The Dumfries Post Office, 1642-1910. d') 



tions were laid down as to the work of stamping. Under date ttie 

 28th December, 1807, a " Special Instruction " was issued to the 

 various offices in the following terms : — " Stamp all letters with 

 wooden stamp, using common writing ink. On no account what- 

 ever apply the smoke of candles for the purpose." 



There can be little doubt, we think, that Dumfries, in 

 common with other provincial offices, would use a stamp in 1715. 



The late J. G. Hendy states'*'' that the earliest Scottish 

 postmark which had come under his notice was taken from a 

 letter of 1774. It may therefore be of interest to record that 

 we have secured markings from the Dumfries Office of dates 14th 

 June, 1761, and 25th March, 1765; from the Annan Office of 

 dates November 27th, 1738, and August 27th, 1744; and from 

 the Moffat Office for the 28th December, 1761. 



Fig. 1 shows the Dumfries postmark for the 14th June, 1761. 

 It possesses the peculiarity of having the letters M and F joined 

 together so as to form what is called a ligature or nexus. This 

 mark remained in use until about the year 1763 or 1764, when it 

 seems to have been superseded by a larger mark (Fig. 2). The 

 latter evidently continued to be used at the Dumfries Office for 

 a considerable period. We find a similar postmark on a letter 

 from the Poet Burns to his brother William, dated from Ellisland 

 the 10th November, 1789, which is preserved in the Bums 

 Museum of Mr John Thomson, Hole i' the Wa' Inn, Dumfries. 



In the year 1808 the marking of mileage (i.e., the distance 

 from London) was authorised, but it is certain that the rule was 

 not applied generally. Figs. 3 and 4 represent the Dumfries 

 marks showing mileage in use from 1814 to 1820. J. G. Hendy 

 says : — " The Scotch stamps bearing mileage also bore the initial 

 letters B, C, D, E, & G. These indicated the route by which 

 the letters circulated, i.e., Berwick, Carlisle, Dumfries, Edin- 

 burgh, and Glasgow. It appears, however, that there were ex- 

 ceptions, thus we fold Dumfries bearing route letter " G " and a 

 different mileage (Fig. 4).''''' 



In 1821 the character of the Dumfries postmark is somewhat 

 different. The frame, as shown in the markings of 1814-20, has 

 disappeared, while details as to the date of posting and hour of 



47. History of the Early Postmarks of the British Isles, p. 127. 

 47*. History of the Early Postmarks of the British Isles, pp. 

 137-8. 



