Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Feb 21, 2013

Issued for : The year 2013 marks the 200^th anniversary of the publication of Jane Austen’s masterpiece Pride and Prejudice. To help celebrate this bicentenary, renowned writer PD James, who has written a sequel to this influential work, share her thoughts on the book that inspired generations and takes a look at the genius behind the novels.

Designed by : Webb & Webb Design Limited

Acknowledgements : illustrations by Angela Barrett

Type : Stamps, Mint Condition

Watermark : No

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 1st, 1st, 77 & 77 Pence and 1.28 & 1.28 Pound

Stamp Size : 2.70 x 3.70 cms.

Format : Portrait

Stamp Size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.

Perforations : 14 x 14

Paper : Phosphor all over

Gum : PVA

Number per Sheet : 25/50

Printing Process : Lithography

Printer : Cartor Security Printing, Meaucé, France

Name : Jane Austen

Born on Dec 16, 1775 at Steventon Rectory, Hampshire, England

Died on Jul 18, 1817 at Winchester, Hampshire, England

About : 

• Jane Austen must be the only major novelist in the canon of English literature whose limited output – six novels – has the same basic plot: an attractive, virtuous young woman with a capacity for love wins through difficulties to gain the man of her choice. All her heroines come from the same conventional background except for Fanny Price, taken from the squalor and poverty of her family home in Portsmouth to be brought up with her aunt and uncle at Mansfield Park. The young women are, however, very different in character and circumstance: Emma, a clever, wealthy and spoilt younger daughter living with her elderly father; Anne Elliot, the least-regarded daughter of a silly and extravagant baronet who has lost her chance of happiness because she was persuaded to refuse the man she loved; the Dashwood sisters, Elinor believing her love is hopeless and Marianne becoming dangerously infatuated, only to be abjectly rejected; the naïve Catherine Morland, daughter of a clergyman and his wife who somewhat improbably finds her husband on a visit to Northanger Abbey; and the best-loved, Elizabeth Bennet, who eventually wins the heart of the most eligible of Jane Austen’s heroes.
• In all the novels, the characters live in a basically rural community. In a letter of advice to her niece Anna, who was filling in time before she could be married by writing a novel, her aunt wrote: “You are now collecting your People delightfully, getting them exactly into such a spot as is the delight of my life; – 3 or 4 Families in a Country Village is the very thing to work on.” At the time she was writing Emma and following her own advice.
• Jane Austen’s writing was never a hobby; it was her whole life. It should be remembered that the words above were written in response to the suggestion from the Prince Regent’s librarian that Austen should write a novel celebrating the Coburg Dynasty: she always knew the boundaries of her genius. Her own verdict on her achievement – “the little bit (two Inches wide) of Ivory on which I work with so fine a Brush, as produces little effect after much labour” – is now famous.
• Austen was a child of her time, and she did not openly rebel against it. As the seventh child of eight, unmarried and without a penny of her own until her books began to become profitable, she was powerless to make even a journey home from a family visit until it was convenient for a brother to escort her, and she had no say in family decisions. The point of her moral compass never wavered. She practised the religion taught by her clergyman father but without ostentation or public piety. She valued self-control, discretion and good manners, and she respected the social conventions which, particularly in rural areas where families looked to their neighbours for intellectual stimulation, entertainment and hospitality, promoted harmony and tolerance.
• In Northanger Abbey Austen provides her own definition of a novel, and it can stand for her whole work: “ ‘And what are you reading, Miss – ?’ ‘Oh! it is only a novel!’ replies the young lady; while she lays down her book with affected indifference, or momentary shame…. in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language.” The piece of ivory may have been small, but it was large enough to carry down the centuries the weight of the human heart.
• In 1797, Jane Austen’s father offered to send the manuscript of Pride and Prejudice to a London publisher, but his offer was refused by return of post. Austen later revised her manuscript, and it was eventually published in 1813, when she was at the height of her powers. It is the most popular of her six great completed novels and one which numerous television, screen and theatrical versions have made familiar to millions who may not have read the book. The brilliant opening words, among the best-known in English literature, both establish the individual style of the narrative and encapsulate the plot: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
• As the novel opens, it is certainly acknowledged in the village of Longbourn that Mrs Bennet is in need of husbands for her two eldest daughters, and when the rich and agreeable Mr Bingley takes over the tenancy of Netherfield Park she is anxious for the formal introduction which will ensure that the beauty of Jane, her eldest, is brought to his notice. We readers become as anxious as is Mrs Bennet that Jane and Elizabeth, second in seniority and beauty, should be well and happily married, particularly as the Bennet’s estate is entailed on a cousin, Mr Collins, who on Mr Bennet’s death would take possession of the estate, reducing the widow and her unmarried daughters to genteel poverty. Jane Austen herself wrote of Elizabeth, “I must confess that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print, & how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least, I do not know.” Elizabeth – energetic, vivacious, clever and witty – is one of the most attractive heroines in English literature. The chapter in which Mr Collins, conceited, obsequious and physically unattractive, proposes to her and is firmly rejected is high among the novel’s delights.
• Mr Bingley brings with him to Hertfordshire his even richer friend, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy, possessor of the magnificent Pemberley estate. But all does not go according to Mrs Bennet’s plan. Mr Bingley does indeed immediately fall in love with Jane, but his two snobbish sisters lose no time in ensuring that they shall be separated before real damage is done, while Mr Darcy, although obviously intrigued by Elizabeth, antagonises her, first when she overhears his comment that she is not attractive enough to tempt him as a dance partner, and later when the disturbingly charming George Wickham, son of the late Mr Darcy’s steward, recounts to Elizabeth how Mr Darcy has wantonly deprived him of the livelihood provided for him by the elder Mr Darcy, thus reducing him to penury. Elizabeth’s pity for Wickham and contempt for Darcy are aroused by this saga of deceit, and the pride of one and prejudice of the other ensure that their relationship is one of cold civility.
• Of the Austen novels, Pride and Prejudice is the happiest; the style is lucid, elegant and beautifully balanced, spiced with epigrams, humour and sardonic wit, and the story flows as easily as a sunlit stream. Jane Austen, in a letter to her sister Cassandra, wrote, “The work is rather too light & bright & sparkling; – it wants shade; – it wants to be stretched out here & there with a long Chapter – of sense if it could be had, if not of solemn specious nonsense… anything that would form a contrast & bring the reader with increased delight to the playfulness & Epigrammatism of the general stile.” She wrote, of course, in jest; no specious nonsense is required to increase our delight in the novel.
• There are plenty of difficulties to be overcome before Elizabeth and Jane find the happiness they deserve. In Pride and Prejudice we have the conventions of popular romantic fiction transformed by a genius. In her sensitive exploration of human folly, desires and aspirations, Jane Austen provides for us a world which is as real as our own, and the millions who have fallen under its spell re-enter it in the confident expectation of finding new discoveries and revisiting remembered delights.
• Words : PD James.

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Feb 3, 1998

Issued for : Diana, Princess of Wales, was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, who is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II

Picture : Different portraits of Diana Spencer wearing different dresses : 1. Choker, 2. Blue Dress, 3. Tiara, 4. Checked Dress and 5. Black Dress

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Se–tenant set of 5 Stamps, Mint Condition

Denomination : 26 Pence each

Perforation : 14 x 15

Printing Process : Photogravure

Name : Diana Frances

Born on Jul 1, 1961 at Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk, England

Died on Aug 31, 1997 at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Feb 6, 1992

Issued for : On 6 February 1992, Her Majesty The Queen reaches the fortieth anniversary of her accession, an occasion celebrated by these Royal Mail Special Stamps. During a ‘happy & glorious’ reign, The Queen has fulfilled her many daunting roles with remarkable dignity, sincerity and compassion, and, in a period of great change, her constancy has provided a reassuring sense of continuity. All of these qualities have endeared her to millions of people at home and throughout the Commonwealth.

Designed by : The five se–tenant stamps were designed by Why Not Associates.

Photography : 1. Cecil Beaton, Camera Press; 2. Tim Graham, London; 3. Cecil Beaton, Camera Press; 4. Anwar Hussein; 5. Anwar Hussein.

Type : Stamps, Mint Condition

Watermark : No

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 24 Pence each

Stamp Size : 4.10 x 3.00 cms.

Format : Horizontal

Paper : unwatermarked phosphor–coated

Gum : PVA Dextrin

Number per Sheet : 100

Printing Process : Offset Lithography

Printer : The House of Questa Limited

Name : Elizabeth Alexandra Mary

Born on Apr 21, 1926 at 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom

About : 

• In her roles with the State, Church, Royal Family, Armed Forces and the Commonwealth, Her Majesty The Queen has spoken on many individual, national and international problems and aspirations during the first forty years of her reign. Nothing demonstrates the sincerity of her feelings about these issues better than her own words.
• 1. Monarchy
  
  “In the old days the monarch led his soldiers on the battlefield and his leadership at all times was close and personal. Today things are very different. I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice. But I can do something else. I can give you my heart and devotion to these old islands and to all the people of our brotherhood of nations.” Christmas message 1957“I have seen, from a unique position of advantage, the last great phase of the transformation of the Empire into the Commonwealth and the transformation of the Crown from an emblem of dominion into a symbol of free and voluntary association. In all history, this has no precedent.” Silver Jubilee speech at Guildhall 1977
• 2. Faith
  
  “The Wise Men and the Shepherds remind us that it is not enough simply to do our jobs: we need to go out and look for opportunities to help those less fortunate than ourselves, even if that service demands sacrifice. It was their belief and confidence in God which inspired them to visit the stable and it is this unselfish will to serve that will see us through the difficulties we face.” Christmas message 1980“It is right that people should hold their beliefs and their faiths strongly and sincerely, but perhaps we should also have the humility to accept that, while we each have a right to our own convictions, others have a right to theirs.” Christmas message 1987
• 3. Family
  
  “A marriage begins by joining man and woman together, but this relationship between people, however deep at their time, needs to develop and mature with the passing years. For that it must be held firm in the web of family relationships, between parents and children, between grandparents and grandchildren, between cousins, aunts and uncles.” Silver wedding speech at Guildhall 1972“When the bishop was asked what he thought about sin, he replied with simple conviction that he was against it. If I am asked today what I think about family life ….. I can answer with equal simplicity and conviction. I am for it.” Silver wedding speech at Guildhall 1972
• 4. Peace and War
  
  “It is sobering and inspiring to remember what man will do for an ideal in which he believes. Bravery of this kind is shown in peace as in war. The armed forces and the police are showing it every day. So are the fire services, ambulance drivers, members of the public and every children, and the courage of the bomb disposal experts fills us with awe. All around us we see these acts of selflessness, people putting the life of someone else before their own.” Christmas message 1981“Nowadays there are all too many causes that press their claims with a loud voice and a strong arm rather than with the language of reason. We must not allow ourselves to be too discouraged as we confront them. Let us remember that Christ did not promise the earth to the powerful.” Christmas message 1990
• 5. Commonwealth
  
  “I have …. No doubt that, politically, the Commonwealth has something rare and valuable to offer. A capacity for enlightened tolerance, the ability to see things in a long-term perspective, and the willingness to concede that there may just be another point of view. It has the strength to endure difference for the sake of basic identity and the courage to prefer compromise to conflict.” Silver Jubilee speech at Guildhall 1977“Notwithstanding the strains and stresses of nationalism, different cultures and religious and its growing membership, the Commonwealth family has still managed to hold together and to make a real contribution to the prevention of violence and discord.” Christmas message 1984
• Text by : Mike Barden

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on May 14, 1985

Issued for : British Composers & their famous music

Picture : 17p – Reflections in Pool (Water Music, by George Frideric Handel), 22p –  View of Planets (The Planets Suite, by Gustav Holst), 31p – Roosting Cuckoo (The First Cuckoo, by Frederick Delius) and 34p – Waves, Wing (Sea Pictures, by Edward Elgar)

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Stamps, Mint condition

Denomination : 17, 22, 31 & 34 Pence

Perforation : 14½ x 14½

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on May 13, 1981

Issued for : Butterflies

Picture : Different Butterflies : 14p – Small Tortoiseshell, 18p –  Large Blue, 22p – Peacock and 25p – Checkered Skipper

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Stamps, Mint condition

Denomination : 14, 18, 22 & 25 Pence

Perforation : 14 x 14½

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Jan 16, 1980

Issued for : Birds

Picture : Different Birds : 10p – Kingfisher, 11½p –  Dipper, 13p – Moorhen and 15p – Yellow Wagtail

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Stamps, Mint condition

Denomination : 10, 11½, 13 & 15 Pence

Perforation : 14 x 14½

Printing Process : Photogravure

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Jul 11, 1979

Issued for : International Year of the Child

Picture : Different pictures taken from different Books of Children : 9p – Peter Rabbit, 10½p –  The Wind in the Willows, 11p – Winnie the Pooh and 13p – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Traffic Light Gutter Pair Stamps, Mint condition

Denomination : 9, 10½, 11 & 13 Pence

Perforation : 14 x 14½

Printing Process : Photogravure

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Jan 25, 1978

Issued for : Great Britain’s wealth of energy resources.

Picture : Different energy resources : 9p – Oil Production Platform in the North Sea, 10½p –  Coal and Pithead, 11p – Natural Gas & Flame and 13p – Electricity–Producing Nuclear Power Plant and Uranium Atom Diagram.

Designed by : Peter Murdoch FSIAD.

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Stamps, Mint condition

Denomination : 9, 10½, 11 & 13 Pence

Size : 3.00 x 4.10 cms.

Perforation : 14 x 15

Paper : Unwatermarked, coated, phosphor treated paper.

Number per Sheet : 100

Printed by : Harrison & Sons Limited

Printing Process : Photogravure

About : 

• Energy is a key resource in modern society. Our industrial strength and high standard of living depend on its certain supply.
  
• The five-fold increase in oil prices since 1973 has made the world’s consumers realise that the era of cheap energy is over. It will never return.
  
• The United Kingdom is fortunate. We are entering a period of self-sufficiency in our energy supplies. But even if the most optimistic predictions for our indigenous energy reserves are fulfilled – and however carefully we use them – North Sea oil and gas supplies are likely to fall short of our needs beyond the year 2000. Our massive reserves of coal will make up some of the shortfall, but there is a limit to how fast coal production can be expanded.
  
• Energy demand has been rising steadily. There is serious concern that conventional fossil fuels – coal, oil, gas – and alternative energy sources – such as the sun, wind, waves and tides – will not be able to meet our demands in the next century even with the help of an increasing nuclear contribution. Nuclear power will continue to have an important contribution to make. We will need to keep open the nuclear option and ensure that we have the capacity to expand nuclear power rapidly in the late 1980’s and 1990’s if that course proves economically desirable and acceptable in other respects.
  
• Against this background of the prospect of relatively scarce and high cost energy supplies, the vital importance of energy saving becomes clear.
  
• Greater efforts in the efficient use of energy and the elimination of wasteful practices will benefit us all by reducing our future dependence on scarce and expensive resources by giving scientists and technologists time to develop alternative and acceptable energy supplies.
  
• Energy inefficiency in our homes, offices and factories is an unwanted legacy of an era of cheap fuel. We can no longer afford it.

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Oct 5, 1977

Issued for : Wildlife Protection

Picture : Different pictures of Wild Animals : 1. Hedgehog [Erinaceus Europaeus], 2. Brown Hare [Lepus Capensis], 3. Red Squirrel [Sciurus Vulgaris], 4. Otter [Lutra Lutra] and 5. Badger [Meles Meles]

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Se–tenant set of 5 Stamps, Mint Condition

Denomination : 9 Pence each

Perforation : 14 x 14½

Printing Process : Photogravure

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Aug 13, 1975

Issued for : Sesquicentennial of public railroads in Great Britain.

Picture : Different Locomotives from different times : 7p – Stephenson’s Locomotion, 1825, 8p –  Abbotsford, Waverley Class, 1876, 10p – Caerphilly Castle, 1923 and 12p – High–Speed Train, 1975.

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Stamps, Mint condition

Denomination : 7, 8, 10 & 12 Pence

Perforation : 14½ x 14

Printing Process : Photogravure

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