12 APRIL 2016 http://www.stampandcoin.co.ukQ&A: Mark Mason
According to writer Mark Mason, each of the UK’s
124 postcodes has a story to tell, so he set out to
discover them all for his book Mail Obsession. We
asked Mark about his findingsHow did you come up with the idea of the postcode-inspired book?
My last book had been a Land’s End to John O’Groats journey (by local
buses), so for this one I wanted a way of covering the whole country,
collecting trivia from every part of the UK. I realised that the 124 postcode
areas are perfect, just the right sort of number to say ‘I’ll collect at least one
fact from each area’.What did you discover about the UK postal system while writing the book?
My favourite discoveries were the quirky things, like the rule about lottery
tickets – you’re allowed to send UK National Lottery tickets by post, but not
foreign ones. I also like the humour in some of the postcodes: for instance
the VAT section of HMRC has a code ending ‘5AT’, because V is the Roman
numeral for 5. Visiting the British Postal Museum and Archive at Mount
Pleasant in London was fascinating too, they’ve got so much great material.
I saw guns carried by mail coach guards, as well as some of the money bags
used in evidence at the trial of the Great Train Robbers.What’s your favourite fact from the book?
Again, the quirky ones always grab me, like the fact for the WR (Worcester)
postcode area: Bricklehampton (a village in the area) is the longest British
placename not to repeat any of its letters. Then there are the historical facts,
like RM (Romford), where William Derham, the rector of Upminster in 1709,
estimated the speed of sound by observing a colleague firing a shotgun
several miles away. As soon as he saw the smoke through his telescope
he knew the gun had been fired, and started timing with a half-second
pendulum until he heard the bang. He did it many times, averaging out his
results, and arrived at the answer of 1,116 feet per second, the accepted
answer now is 1,115 feet per second. What a hero.Why should we be proud of Royal Mail and our postal system?
Because we were the first, I guess. This is why our stamps are famously the
only ones in the world not to have the country’s name on them. Rowland
Hill was a great man, not only did he invent the penny post, he also invented
the postcode. And then Anthony Trollope came along a few years later and
removed NE and S from the London codes (the low weight of postal traffic
meant they weren’t needed, Newcastle and Sheffield have them now).
Trollope used to write his novels early in the morning, before going to work
at the Post Office. He did three hours’ writing before doing a full day’s work.
As a freelance writer this sort of industriousness makes me sick.Have you ever collected stamps, what’s your first impressions of philately?
I’ve never collected, but after researching the book I’m certainly fascinated
by them. I love the fact that the Queen insisted on the shawl you can see
her wearing on our stamps, she felt that bare shoulders would be indecent.Mail Obsession by Mark Mason (Orion, £12.99) is out now.
Stamp & Coin Mart readers may order copies for the special price
of £10.99 (rrp £12.99) by calling 01903 828503 and quoting ‘PB122’.
(UK postage & packing free, overseas add £1.60)Stamp update
Canada Post has issued a stamp to honour the
black soldiers who served their country during
the First World War, in the face of prejudice
and segregation.
The stamp features photographs of members
of the 2nd Construction Battalion, against a
background of the forest environment where they
served. It recognises the contribution of the black
soldiers who served Canada in the First World
War, in an age when these soldiers faced prejudice
and were often turned away while trying to sign
up to serve their country. The Battalion was
formed in 1916, two years after the outbreak of
World War One, because of mounting pressure
from black soldiers who were trying to sign up for
military service and being turned away.
The men of the 2nd Construction Battalion
worked in France during the Great War, felling
trees then milling them into the lumber that
supported the trenches on the Allied front
line. It was a hard life, with a working day
of ten hours a day, six days a week. The men
endured segregation as their sleeping quarters
were separate from those of white soldiers,
as was the hospital wing where they received
medical treatment, but they ate meals with white
comrades. While most never saw combat, some
died from pneumonia or other diseases.
Judy Foote, Minister of Public Services
and Procurements, said of the soldiers: ‘Their
determination to serve and their contribution
to the war effort were an important step on the
journey to racial equality in this county. We are
proud to highlight this little-known aspect of
Canadians’ participation in that epic conflict.’Canada Post
marks Black
History Month
Sign up for the free Stamp & Coin Mart e-newsletter and receive news direct to your inbox every month. Sign up at: http://stamp.cm/esign-upp09 Stamp update.indd 12 01/03/2016 11: