ABINGDON - LATE USE OF THE CROSS IN RED - neat 10 Feb. 1841 EL to Brighton franked with a four margin 1d black, GH plate 7, tied by a fine orange-red MX and with ABINGDON cds on the flap in the same colour. Cross Reference: OXFORDSHIRE, SUSSEX (Image)

BERKELEY - LATE USE OF THE RED CROSS - 19 Feb. 1841 EL (folded to show the dateline) to Bewdley with fine three margin 1d black, IK plate 8 just shaved at top left, and tied by light crisp red MX; BERKELEY udc across the flap is the only other mark. Cross Reference: WORCESTERSHIRE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE (Image)

BERWICK - EARLY USE OF THE BLACK CROSS - 24 Feb. 1841 EL (toning, spiked) used locally to Newcastle with fine four margin 1d black, IC plate 6, tied by lovely crisp MX in black during its first fortnight of use; BERWICK cds on the flap. Cross Reference: NORTHUMBERLAND (Image)

BILLERICAY - LATE USE OF RED INK - 15 Mar. 1841 EL (tear on the top flap) to London franked with LH plate 5 1d black with four close to large margins and tied by MX cancel in a lovely bright red colour, over a month after widespread use of black ink commenced. Rockoff & Jackson record a Jan. 1841 cross from this office in 'scarlet-vermilion'; very attractive. Also neat 1843 E Billericay to London with fine 1d red tied by crisp black MX. (2) Cross Reference: ESSEX, 1840s CANCELLATIONS, LONDON POSTAL HISTORY, 1841 1d REDS (Image)

BOLTON - EARLY BLACK CROSS PERIOD COVER - 16 Feb. 1841 E (opening tear on top edge, small marks next to stamp) to London franked with fine 1d black, DC plate 5 state 3, and tied by fine black MX. SG £825 for off-cover. Cross Reference: LONDON POSTAL HISTORY, LANCASHIRE (Image)

BRIGHTON - FIRST DAY OF WIDESPREAD USE OF THE BLACK CROSS - 15 Feb. 1841 E to London with four margin 1d black, AF plate 9 state 1, tied by black MX on the common type (a month prior to use of the Brighton distinctive cross) and with BRIGHTON and London (2) ds on the flap. Cross Reference: SUSSEX (Image)

BURTON UPON TRENT - EARLY USE OF THE BLACK CROSS - 19 Feb. 1841 E (reduced, presents well) to Bakewell with four margin 1d black, IC plate 9, tied by black MX and with "BURTON ON TRENT" cds on the back. Cross Reference: STAFFORDSHIRE, DERBYSHIRE (Image)

CRANBROOK - RARE IRREGULAR EARLY USE OF THE BLACK CROSS - 19 Jan. 1841 EL (filing notes on the front) to Ashford with fine four margin 1d black, AC plate 8, tied by neat black MX and CRANBROOK cds on the flap. This office is recorded using black ink as early as Oct. 1840. Cross Reference: KENT (Image)

DERBY - LATE USE OF THE RED CROSS - 15 Feb. 1841 E to Rochester with fine three margin 1d black, OE Plate 7, tied by fine red MX and with DERBY and London cds on the flap. Cross Reference: DERBYSHIRE (Image)

DOVER - FIRST DAY OF WIDESPREAD BLACK CROSS USE - 15 Feb. 1841 mourning E (minor repairs) to London (with 'Angliterre' crossed through, suggesting a French origin privately carried to Kent) with four margin 1d black, PJ plate 1b, lightly cancelled black MX and with DOVER and London cds on the flap. Cross Reference: KENT, MOURNING COVERS (Image)

DUNSTABLE - CONTINUED USE OF RED IN THE EARLY BLACK CROSS PERIOD - 16 Feb. 1841 EL (toned at lower left corner) to London franked with fine four margin intense 1d black, SH plate 8 state 1, just tied by red MX and with DUNSTABLE and London cds on the flap. Cross Reference: BEDFORDSHIRE, LONDON POSTAL HISTORY (Image)

ECCLESHALL - EARLY USE OF THE BLACK CROSS - 22 Feb. 1841 env. to Elgin with close to good margin 1d black, HG plate 7 in a shade approaching greyish black, cancelled with a fine crisp MX; ECCLESHALL and Edinburgh cds on the back. Cross Reference: STAFFORDSHIRE, MORAYSHIRE (Image)

ELY - LATE USE OF THE RED CROSS - 17 Feb. 1841 E (no side flaps) to Cambridge franked with 1d black, SI plate 1b with four close to large margins, and tied by a fine red MX; ELY and CAMBRIDGE cds on the flap. Cross Reference: CAMBRIDGESHIRE (Image)

EXETER - 'MAIL BAG'? CANCELLATION IN THE EARLY BLACK PERIOD - 21 Feb 1841 env. used locally in EXETER (two cds, front and back) with four margin 1d black, CI plate 8, tied by an indistinct cancel in black that is possibly a mail bag seal? and additionally tied by one of the Exeter cds. 2000 RPSL cert. describing the cancel as an 'unidentified dumb obliteration'. (Image)

FAKENHAM - LATE & SCARCE RED CROSS ON 2d BLUE PLATE 2 COVER - 16 Feb. 1841 E to NORWICH (fine cds on the top flap, FAKENHAM cds on the bottom flap) franked with a four margin 1840 1d blue, JL plate 2 with close to large margins, and tied by at least two strikes of the MX in red (scarce on plate 2; SG £1750 off-cover). Cross Reference: 1840 2d BLUES, NORFOLK (Image)

GARSTANG - LATE RED CROSS PERIOD COVER - 9 Feb. 1841 E to Manchester with almost four margin 1d black, IC plate 6 just touched at top left, and lightly tied by red MX and with GARSTANG cds on the back. Cross Reference: LANCASHIRE (Image)

HOLT - EARLY USE OF RED CANCELLING INK - 17 Feb. 1841 EL (folded to show the dateline) to NORWICH (cds across the flap along with part HOLT cds) with four margin 1d black, LE plate 8, tied by red MX. Cross Reference: NORFOLK (Image)

JEDBURGH - EARLY RED CROSS USE COVER - 16 Feb. 1841 EL to locally Melrose with a four margin (just) 1d black, KL plate 5, tied by a red MX cancel and JEDBURGH cds on the lower flap. Cross Reference: ROXBURGH (Image)

JERSEY - IRREGULAR EARLY USE OF BLACK CROSS - 27 Nov. 1840 E to Plymouth franked with four margin 1d black, KE plate 3, and tied at right by an untidy black MX and endorsed 'Forwarded Nov. 27th 1840' on the front and internal filing note '20 Nov. 1840' possibly indicating an overseas origin? This is the earliest recorded use of the black cross in Jersey. Cross Reference: JERSEY POSTAL HISTORY, 1840s CANCELLATIONS (Image)

LEICESTER - LATE USE OF THE RED CROSS - 16 Feb. 1841 EL (half of one flap missing, crease) to Chelmsford (from The Mercury newspaper, Leicester, asking for some commentary), with a four margin 1d black, EF plate 8, cancelled with a red MX and with offset of another MX on the flap; LEICESTER and London cds on the back. Cross Reference: LEICESTERSHIRE (Image)

LIVERPOOL - FIRST DAY OF WIDESPREAD BLACK CROSS USE - 15 Feb. 1841 EL (light toning) datelined 'Bootle' and with very fine "OLDHALL St/LIVERPOOL" rh on the top flap, to Stone franked with four margin 1d black, NH scarcer plate 10, just tied by black MX and with LIVERPOOL cds mostly on the top flap. Cross Reference: LANCASHIRE - LIVERPOOL (Image)

MANCHESTER - BELIEVED LAST KNOWN USE OF THE RED CROSS & FIRST KNOWN DAY OF THE BLACK CROSS - 13 Feb. 1841 EL to Penrith franked with a fine four margin 1d black, SL plate 5, just tied by red MX; and 15 Feb. 1841 E to London with four margin 1d black, IH plate 8, cancelled in black and with red oval "PL" (Paid Late) alongside. Both covers with MANCHESTER cds on the top flap. (2) Cross Reference: LANCASHIRE - MANCHESTER, LATE FEE/TOO LATE MAIL (Image)

MONMOUTH - EARLY USE OF THE BLACK CROSS - 17 Feb. 1841 E (no side flaps) to London franked with a fine four margin 1d black, TD plate 9, and tied with a neat black MX and with MONMOUTH cds alongside. Very attractive. Cross Reference: MONMOUTHSHIRE, LONDON POSTAL HISTORY (Image)

MONTGOMERY - LATE USE OF THE CROSS IN RED - 16 Feb. 1841 EL to Ludlow franked with four margin 1d black, CH plate 6, tied by very well-inked and largely solid red MX and with MONTGOMERY cds on the top flap. Scarce Welsh use. Cross Reference: MONTGOMERYSHIRE (Image)

NORWICH - SECOND DAY BLACK CROSS COVER - 15 Feb. 1841 EL to BIRMINGHAM (cds on the back along with NORWICH and London) franked with four margin 1d black, CA plate 6, and neatly tied by fine black MX of the common type, this being the second day of black ink use at this office. Cross Reference: NORFOLK, WARWICKSHIRE - BIRMINGHAM (Image)