THE CHICHESTER ROAD “HOT CROSS BUN” MARKS, 1681-6.
Many years ago, Martin Willcocks was fortunate to acquire the “John Moore” correspondence which consisted of several hundred business and personal letters of the 17th century, principally addressed to John (later Sir John) Moore (1620-1702), one-time Lord Mayor of London, M.P. in 1685, and wealthy merchant of that city. The letters mainly concerned trade (including a remarkable number of letters from the lead merchants of Derbyshire). Included in this fabulous “find” were a few letters to Moore’s brother George as well, and a small group of family letters (from Chichester, from Farnham and from the tiny village of Worplesdon in Surrey) that had strange handstruck postal marks unlike anything else that had been seen:- “Hot Cross Bun” designs of 1681-6 and “I in circle” marks of 1686-7.After a lot of research, it became clear that these marks were the Robert Tayer “Chichester Road” marks which were applied to letters between 1681 & 1687 at the request of the Deputy Postmaster General in London. The Deputy PMG of the 1670’s was Col. Whitley, and a number of 1673/5 letters from Whitley to the Postmaster of Chichester, Robert Tayer, survive, ordering the latter to mark letters from the Chichester Road (which he “farmed” – i.e. for the right to collect their total postage, he paid a fixed annual sum to the P.O.) with “a stamp to distinguish yours from other letters [of the Western Road]; let your stamp be some figure or larger than the stamp of the office” [i.e. bigger than the Bishop mark of the London office]. It seems that Tayer failed to adopt such a system of hand-stamping letters sent from P.O.’s on “his” road for several years. Eventually – from around 1681 - he introduced the marks which Martin Willcocks discovered on his Moore correspondence. It seems that the “Hot Cross Bun” marks were made of cork, and they may have only lasted a few days each, because the strikes all appear to be somewhat different in size and design. There are only 10 covers recorded with the “Hot Cross Bun” mark (which mark Martin Willcocks illustrated in his general P.H. catalogue and on p.46 of “ENGLAND’S POSTAL HISTORY”), and they are some of the most important in British Postal History.We have no record of any example of the Hot Cross Bun coming up for auction, but Martin had no less than eight examples. Over the years he sold two privately, and the SIX covers which are offered here are those which he retained. The other two recorded examples are in the Public Record Office (July 1683 letter from Tayer himself – in Chichester – to London; PRO SP 29/427) and in the West Sussex Record Office (March 1682 letter from Haslemere to London). Of equal interest, but less well known, are the direct descendants of the Hot Cross Bun – the “I” in circle marks of the Chichester Road of 1686/7 (also discovered by Martin Willcocks, of which we have only recorded 4 strikes. See Cavendish’s 10/11 Dec. 1993 auction, lot 1194; plus the 2/3 Dec. 1999 auction, lots 1331/2.) They immediately follow the 1681-6 Hot Cross Bun period with no overlap, and are found on letters from the same Moore correspondence and again from the village of Worplesdon, so presumably they were struck at Guildford; further examples struck at the other Chichester Road P.O.’s may yet be discovered. These “I” marks appear to have been applied using a box-wood handstamp similar in style to the Bishop Mark but with a consistent 19/20mm diameter; Bishop Marks of the period were only of 13/14mm in diameter.There can be no doubt that the marks on these 14 “Chichester Road” covers are genuine, that they were only applied to letters from this one Road, and that they are earlier than any other provincial postmarks. They predate the Exeter/Bristol Bishop Marks by several years, with only a few London and Dublin postmarks being recorded earlier. They are the Page One of non-metropolitan British Postal History, and they served a unique purpose. They are therefore the “Original Dockwras” of county Postal History. James Grimwood-Taylor, 15th March 2000.
EARLY LETTERS
944 THE EARLIEST BRITISH PROVINCIAL POSTMARK - THE CHICHESTER ROAD "HOT CROSS BUN" MARK , LARGE SIZE; 4th June 1686 EL from "Worplesdon" (the small Surrey village near Guildford) to George Moor in London, charged "2" (80 miles and under), with a mostly very fine strike of the LARGE (25mm diameter) "Hot Cross Bun" mark, which Martin Willcocks's research showed was applied to letters sent from the Chichester Road (farmed by Robert Tayer) to London from 1681 to 1686, before it was replaced by the even shorter-lived "Worplesdon "I" in circle mark (1686-7). The Hot Cross Bun mark resembles an early town-map of Chichester, but it seems that it was made from cork/wood, and the 10 recorded examples (2 being in archives and 6 being offered here from the Martin Willcocks Collection - all but one of these latter being from the Moore archives) suggest that different handstamps were made as required. This example was presumably struck at Guildford P.O. and was slightly overstruck by the "IV/7" arrival Bishop Mark of London and slightly overlaps the seal/tear, but is arguably one of the three clearest recorded, and one of only two large strikes of any clarity. This marking was used at the London P.O.'s request to distinguish those letters sent from the Chichester road that was "farmed" by Robert Tayer, and was specified (see P.O. records) as being larger than the Bishop mark; it pre-dates the Bristol/Exeter Bishop Marks by up to 16 years. Very, very, very rare. [See Willcocks' "ENGLAND'S POSTAL HISTORY" (p.46) and the introduction to the Surrey section of the County catalogue.] [Ex Willcocks.] PHOTO - see plate no. 4 £750
945 SIMILAR CHICHESTER COVER WITH THE CHICHESTER ROAD "HOT CROSS BUN" MARK; 5th Dec. 1681 EL (closed tear clear of address and Hot Cross Bun mark) from "Chichester" to John Moore with m/s "2" charge on the front, having a mostly very fine strike of the small (20mm diameter) "Hot Cross Bun" mark on the lower flap with a "DE/8" London arrival Bishop Mark nearby. The second earliest recorded Hot Cross Bun, and one of only two known (see also next lot) to be from - and so presumably struck in - Chichester itself . Important Exhibition item. [Ex Willcocks.] PHOTO - see plate no. 4 £650
946 SIMILAR CHICHESTER COVER WITH THE CHICHESTER ROAD "HOT CROSS BUN" MARK; 6th Feb. 1682 EL from "Chichester" to John Moor in London with a slightly overinked but mostly very fine Hot Cross Bun mark - presumably struck in Chichester (one of only two known; see previous lot) -adjacent to the very fine London "FE/10" arrival Bishop Mark on the side flap. Exhibition item. [Ex Willcocks.] PHOTO - ABOVE. £600
947 SIMILAR CHICHESTER ROAD "HOT CROSS BUN" MARK ON DOUBLE RATE COVER TO LONDON; c.1685 EL (some faults and wear) of unknown origin and undated, addressed to "Thomas Hartopp" in London, charged "4" (double 2d rate), from "Sir William Hartopp" with lengthy contents ref. debts, having a partly very fine strike of the small "Hot Cross Bun" mark (20mm diameter) on the top flap beside a fine London "DE/12" arrival Bishop Mark. The only Hot Cross Bun double rate cover recorded and the only one not addressed to the Moor(e) family (apart from the single examples in the P.R.O. and West Sussex Record Office). Very rare. [Ex Willcocks.] PHOTO - see plate no. 4 £500
948 SIMILAR GUILDFORD COVER WITH THE CHICHESTER ROAD "HOT CROSS BUN" MARK; 23rd June 1686 EL from "Worplesdon" (the small village near Guildford) to "George Moore" in London, charged "2" with a mostly fine strike of the small (20mm diameter) "Hot Cross Bun" mark (presumably struck in Guildford ) across the join on the reverse, alongside the very fine London "IV/24" arrival Bishop Mark. Very Rare. [Ex Willcocks.] PHOTO – ABOVE LOT 948. £400
949 SIMILAR GUILDFORD TRIPLE RATE COVER WITH THE CHICHESTER ROAD "HOT CROSS BUN" MARK; 14th Aug. 1683 EL (overall creasing and closed tear affecting address but complete) from "Worplesdon" (the small village near Guildford) to "Jonathan Moore" in London charged "6" (triple 2d rate letter; mentions "two enclosed letters" to be forwarded), having a poor but recognisable strike of the "Hot Cross Bun" mark (20mm; presumably struck at Guildford P.O. ) on the lower flap beside a poor London arrival Bishop Mark. The only recorded triple rate Hot Cross Bun cover. Very rare in any condition. [Ex Willcocks.] PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £300
950 AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY "ROBERT TAYER", THE FARMER OF THE POSTS OF THE CHICHESTER ROAD, & INVENTOR OF THE "HOT CROSS BUN" MARKS; 23rd July 1700 EL (faults but almost complete and with the addressee's draft reply across part of the address panel) to John Moore in London (charged "2" with "IY/25" Bishop Mark but NO Hot Cross Bun mark, which went out of use in 1686) from Chichester(), written & signed by "Robert Tayer", the farmer of the Chichester Road mail. The contents relate to the addressee’s daughter failing to pay rent to Tayer. Rare autograph item. [Ex Willcocks.] £100
LONDON POSTAL HISTORY
951 BISHOP MARK ERRORS: 1723 wrapper with scarce 25mm ''OXFORD'' and mainly fine seriffed ''25/MA''; 1762 scarce ''NOTTING/HAM'' with two strikes of the badly-damaged ''30/NO'' (without frame) with reversed ''N'' and c1780 wrapper with what seems to be a Bishop Mark with an inverted ''2" overstruck with corrected ''2/IY''. (3 covers). PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £100
952 BISHOP MARK VARIETIES: 1759-80 Quartet of covers with unusual types inc. deformed numerals, seriffed letters etc. ; one has a ''FREE'' h.s., another has a fine strike of the ''Partington'' RH h.s. Interesting. (4). [Ex Willcocks]. £100
953 INSPECTORS' MARKS: 1797-1839 group inc. 1797 EL from Syston (Leics.) to London with a fine example of the black "Hot-cross bun" Inspectors' mark, plus three later Es & three fronts with similar "Hot-cross bun" types in red. (7). [Ex Willcocks]. £65
954 INSPECTORS' MARKS: 1843-99 Selection of covers with a range of single, double & triple letter types; mainly different. Mixed condition. (17 covers). £100
955 INSPECTORS' MARKS: 1845-55 Group of 1d red covers (one 2d cover) with a range of 2-letter redirection / misdirected sorting marks; all different. (11 covers).[Ex Willcocks]. £75
956 INSPECTORS' MARKS:1870-1910 Group of covers & cards with a range of types inc. numeral, triangle and star types; all different. (17). [Ex Willcocks]. £75
957 RIDE LETTERS: 1819-39 group of ELs (4) & a front, with various "RL" markings inc. scarce large type on 1819 EL (faults) to Bolton Abbey. (5 items). [Ex Willcocks]. £75
958 RIDE LETTERS: 1840-57 envs. (4) plus a large piece, each bearing 1d red and showing black handstruck "RL" marks. (5). A good little group. [Ex Willcocks]. £75
959 RIDE LETTER: 1863 (23 June) env. to France franked with 4d orange cancelled by ''LONDON N.W.'' duplex with fine strike of the small red ''RL'' in circle mark - rare on overseas mail; Calais entry mark [N385]. £50
BERKSHIRE
960 READING: 1792 EL to London with s/l "READING" alongside large h.s. "4". [Ex Willcocks]. £75
961 SUNNINGHILL: 1810-37 pre-stamp group with a variety of Sunninghill marks inc. magenta boxed "SUNNG. HILL" (2), black boxed "SUNNG. HILL" (front only) and black boxed "Sunninghill" (2). A scarce group. (5). [Ex Willcocks]. £85
CHESHIRE
962 THE RARE DAVENHAM FLEURON; 7th March 1826 E to London with a somewhat overinked but still very fine strike of the very elusive "DAVENHAM/(fleuron)" UDC (Willcocks/Jay CH240; only issued to Knutsford in late Dec. 1825 - just crossed by light file fold) on the top flap. Possibly the earliest example recorded. Seldom seen and of Exhibition Quality. PHOTO - see plate no. 1 £150
DEVON
963 HONITON: The small pre-stamp group with various Penny Post marks inc. 1811 (First Year) "HONITON/Penny Post" and two examples of the scarce tiny "HONITON Penny-Post" (1830/31). A useful quartet. [Ex Willcocks]. £100
964 OTTERY ST. MARY: 1819-38 ELs (6) with various postal markings of Ottery St. Mary inc. 1831 ELs (2) with rare "13 OTTERY", 1838 with rare "OTTERY 13", etc. (6). [Ex Willcocks]. PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £120
965 SEATON: 1832-55 Group of E/ELs, etc. inc. four ELs with good strikes of the scarce "SEATON/No.2" in black and 1855 cover bearing 1d red with (on reverse) circular "SEATON/No.2" in black. (7). [Ex Willcocks]. £100
DORSET
966 VERY EARLY DISTINCTIVE CIRCULAR "SHERBORNE/Poft/Office/" MARK; 18th Sept. 1773 fine EL to Durham via London with a very fine strike of this elusive mark (DT505; recorded 1773-84) nicely placed on a side flap. One of the finest we have seen. PHOTO - see plate no. 4 £120
967 WEYMOUTH: 1699 (24 May) EL to John Moore in London concerning a voyage to Newfoundland with a note referring to ''St Ellina'' ( St Eleanors, Prince Edward Island); London Bishop Mark. Faults but an interesting letter. [Ex Willcocks]. £75
ESSEX
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
969 BRISTOL POST PAID MARKS - CLIFTON: 1794 EL (faults) with part s/l ''BRISTOL'' and mainly fine strike of the scarce circular ''8/P/P/P'' mark - very really for this; also an 1808 EL with fine crowned ''FREE'' h.s. and scarce ''8/P/P/U'' mark. An unusual pair. (2 covers). [Ex Willcocks]. PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £100
970 BRISTOL: 1804 EL to Edinburgh ex "Leigh Lodge" with scarce circular "7/P/P/P" mark on reverse. [Ex Willcocks]. PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £75
971 NEWENT: 1824 E addressed to Westminster with very rare boxed "Newent/No.3" in black. [Ex Willcocks]. PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £75
HAMPSHIRE
972 WINCHESTER - BOND FOR A BOOKSELLER TO SELL STAMPS: 1842 Bond from Harry Wooldridge, a Bookseller & Stationer, of "The Piazza in the City of Winchester" regarding his rights to sell postage stamps. [Ex Willcocks]. £60
HEREFORDSHIRE
973 HEREFORD - CIVIL WAR SIEGE: 1645 (11Aug.) Letter written ''before hereford'' by the Earl of Lothian, with the Scottish Army besieging the City; ''wee have sent a party of horse & dragoons after the King, the Gentlemen of Glamorganshire monmouth & Brecknockshire have sent some of their number to the Generall to assure him that they will rise in armes for the Parliat...'' and adding that the soldiers are sick with eating so much fruit, asking for more ammunition etc. No address panel but a fascinating, historic letter. [Ex Willcocks]. £100
KENT
974 MISCELLANY: 1703-1854 group of E/ELs inc. tatty 1703 EL from Deal to London, 1713 EL to London from a ship in the Margate Roads, 1796 EL to Margate with curved "MAIDSTONE" & 1854 printed circular with P.O. related contents and Gravesend h.s. "2" inked over contemporarily. (7 covers plus 1 front). [Ex Willcocks]. £100
975 THE "BROADSTAIRS" FLEURON; 28th Oct. 1824 EL franked from "Broadstairs" to London with a very fine "BROADSTAIRS" Fleuron mark (Willcocks/Jay KT96) on the top flap. Few examples known; this mark is only recorded for 1823-4. PHOTO - see plate no. 4 £150
976 DOVER - OCCUPATION OF DOVER CASTLE AGAINST THE 'CATHOLIC THREAT': 1688 (9 Dec.) A lively EL written from Dover to Sir William Honnywood at Canterbury carrying news that Dover Castle had been occupied by a band of seamen ''come to fight for the King and the progistant Religion'' after rumours of an invasion by the Irish & French. Despite faults, an important Dover letter from an excitable moment in history - a week after the landing of William of Orange. [Ex Willcocks]. £100
977 REGICIDE LETTER FROM ROCHESTER TO DOVER; 24th Oct. 1640 EL (toned address panel but v. fine contents; full typed transcript) from "Rochester" to "Mr. Increased Collins Deuty Lieutenant of Dover Castle, these" carried privately, but written & signed by future regicide "Adrian Scrope", concerning an enclosed "packett" that was "cryed in Rochester". Rare internal Kent letter just prior to the start of the Civil War. £100
978 Similar 11th June 1641 EL in very fine condition from "Sittingborne" to Collins "of Dover Castle" asking the latter to publish urgently "the inclosed order of the P[arlia]ment"; sent urgently by "this Bearer". Rare thus and attractive. PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £120
979 Similar 15th July 1641 fine EL from "Addisham Court" (near Canterbury) to Collins "of Dover Castle...at his house at the Bulworke there, speed", with long contents ref. financial problems "in this busie & extraordinary tyme" (a reference to the chaos prior to the outbreak of Civil War). Fine Kent letter sent by private means. PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £120
980 Similar pair of 12th Aug. 1641 and c.1641 EL's from "Uper Deall"/"Deale Castle" to Collins at Dover Castle complaining about the poor conduct of the Deal Lieutenant, and ref. a debt. Fine. (2 covers). £150
981 Similar 2nd March 1641/2 fine EL from "Sandgate Castle" to Collins at "Dover Castle" with complaints about that "irregular & Clamorous fellowe Slamon from thi Garryson". Clean and attractive internal Kent letter from the closing months before the outbreak of the Civil War. PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £120
LANCASHIRE
982 MANCHESTER: The pre-stamp selection of E/ELs with all different Receiving House number marks - namely "2 PP", "4 PP", "PP5", "5 PP", "PP6", "8 PP" & "9 PP". The two large oval marks ("PP5" and "PP6" are scarce). (9 covers). [Ex Willcocks]. £120
983 MANCHESTER: 1806 EL to Rochdale with large red circular Manchester mileage, and on reverse the rare black oval "Knot Mill/MANCHR." [Ex Willcocks]. PHOTO - see plate no. 16 £80
984 MIDDLETON: 1797-1811 Group of E/ELs with Middleton P.P. Receiving House markings inc. 1811 ELs (2) with large s/l "Middleton" and 1813 EL with small s/l "Middleton" in claret. (4). [Ex Willcocks]. £100
NORFOLK
985 MISCELLANY: 1770-c1840 accumulation of pre-stamp ELs with variety (slightly duplicated) of town marks inc. Attleborough (inc. P Post No 1 of Hingham), Aylsham Penny Post (poor), Dereham, Long Stretton, Lynn, Norwich (inc. missent),Thetford, Watton, Wymondham, etc. Much of interest despite the uneven quality of the marks. (57 covers).THIS LOT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT LONDON 2000. £90
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
986 THRAPSTON: 1841-49 ELs (2) and env. with contents ex Thrapston to Daventry, Leicester & Market Harborough, showing three different Uniform 1d Post h.s marks of Thrapston. (3 covers). [Ex Willcocks]. £75
STAFFORDSHIRE
987 MISCELLANY: 1838 crowned ''FREE'' on env. from London to Burton on Trent, 1840 Mulready Envelope (A159 - faults) ex Towcester to Burton and 1876 printed circular franked _d (pl 10) cancelled by Bristol duplex. (3 covers). £60
988 NEWCASTLE FIFTH CLAUSE POST: 1816-38 group inc. 1816 EL to Edinburgh with two-line "NEWCASTLE S/5 Clause Post", plus four later ELs with various two-line Newcastle 5th Clause Post marks in red (fair only) and black Receiving House numbers (1, 4, 5 & 8). Scarce thus. (5 covers). {Ex Willcocks]. £90
SURREY
989 RICHMOND - RARE EARLY LETTER ''BY THE QUEENE'' (1590): EL (part of text torn away) headed ''By the Queene'', arranging a war loan of twenty pounds from a London grocer, addressed ''To or trusty and welbeloved Christopher Humfrey, London'' and dated from ''or Mannor of Richmond''; endorsements inside trace the recovery of the loan in 1592. Surface dust otherwise fine. [Ex Willcocks]. £150
990 UPPER LONG DITTON: Group of covers on leaves with range of postal markings inc. the scarce UDCs in green & blue, dated c.d.s. used as backstamp on two attractive envs. to India, 1874/6, franked 1/- & 8d. respectively and an 1889 p. stat. card with a strike of the c.d.s. next to the Kingston duplex. (5). £60
WARWICKSHIRE
991 BIRMINGHAM PP's: The small selection of 1820-49 E/ELs, etc. with various (all different) PP markings inc. 1823 EL with black boxed "P.P.12/PAID", 1830 EL from Knowle to Bewdley with s/l "KNOWLE" and black boxed PP mark, 1834 "SHIRLEY STREET/PP" in red, 1849 "ERDINGTON/PP" in black, etc. (7). [Ex Willcocks]. £100
992 BIRMINGHAM PENNY POST - WEST BROMWICH: 1799/1836 Pair of ELs with boxed''P.P.10/PAID'' h.s.; accompanying marks inc. boxed ''PAID/AT/BIRMINGHAM'' & ''BIRMINGHAM'' U.D.C. A rare pair. [Ex Willcocks]. £100
YORKSHIRE
993 THE RARE DISTINCTIVE "FERE/BRIDGE" MARK; 30th March 1720 EL from "Leeds" to London with a mostly very fine strike of the rare "FERE/BRIDGE" mark with twin lines between (Willcocks/Jay YK953; recorded only for 1720) on the lower flap. PHOTO - see plate no. 20 £100
994 YORK-THE DISTINCTIVE MALTESE CROSS: 1842 (17 January) local York EL franked with 1d. plate 19 FK-FL pair tied by two slightly smudged strikes of the scarce distinctive MC of York. £55
GUERNSEY P.H.
995 1866 EL (minor edge wear) to St Malo franked by 4d orange pair (corner fault ) cancelled by a fine strike of the Guernsey duplex; it followed an unusually circuitous 670 mile / four day route via London & Paris! Also an 1861 EL from Jersey to Beziers franked with fresh marginal 4d rose cancelled by a fine Jersey duplex. Both covers have Calais ambulant entry marks. Attractive. (2 covers). £75
JERSEY P.H.
996 'BLOCKADE MAIL': 1779 EL ex Jersey to Caen put, on board a Dutch ship and posted at St Malo - fine s/l ''S.MALO'' h.s.; the letter refers to the difficulty of trading at a time when relations between Britain & France were suspended due to the American War of Independence. A scarce Jersey item. PHOTO - see plate no. 20 £100
997 1848 EL from Jersey to St Malo with unusually fine strike of the entry c.d.s. ''ILES-C./ST. MALO'' [N836]; also an 1880 1d p.stat. card with v.fine Jersey duplex and fine ''ILES C./GRANVILLE'' [N 835V]. Elusive material. (2 items). £60
SCOTTISH MAINLAND POSTAL HISTORY
998 ORIGINAL 1696 POST OFFICE ACT: An original Post Office act (held together by sellotape but otherwise fairly good condition) "Made in the SIXTH SESSION of the FIRST/PARLIAMENT/Of Our Moft High and Dread SOVEREIGN/WILLIAM" (Ex binding, pages 35-40) with contents referring to Duties on Brandy & Muslin, Intrusion into churches without a "Legal Call and Admiffion thereto" and a Post Office related act. Rare. [Ex Willcocks]. £200
999 FIRST TYPE PARCELS POST LABEL: 1883 (OC 12). An example of the 1st. type Parcels Post label for Edinburgh (Lynedoch Place B.O.) with a fine and almost complete "LYNEDOCH PL. B.O." duplex cancellation.. £70
WELSH POSTAL HISTORY
1000 ADVERTISING ENVELOPE (INDEPENDENT ORDER OF GOOD TEMPLARS): 1874 env. to Shrewsbury with blue printed design of Friendly Society and SG49 _d pair (pl 6 - faults) tied by fine ''CORWEN'' (Merionethshire) duplex. Attractive & unusual. £60
1001 HAVERFORDWEST: 1859 env. with 1d. red cancelled by sideways duplex of Haverfordwest and addressed to Sir Thomas Phillips; unrecorded oval h.s. of "SLEBECH/PARK" on reverse. £50
1002 RAILWAY T.P.O.s: 1869-1908 variety of "SOUTH WALES SORTING TENDER" or "T.P.O." c.d.s. on 2 covers & 6 pieces; v. scarce to rare marks. (8 items). £80
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