Stamp Domain Home Page

Visit the Stamp Domain Country Resource Pages
for information on Specialist Philatelic Societies, New Issues, Books, Articles etc

Visit Stamp Domain's GB Resource Page

More about W H Smith wrappers  see
Wrappers 1870-1901
Wrappers 1901-1937
The C A Malcolm wrappers from 1902
Wrappers 1937 - 1960's

A Mystery W H Smith Newspaper Wrapper

W H Smith newspaper wrapper  W H Smith OHMS newspaper wrapper
I have a total of 10 wrappers like the ones illustrated above
  • The wrappers are 100 to 102 mm wide and 250 to 255 mm deep
  • All the wrappers are adressed to the same name and address
  • On the inside of the wrapper at the top is printed "TIMES"
  • All the wrappers have a black oval handstamp "L.T.R." / Crown / "TELEGRAPH BRANCH"
  • Nine of the wrappers have a red circular handstamp "LONDON" / "OFFICIAL PAID"
  • One wrapper has a red "LONDON E C OFFICIAL PAID" datestamp "7 JN 44"
  • The label on several of the wrappers has 7/43 in the bottom line which would suggest it was printed in July 1943
  • On the wrappers underneath the OHMS label is a printed address reading
LIBRARIAN
C.T.O. LIBRARY
c/o BOOK - KEEPER
ANGEL STREET
G.P.O.   E.C.1.

There is no indication that these wrappers have recycled and used a second time.

Was this a war time economy usage of surplus wrappers?

Can anyone tell me more ?

Jan Kosniowski  - email jpkos @ aol.com

© 2008