This letter, sent on August
31, 1833, comes from a time known as the Pre-Stamp Era. The red "Paid"
cancellation mark known as a "London Paid" date stamp, was strictly
reserved for letters where the postage had been paid in advance. It features a crown
at the top, which acted as an official seal of the British government, proving
the letter was handled by the Royal Mail's General Post Office. In 1833, there
were no planes or cars, so this letter travelled from London to the countryside
in a mail coach—a heavy wooden carriage pulled by teams of fast horses.
The beautiful, curly handwriting on the front tells us the letter was going to a very important man named William Stanley Clarke. He lived at a grand estate called "Elm Bank" in Leatherhead, England. Mr. Clarke was a leader of the East India Company, which was one of the most powerful groups in history, Chairman of the East India Company, which was one of the most powerful groups in history.
