LATEST STORIES

Guy Thomas  |  May 07, 2021  |  0 comments

Royal Mail issued a set of eight stamps on May 4 commemorating the Wars of the Roses, the series of bloody struggles for the throne which engulfed England from 1455-85.

Specifically, the issue is timed to coincide with the 550th anniversary of the Battle of Tewkesbury, one of the defining battles in a period which witnessed the deposition of three kings, and the violent death of two of them.

The Wars of the Roses were fought between the rival houses of Lancaster and York, which were both cadet branches of the royal house of Plantagenet.

Guy Thomas  |  Apr 14, 2021  |  0 comments

A set of six stamps issued by Royal Mail on April 15 celebrated Classic Science Fiction, roughly coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the death of H G Wells and the 70th anniversary of the publication of The Day of the Triffids.

The term ‘science fiction’ came into use at the end of the 1920s, for a style of literature which engaged with the rapid technological change of the day, and encouraged readers to imagine where it might lead.

Some of what are now considered classics of the genre, however, were written long before then.

Guy Thomas  |  Mar 16, 2021  |  0 comments

A set of 10 stamps celebrating the Legend of King Arthur was issued by Royal Mail on March 16.

One of the most enduring tales in English and Welsh folklore, the legend dates from the 5th or 6th centuries, when, according to medieval histories and romances, Arthur was a Romano-British leader fighting against Anglo-Saxon invaders.

Historical evidence of his life is non-existent, and the earliest datable mention of Arthur is in a 9th-century chronicle, so he straddles the border between history and mythology.

Guy Thomas  |  Feb 15, 2021  |  0 comments

Royal Mail celebrated the 40th anniversary of the BBC television sitcom Only Fools & Horses with a set of eight stamps and a miniature sheet issued on February 16.

Created by John Sullivan and first broadcast in 1981, Only Fools & Horses ran for seven series and 16 Christmas specials until 2003, amounting to 64 episodes in all.

At its peak, it was watched by more than 24 million people.

Guy Thomas  |  Jan 25, 2021  |  0 comments

Royal Mail released a miniature sheet on January 26 in celebration of the Britain’s greatest strengths and accomplishments.

Under the title United Kingdom: A Celebration, it ‘explores just some of the ways in which Britain leads the way.

.

Guy Thomas  |  Jan 07, 2021  |  0 comments

Royal Mail issues a set of 10 stamps on January 14 celebrating National Parks, marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of such areas in the UK.

The first to be designated was the Peak District, in April 1951, followed by three others later in the same year.

There are now 15 National Parks in total.

Guy Thomas  |  Nov 13, 2020  |  0 comments

For reasons best known to itself, Royal Mail will issue a set of stamps on November 13 devoted to the Americantelevision and film franchiseStar Trek.

Created by the American writer and producer Gene Roddenberry in 1966, the science-fiction space opera features 23rd-century humanson a mission ‘to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before’.

Combining the exploration of interstellar space and moral issues, it now extends to more than 750 television episodes and 13 movies, including both sequels and prequels.

Guy Thomas  |  Nov 03, 2020  |  0 comments

This year’s Christmas stamp issue, released on November 3, features stained-glass nativity scenes from town and village churches around England.

The nativity was a popular subject in stained-glass art from the 13th century onwards, often focusing on the relationship between the Virgin Mary and the new-born Jesus.

Each of the stamps shows a detail of a window from an Anglican church, showcasing the extraordinary craftmanship of the artists working in this highly specialised genre, and encompassing a range of styles, techniques and eras.

Guy Thomas  |  Oct 01, 2020  |  0 comments

Royal Mail issued a set of six stamps entitled Brilliant Bugs on October 1, to celebrate the enormous diversity of pollinating insects in the UK.

The stamps feature six significant pollinators, exploring a range that includes not only bees and butterflies but other species which are often overlooked.

The planet’s five million insect species contribute to the ecosystem in varied ways, including recycling dead and decaying matter.

Guy Thomas  |  Sep 03, 2020  |  0 comments

Royal Mail issued a set of eight stamps on September 3 to mark the 100thbirthday of Rupert Bear, Britain’s longest continually running comic strip.

The anthropomorphic bear’s fantasy adventures with his young friends in the idyllic village of Nutwood first appeared in the Daily Express newspaper on November 8, 1920, and quickly became a children’s favourite.

Initially the stories were written by Herbert Tourtel and illustrated by his wife Mary.

Pages

X