2/03/2012 St Helena
We were surprised to see this 1861 six penny blue stamp from far-off St. Helena with a very British numeral cancellation of '425', instead of the usual cork dots, blocks, letters, numbers, crosses, sunbursts, stars and bars, normally found postmarking this issue.
The stamp was sent on a letter from St. Helena, which since the death of Napoleon in 1821 and the abolition of slavery in 1832, had consequently reached a low ebb. With very few soldiering or governmental jobs, a trader probably sent the letter direct to England. The stamp missed being cancelled and travelled to its destination unmarked, until a vigilant postal employee applied his office's canceller!
The coincidence? Numeral '425' is from Knutsford, Sandafayre's hometown!