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Other Regional Issues

Regional postage in Great Britain is the issue of postage stamps reflecting the identity of parts of the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies. more...

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Postage stamps were first issued by Great Britain in 1840 and were valid throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until 1922 and in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland thereafter.

In 1958, special regional issues were commenced in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales received their own special issues. The designs used the same portrait as the Wildings and then later changed to the Machins, but were modified to incorporate the symbols of each of the home nations. While generally sold at post offices in their respective areas, all were valid throughout the UK and the Crown Dependencies.

The currency in use in 1958 was the pound sterling with 12d (pence) = 1s (shilling); 20 shillings = £1 (pound). Following the decimalisation of sterling on Decimalisation Day 15 February 1971, the currency changed to 100p (pence) = £1 (pound).

Abandoned idea in the 1940s

The idea of Regional stamps came up after World War II to help the tourism in the Channel Islands, which were occupied by German forces until the end of the conflict. The concept was extended to all United Kingdom's regions and essays were prepared: positions of King George VI's head and symbols.

First Issues

The first value (3d deep lilac) of the regional issues were introduced on 18 August 1958 in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The design consisted of the Dorothy Wilding's portrait of the Queen surrounded by appropriate regional symbols. Other values were introduced at later dates. Some of the issue dates are unclear, as the stamps were issued first at the Philatelic Bureau in Edinburgh, others first at the Philatelic Counter in London, others first in the region.

The colours used were consistent across the various regions, and stayed constant with the exception of the 4d value was issued in three different colours - ultramarine, olive-sepia and vermilion. The 4d's colour changes were made to keep them consistent with that used by the new pre-decimal Machin series (5 June 1967). The original ultramarine was changed to the 4d Machin's olive-sepia. When the Machin's colour was changed because of complaints that postmarks could not be read on so dark a colour, the regional 4d stamps were again changed to the new 4d colour of vermilion.

Jersey and Guernsey became postally independent on 1 October 1969 when they each issued their own inaugural series (see Jersey Post, Guernsey Post) although locally-produced stamps had been in use during the Occupation of the Channel Islands 1940-1945. The Bailiwick of Guernsey incorporates Alderney, Herm and Sark which all used the Guernsey issues from 1969. Alderney has issued its own stamps since 1983 and these are valid throughout the Bailiwick of Guernsey.