penny Black
Prior to 1840 sending and receiving mail in Britain was complicated and expensive. Letters were paid for by the sender and were based on distance and the number of pages used. This meant that if you didn't have money to pay for your letter, you would not receive it. To reduce the cost of postage people began to produce ‘cross-written’ letters, where the individual would write left to right, up and down, and sometimes diagonally across the page, producing layers of text on top of one another.
It was in the 1830s that an educator, Rowland Hill, started to make suggestions about ways to improve the postal system. He wrote the pamphlet Post Office Reform: Its Importance and Practicability which he believed would make sending letters easier and in turn increase the volume of mail being sent.
This postal reform changed the way mail was paid for; now by the sender not the receiver, and a letter up to half an ounce in weight could be sent anywhere in the country for one penny. This led to the introduction of the first postage stamp as a means of prepayment.
The first postage stamp is commonly known as the Penny Black. The design consists of an image of Queen Victoria surrounded by an intricate line pattern and the words ‘POSTAGE’ and ‘ONE PENNY’. The image of the Queen was chosen as it was believed a portrait would be a difficult image to forge and the most obvious choice was the current monarch. The portrait is based on a medal, by William Wyon, created to commemorate the Queen’s first visit to London in 1837. This image captured her at the age of 15 and was the portrait used on all British stamps until the end of her reign.
The rectangular stamp has four corner squares. The top two feature crosses and the bottom two letters. These letters help you to identify where on the sheet the stamp came from. Each sheet of Penny Black stamps consisted of 240 individual stamps; this is because at the time 240 pennies made up £1. The letters from left to right read ‘AA’ to ‘AL’ and top to bottom ‘AA’ to ‘TA’. The name of the country doesn’t feature on the stamp, unlike other countries around the world, a privilege of the inventors. Instead, British stamps have always featured the portrait of the current monarch as a representation of the country. Printing of the Penny Black began on 11 April 1840 at the printers Perkins, Bacon & Petch in London and by the end of January 1841 over 68 million stamps were printed. With the introduction of the Penny Black the number of letters skyrocketed.
When a letter travels through the postal system the stamp needs to be cancelled, a mark made on top of the stamp, to show it has been used and prevent reuse. This cancellation mark was initially produced in red ink; however, it was possible for the ink to be washed off and the stamp reused. As a way of preventing this the Post Office tested different inks, and black was deemed the best. However, due to the colour of the first stamp the black cancellation mark could not be seen. This led the Post Office to create the exact same stamp just printed in red rather than black. The Penny Red stamp would go on to be used until 1879.
Due to this complication the Penny Black stamp was only used for a year. At The Postal Museum we are the only location in the world to hold full sheets of Penny Black stamps, one of which we always have on display in our permanent gallery.
The Penny Black is most famous for being the first ever postage stamp, but its design and use of the monarch's portrait has had a lasted legacy in the British stamps we see today.
Little-Known Fact, Anecdote, and Tradition in UK Philately
Regarding little-known practices or anecdotes, Georgina Tomlinson & The Postal Museum (2025) added:
One of the most famous British stamp collectors was the grandson of Queen Victoria, and King from 1910-1936, George V. He influenced stamp design and even contributed to the introduction of the first British commemorative stamp marking the British Empire Exhibition of 1924. He was an avid collector and became the president of The Royal Philatelic Society in 1896, a post he held until he became king.
Name: British Empire Exhibition Stamp
And, unlike previous years, we won’t just be commemorating the little pieces of history, we’ll also celebrate the people behind them. That’s why this year we are fortunate to have Georgina's tea wisdom, who shares with us: “Art is everywhere. These tiny mundane pieces of paper, that cover the cost of sending a Birthday or Christmas card, are in fact a small piece of art. An artist, designer or photographer spent hours thinking, drafting and crafting that design. Maybe next time you get a letter through the post take the time to really look and see the craftmanship and beauty in it.”
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Georgina, Tom, and the Postal Museum in London, as well as to all our guests, readers, social media followers, and members of the Satoricha.com community, for allowing us to share these stories for another year. I look forward to discussing the little pieces of history and the people who make them possible in 2026.
Satoricha ~
Stamp designs featured with kind permission of Royal Mail Group Limited. The Penny Black image is a registered trade mark of Royal Mail Group Limited.
The stamp images featured in this article are used with permission from Royal Mail Group Limited. They are provided solely for reference within this context and must not be used for any other purpose.
References
Tomlinson, G., & The Postal Museum. (2025, agosto 14). The Postal Museum - Penny Black [Correo]. https://www.postalmuseum.org/
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