GB 1840 Outer Wrapper from Ingatestone to Grays Inn. Details Below......(AM1573)

GB 1840 Outer Wrapper from Ingatestone to Grays Inn.

 Postal Markings & Postal History

Origin Datestamp: A circular double-ring town postmark from INGATESTONE in red, dated DE 21 1840 (21st December 1840).

  Destination / Receiving Mark: A red tombstone-shaped Paid mark reading "PAID / [C] / 22 DE 22 / 1840", applied upon arrival in London the following day.

  Prepayment & Rate: Hand-annotated "Prepaid" in the upper-left corner with a large red "1" manuscript rate mark across the front, reflecting the 1d rate for letters under 1/2 oz introduced in January 1840.

Address Details

Addressee: "Messrs Rankin Ford & Vickerman"

Destination: "Grays Inn, London" (a well-known solicitors' firm based in Gray's Inn).

Pencil Collector Annotations (Lower Left)

"INGATESTONE T.16": References the town postmark catalogue number or post town type.

"W+J give 1842-6 in black": Notes standard Willcocks & Jay catalogue references, which record this type in black ink between 1842 and 1846.

"Sent out 11/1/40": Likely notes a dispatch or receipt date reference within an archive or inventory record.

"NOT GIVEN IN RED NOR IN 1840": Highlights the rarity—noting that this specific Ingatestone mark is unrecorded in red ink or for the year 1840 in standard reference works.