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Auction: 15023 - The Philatelic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 3633

Great Britain
Postal History
1652 (15 Dec.) 'Haste Post Haste' entire letter "For the service of the State/To the Right Hono(ra)ble/the Lord President/of the Counsell/of State/those/present/Whitehall" (i.e. John Bradshaw (1602-59) who presided at the trial of Charles I and passed sentence), "Hast Hast/Post/Hast Hast/Tho: Kelsy " and on reverse flap (opening marvellously for display) six endorsements at times of arrival "From Dover past six at night/Receiv(e)d att Canterbury past 10 att night/Received at Settingborn past 2 in the morning/Rochester past 5 in the morning/Dar(t)ford past 9 in the morning/arrived at Southwerk past 2 in the afternoon" and with largely complete, cracked wax seal, a light horizontal fold at foot;
The letter refers to "The Dutch Fleete" of "seventy sayle" anchored "in our roade." Kelsey adds that the Dutch "unhappily mett with three English Shippes coming from Barbadoes" which captured "two of them, the other escaped and came under the Castle." An endorsement in a second hand reads "Letter from Coll: Kellsey Governr of Dover Castle relating the state of the Dutch fleet then in Dover Roade". A marvellous 'Haste Post Haste' letter. A major British Postal History rarity. Photo

note:
During the Civil War it appears that the postal service for the general public was severely restricted, if not non-existent. Both Royalists and Parliamentarians employed special couriers for Official Mail, otherwise letters were carried (and, occasionally charged or postally endorsed) privately. The 'Old' Post was restored in c. 1647, utilising the 1635 rates and, in 1653 the Post office was reorganised and the 'New' Post was established.

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Estimate
£20,000 to £25,000