Cancelling Machines
Cancelling is perhaps the easiest part of the postal system to mechanise as the process is repetitive. Cancelling machines were developed in the 1850s to make the laborious but important task of cancelling stamps quicker and easier.
The BPMA collection holds examples of the three major types of mechanised cancelling machine:
- the manually-fed and operated machine
- the automatically-fed but manually operated
- the fully automated machines
Examples from our Collection
Here are some examples of cancelling machines in our collection:
Pearson Hill Cancelling Machine (Replica), 1991
Arguably the earliest mechanised part of the postal system.
Parallel Motion Cancelling Machine, c. 1850s
A simpler, hand-operated cancelling machine developed by Pearson Hill.
Electric Stamp Cancelling Machine, after 1916
Machines like this one greatly sped up the process of cancelling the mail.
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