Latest Cover of the Month August 2026

llustrated Cover London to Cottingham1886

‘No more at present.’ The picture shows a man sleeping off a heavy meal.

I bought this cover at the York Stamp Fair. 

It is finely postmarked LONDON EC XA  AU*18 86 with a Hoster cancel (so in the middle of this month it will celebrate its 140^th postal anniversary).  A 1d. lilac stamp (die II, with 16 pearls in each corner) pays the postage.  The cover is illustrated on p.331 of ‘British Pictorial Envelopes of the 19^th Century.’

The Nursery is most probably Crooksty Horn, on the north side of Hull Road, Cottingham, owned by James Martin, aged 60, whose wife was Ann, to whom the letter was addressed.  There were a lot of nurseries in Cottingham, but this address seems to be the most likely one. Unfortunately there is no letter inside nor any marking or name on the back so we cannot tell who sent it, nor when it arrived.

Robert F. McMillan FRPSL (Hull)