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THE POSTAL HISTORY OF LANARK Brian Dow & Ken Liddell

Lanark Post Office was established prior to 1738 (Mackay 1989). The first

recorded mark used by Lanark Post Office was a manuscript town name or initials

which was recorded in 5 April 1738.

Manuscript “Lan: 2” from 1738 (courtesy T Woods)

A straight line “LANARK” (LK160) was the first recorded handstamp mark and

was known to be used between 1750 and 1771 (Auckland 1995).

Straight line LANARK (LK160) from 1771 (ex KL)

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The next mark recorded is the straight line “LANERK” (LK162) which is recorded in Auckland (1995) as being used between 1791 and 1806.

Straight line LANERK (LK162) from 1806 (ex KL)

A circular mileage mark (LK164) was known to have been introduced by 1808

and used until 1810. This marking showed a mileage of 385 miles (from London)

through “C” (Carlisle).

Circular mileage mark (LK164) on 1810 letter from Lanark to Kirkcudbright

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This mileage mark was replaced by a boxed LANARK/385-C (LK166) which has

been known to be used from 1812 to 1820.

Boxed mileage mark (LK166) from 1816

A mileage adjustment to 388 miles resulted in a replacement boxed mileage mark

(LK168a) being used from 1821 to 1828.

Boxed mileage mark (LK168a) used in 1821

In 1830 Kirkwoods of Edinburgh issued a straight line “LANARK” (LK170)

Ex Kirkwood’s proof books

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Straight line LANARK (LK170) used in 1834

Straight line LANARK (LK170) used in 1840 as an early “MISSENT TO

LANARK” with a manuscript “Missent to”

In 1837, The Post Office was located in the High Street with Archibald Haddow

the Postmaster. Letters to Edinburgh, Carluke, Airdrie and Wishaw were

despatched (by mail gig) every evening at eight, and arrived every morning at

seven. Letters to Carlisle, Moffat, Douglas, Lesmahagow and Hamilton were

despatched (by foot post to meet the mail at Milltown toll) every morning at half-

past seven, and arrived every afternoon at two. Letters to Glasgow were

despatched (by foot post and mail) every morning at half-past seven, and (by mail

gig) every evening at eight, and arrived every morning at seven and afternoon at

two. Letters to Carnwath and Biggar were despatched (by foot post) every

afternoon at a quarter-past two, and arrived every morning at seven.

Lanark was a royal burgh, market town and capital of the county of its name.

The town was principally composed of one line of streets, descending from east

to west, bearing the respective names of High-street, Bloom-gate, and West-port;

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besides these, there are smaller streets diverging, and several lanes and closes.

The general occupation of the inhabitants was hand-loom weaving for the

Glasgow manufacturers; a few shoes were made for exportation; nail-making was

carried on to some extent; there were two breweries, two banking establishments

(Commercial Bank of Scotland and the Western Bank of Scotland), and three

principal inns; one of the latter, the Clydesdale Hotel, ranked amongst the most

extensive and well conducted inns to be found in the provincial towns of

Scotland, and, with its fine portico entrance, was an embellishment to the street

in which it stood. The market day was Tuesday; fairs, the last Wednesdays of

April, May and July the Thursday after the second Monday of October, and the

first Wednesday of November, all for cattle and horses, and lambs in the season.

During 1837, Kirkwood issued Lanark Post office with several handstamps:

i) a boxed additional ½ mark for wheel tax i.e. an extra ½d was charged

for every letter carried on a stage coach with more than 2 wheels over a

Toll Road in Scotland (Hodgson & Sedgewick 1984).

Ex Kirkwood’s proof books

ii) a bag seal stamp

Ex Kirkwood’s proof books

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An example of the bag seal handstamp being used on the sealing wax of a letter

(1865).

iii) and a boxed datestamp (LK172a)

Ex Kirkwood’s proof books

This datestamp is known to have been used with black ink from 1837 to 1856;

red ink in 1840(see below); and blue ink from 1848 to 1849.

1838 1846 1856

(predates early use of blue ink by 2 years)

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13 August 1840

It shows an example of the penny black postage stamp cancelled with a red

Maltese cross presumably from Lanark.

Black Maltese Cross 1843

During the penny post era (from January 1840) a handstruck “1” or “2” would

be struck on the front of covers to denote postage paid.

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This item shows a handstruck “1” in red and a Lanark datestamp for 1 August 1840. For an example of a handstruck “2”, see 1868 later.

A slightly bigger Lanark boxed datestamp was provided in 1842 from Kirkwoods.

Ex Kirkwood’s proof books 1843

During 1844, Lanark would have been supplied by Kirkwoods with an A2 type

obliterator (4-5-4 line format) incorporating the numbers “215” which had been allocated to Lanark.

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This would have been used to cancel stamps rather than the Maltese Cross.

In August 1849, Lanark was issued with a “Missent to Lanark”. This is known to have been used with either blue or black ink.

1858

In 1850 a skeleton handstamp was provided to Lanark by Kirkwood’s.

Example used in 31 October 1850

This should have probably coincided with the inability to use one of the two

boxed Lanark datestamps, but examples are known from both datestamps beyond

1850. However, Kirkwood’s did provide a datestamp to Lanark on 30th October

1850.

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Ex Kirkwood’s proof books

And also in 1854, the other boxed datestamp was recut.

Ex Kirkwood’s proof books

In 1852, mails were received from Edinburgh at 1.00 am, 1.41 pm, and dispatched

at 10.05 am, 9.30 pm.

In November 1856, a further skeleton handstamp was issued to Lanark.

This did coincide with a change in use of a boxed datestamp and the first usage

of a double-arced datestamp.

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1857

By 1863, a single-arced datestamp had also come into use.

1867

By 1861, William Ballantyne was the Post Master. Letters arrived from the

South and Biggar every morning at 6.17am from Edinburgh, and Glasgow in the

afternoon at 1.10pm from Edinburgh, Glasgow and the North, every night at

7.25pm, and from Glasgow, Edinburgh, North and South, every night at 10.10pm;

and were despatched to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the North every morning at

5.22am; to Edinburgh and Glasgow in the forenoon at 11.20am; to the South and

Biggar every evening at 6.00pm; to Edinburgh, Glasgow, North and South every

night at 8.30pm.

In 1862 (and also in 1878) Elizabeth Bannatyne was the Post Mistress at the Post

Office based in Bloomgate. Mails arrived from the South and Carlisle at 6.55am,

and from Edinburgh and Glasgow at 12.25pm afternoon; from the South at

6.00pm, from Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the North at 7.35pm, and at 11.10pm.

Mails were dispatched to Edinburgh and Glasgow at 11.15am; to Edinburgh,

Glasgow, and the North at 4.00pm; to the North, South, Edinburgh and Glasgow

at 6.00pm, and to the South and Carlisle at 9.25pm.

During 1864, the use of a datestamp together with the obliterator was superceded

by the introduction of a Lanark duplex cancellation, whereby the 215 component

cancelled the stamps and the datestamp was clearly seen adjacent to this mark.

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1868 letter from Lanark showing the LANARK-215 B5 2-2 bar duplex

cancellation together with late usage of a handstruck “2” to denote postage due

for underpayment.

In 1868, a single ring datestamp was also delivered for use in Lanark.

1870

During 1869, a further obliterator was issued to Lanark, this one being an A8

obliterator (3-3-3 line format).

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Late usage of the A8 obliterator in the 1900s

In 1873, a B4 duplex canceller was provided to Lanark. This differed from the

previous (B5) duplex canceller in having the “LANARK” round the top rather than across the datestamp.

B4 duplex cancellation from 1874

In 1883, Kirkwood’s issued a combined datestamp showing both the office

number (215) and the date.

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1885

Recut 1889 (ex KL) 1890

A type 6 skeleton mark is known to have been used between 30 November and

10 December 1886 and was also in use between 30 September and 5 October

1896.

In 1899, the same combined handstamp was produced but the code letter was

changed to a clock time.

1902 1903

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1906

In 1898, Kirkwood’s issued a Lanark “target” handstamp that was usually used

on parcel post items.

ex Kirkwood’s proof books

By 1903 the Post Office had been relocated to the High Street and Alexander

Fleming was postmaster. Deliveries were at 7 am & 12 (noon), 3.30 & 7.30 pm;

Dispatches at 1.20, 3, 6, 7.50 & 10.35 am & 2, 4.10, 5, 6.20, 6.35 & 9 pm; Sunday

despatches, 4 am & 9 pm.

The use of a combined stamp with a cross pattee in place of the office number

became standard practice throughout Scotland and Lanark had such a handstamp

by 1907.

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1907 1909

1912

A type 8 skeleton mark was known used between 30 May and 24 August 1914.

Early use of type 8 skeleton mark 1914

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The 15th May skeleton mark predates the earliest recorded use of this mark (30th

May).

27 August 1914 (ex KL)

This postdates the latest recorded usage of this mark by 3 days.

1915

This datestamp differs from the earlier similar one by the narrow gap for the

pattee at the bottom of the datestamp.

A type 8 skeleton mark is recorded as being used on 18 December 1917.

A similar cross pattee datestamp seems to have been in use until 1921.

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1919 (exKL)

16 September 1921 10 October 1921

A type 8 skeleton datestamp was in use between 16 September and 10 October

1921 (previously unrecorded).

The next datestamp had a solid arc rather than twin arcs.

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1925 Narrow Lanark

1929 Wide Lanark 1932

10 July 1934

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A type 8 skeleton datestamp was in use on 10 July 1934 (previously

unrecorded).

August 1934 1945

The next datestamp appears to have followed the skeleton with a Lanark double

ring datestamp with a solid arc.

1963

A Lanark double ring date stamp with thin arc together with green boxed Postage

Due instructional marks.

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Registered Mail:

1880

Early Registered envelope cancelled with Lanark B5 duplex cancellation.

1902

Oval “R” for Registration and stamp cancelled with Lanark single ring cancellation

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1934

Use of rouletted Lanark registration label and embossed stamp cancelled with

Lanark single ring cancellation

1940

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Lanark perforated registration label (wide R) and stamps cancelled with Lanark

single ring cancellation.

1950

Lanark perforated registration label (narrow R) and stamps cancelled with

Lanark single ring cancellation.

Oval REGISTERED/CLYDE VALLEY ML11 from 2000 (ex KL)

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Machine Cancellations:

Lanark Post Office was provided with a Krag cancelling machine. The earliest

known use was on 1st April 1936 and latest recorded use on 3rd February 1948

(Carter 2012).

1937

1939

1943

The Krag machine was replaced with a Universal cancelling machine. The

earliest recorded use of the Universal machine cancellation is 11 December

1950.

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Machine cancel has a wide gap between arcs and name 1957

Lanark Triangular die used in October 1960s (Postal census)

1964 (in red in error)

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1974

This machine cancel is an example of narrower lettering (see “A” in Lanark) and with the arc close to lettering, reported by Mackay as being in use between 1965

and 1986.

1975 slogan in transposed aspect

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Machine cancel has slightly broader lettering 1982

Paid Die 1986 (ex KL)

Last day of LANARK - 1987 (ex KL)

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Change of LANARK to CLYDE VALLEY ML11 1987

Use of red ink in 1990 (150 years since the Penny Black)

1997

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Special handstamps:

1975

1997

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1999

Rubber datestamps:

1978

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Parcel Post Labels:

1901

1906

1913 (ex KL)

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1981

Lanark paid postage handstamp

Instructional marks

1d postage due 1913

1970 Green boxed postage due mark

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Unable to deliver 1970 backstamp

Unable to deliver for reason stated 1974

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Notice of amalgamation of Carluke and Lanark delivery offices at Home Street,

Lanark in 1996

Delivery Office handstamp 2002

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P739 form from 2010

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Counter datestamps:

1992 1994

1996 (with ML11 postcode)

2000 “curly-wurly”

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Lanark Post Office in 1980s (JM)

Lanark Post Office August 2013 following a fire in June

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Notice of closure on 14 June 2013 and details of nearest alternative Post offices

in Carstairs, Carnwath or Crossford

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Notice of a temporary Post Office in the Council Offices from 22 July 2013 –

open for 15 hours per week

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LANARK GRANDSTAND:

The Lanark International Aviation Meeting was held from 6th August to 13th

August 1910. At that meeting mail could be posted at the aerodrome or at the

grandstand. The Lanark Grandstand datestamp, normally used as a telegraphic

handstamp for race meetings, was utilised to deal with some of the mail posted at

the meeting. As there was a considerable amount of mail, only a portion of it was

dealt with at the Grandstand Post office, the remainder being forwarded to Lanark

Post Office for cancellation with the Lanark double ring canceller.

11 August 1910 .

Advertising Racing at Lanark but posted in Glasgow 1968

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WESTPORT:

Westport Post Office opened on 1 July 1927 and closed on 31 October 2008

(Smith 2012).

West Port Post office in the 1980s (JM)

1985 (ex KL)

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1997 1998

Counter datestamps

Gazette article from 2002

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Information leaflet issued when the Westport Post Office closed (ex KL)

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Meter Cancellations:

1995 (incorrectly dated as 2015) (ex KL)

1997

2000

2001 (ex KL)

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2005 (ex KL)

Christmas Posts:

Lanark Amateur Musical Society

Upper Clyde Operatic Society

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Lanark Ladies Circle (ex KL)

Lanark Ladies Circle pre 1994 (ex KL) and post 1994

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NEW LANARK:

New Lanark Post Office opened on 30th April 1852. Kirkwood’s supplied 2 handstamps at that time:

A bag seal and an undated local handstamp (ex Kirkwood’s proof books)

A double ring combined datestamp was provided by Kirkwood’s in October1897.

1906 1923 (ex KL)

By 1903 the sub-postmaster was James Graham. All mail came and went through

Lanark. Deliveries were at 8am & 3.50 & 8 pm; dispatches at 10am & 8.30 pm.

The nearest telegraph office was at Lanark, 1 mile distant.

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New Lanark Post Office in the 1920s

1932 (ex KL) 1959 (ex KL)

By 1932, New Lanark was using a NEW LANARK/LANARKSHIRE double

ring datestamp.

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1985

Site of the New Lanark Post Office in the 1980s (adjacent to site in the 1920s)

The Post Office was located in Mill three by the late 1980s.

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1989 2000

NEW LANARK/ LANARKSHIRE ML11 double ring datestamp with thin arcs.

Registration labels:

(ex KL)

Special handstamps:

1985

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1989

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1993 (variable date)

1997

1999

The New Lanark Post Office closed on 28 January 2009.

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Some early Post Office photographs were taken by Dr James Mackay (JM) and

are now in the Scottish Postal History library. All illustrations are either from our

personal collections (KL being those of Dr Ken Liddell), Terry Woods

(Lanarkshire Postal History Collection) or from the Kirkwood proof books. For

those interested in Lanarkshire or Scottish postal history, please click on the

following links. The Lanarkshire Postal History Collection

www.terrywoods.co.uk

The Scottish Postal History Society

http://www.sphs.org.uk

The Lanarkshire Philatelic Society http://www.lanarkshireps.co.uk/

References

Archer E (2010) Flying at Lanark. Stenlake Publishing Ltd

Auckland B (1995) Postal Markings of Scotland to 1840.

Ed R Stables 2nd Edition.

Carter PT (2012) Krag machine postmarks of Great Britain & Ireland.

British Postmark Society.

Hodgson K & Sedgewick WA (1984) The Scottish additional halfpenny mail

tax. 2nd Edition.

Kirkwood Proof Books (2012) Digitised copy of proof books held by Scottish

Postal History Society.

Mackay JA (1978) The skeleton postmarks of Scotland.

Mackay JA (1986) Machine cancellations of Scotland.

Mackay JA (1987) Scottish Numeral Postmarks.

Mackay JA (1989) Scottish Post Offices.

Malcolm D (1975) The Scottish International Aviation Meeting Lanark.

Post Office Directories National Library of Scotland website.

Smith K (2012) personal communication (British Postmark Society).

© Brian Dow 2013