The objective of this enterprise, started and maintained by Professor Cedric Prys-Roberts

since 2004, is to make a permanent computer-based record of all postal history material pertaining

to Wales, from the inception of postal services through Wales to Ireland in the 16th century up to

the present day.

 

The ARCHIVE records digital computer images of :

 

entire letters, envelopes (and their contents):

1841 Mulready 2d lettersheet cancelled by a red Maltese Cross and a St Asaph Skeleton postmark.

1841 Mulready 2d lettersheet cancelled by a red Maltese Cross and a St Asaph Skeleton postmark.

 

postcards :

Aberaeron Bridge Street - postcard by CH Dierks 1906

Aberaeron Bridge Street - postcard by CH Dierks 1906

parcel post labels :

1901 ABERYSTWYTH sr-cds on SG 205 § (PPL) [aa].jpg

 

adhesive stamps with Welsh postmarks (on or off piece):

1870 LLANWNEN E 19 4VOS M).jpg

 

 

and other appropriate ephemera (images of handstamps, writing implements etc):

 

Decorated portable inkwell - courtesy of Gerald Marriner

Decorated portable inkwell - courtesy of Gerald Marriner

 

 

The main criterion for inclusion in the Archive is that the item was posted in Wales for

transmission within, or out of Wales. Certain items of mail carried into or through Wales

(for instance mail to or from Ireland bearing instructional marks - e.g. the additional

halfpenny or penny) will be included. Also included are items bearing a distinctive postal or

instructional mark, e.g. Too Late

1864 ABERYSTWITH 2 3HOS : Too Late : 1d SG 43 to Machynlleth (F) [aa].jpg

 

The ARCHIVE will be a valuable source for anyone interested in the postal history of Wales,

as it is a fully illustrated compendium that will replace existing catalogues such as the

chapter on WALES (edited by Michael Scott Archer) in the British County Catalogue

of Postal History (Volume 5), 1990; edited by Willcocks R.M. and Jay B. 

Moreover, the contents of many of the letters and postcards, in Welsh and English,

will be of considerable value to historians with an interest in the social and communication

history of Wales from the time of Roman occupation to the present time.

 

Computer imaging

All letters, postcards, parcel post labels etc are scanned by a high-resolution scanner

(currently an Epson Perfection V600) connected to an Apple MacPro computer. 

Most items will be recorded in colour at resolutions between 600 d.p.i (letters and postcards)

and 3200 d.p.i. (e.g. Queen Victoria line-engraved, or surface-printed stamps). 

A typical pre-1840 entire letter will be scanned to show the front (obverse) and back (reverse)

of the folded letter, and as many pages of the contents of the letter as are appropriate.

Specific town handstamps, instructional marks, and manuscript marks are usually scanned

additionally at higher resolutions.

 

Entire from Llanerchymedd, via Bangor to Liverpool, bearing a 1d black pl 3 cancelled by a red Maltese Cross, and a Llannerchymedd Penny Post handstamp in red. Backstamped BANGOR darc-cds in red (code D),dated AU 27 1840.

Entire from Llanerchymedd, via Bangor to Liverpool, bearing a 1d black pl 3 cancelled by a red Maltese Cross, and a Llannerchymedd Penny Post handstamp in red. Backstamped BANGOR darc-cds in red (code D),

dated AU 27 1840.

 

Currently (January 2023) the Archive consists of 28,1073 images stored (as 28.27 Gb ) on a

primary computer, and also on two subsidiary 1Tb and 2Tb SSD hard disks,

as either a TIFF and/or JPEG files.