Wednesday, 29 August 2012

Visit to the Royal Mail Archive (The British Postal Museum & Archive)

The Royal Mail Archive is free and open for members of the public to use and enjoy. The Royal Mail Archive is based at Freeling House, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL, which is also the main office for The British Postal Museum & Archive. The current exhibition is the Diamond Jubilee - A display featuring material celebrating the Diamond Jubilee, including an exclusive insight into the making of the stamps released to mark the occasion. This exhibition shows how the two main stamp issues from Royal Mail marking the Jubilee came about. The first was a miniature sheet, designed by Sedley Place, featuring six definitives with iconic portraits from British stamps, coins and banknotes. On British stamps and coins the monarch alone is the symbol of the country. For stamps this is unique in the world - every other country's stamps bears the name of the country of origin. However, it was not until 1960 that the Queen's portrait appeared on banknotes.

To view material from the philatelic collection please telephone the Curator (Philately), Douglas Muir, on + 44 (0)20 7239 2565 / Email: info@postalheritage.org.uk. The Royal Mail Archive is open Monday to Friday, and on selected Saturdays. They are closed on all public holidays. Monday to Wednesday - 10.00am - 5.00pm / Thursday - 10.00am - 7.00pm / Friday - 10.00am - 5.00pm Some of their facilities available include: leaflets and information sheets; reference library publications and journals; paper catalogues; computer catalogue; Microfilm / microfiche readers with printing facilities; reading desks with lights and magnifiers; power points for personal computers; IT facilities - access to our online catalogue, NPS catalogues. For more information, visit these sites:

http://postalheritage.org.uk/page/archive
http://postalheritage.org.uk/page/3290/Royal-Mail-Archive--Overview-Guide
http://postalheritage.org.uk/page/3291/Royal-Mail-Archive--At-A-Glance
http://postalheritage.org.uk/page/archive-gettingto






credit: http://postalheritage.org.uk/page/archive

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