A Stamp a Day for October

The artwork on stamps covers a huge range of historical events and subjects. For the month of October Assistant Curator Georgina has found a stamp for everyday.

Just to show that stamps cover a wide range of subjects, I thought I’d try and find a stamp for every day of October.

Week one

1st – The first Ford Model T from The Ford Motor Company went on sale on the 1st of October 1908.

2nd – The last King of The House of York, Richard III was born on the 2nd of October 1452.

3rd – On the 3rd of October 1896 the renowned textile designer William Morris died, a friend of many of the Pre-Raphaelite movement.

4th – The first run of the famous Orient Express train from Paris to Istanbul left on the 4th of October 1883.

5th – The first broadcast of Monty Python’s Flying Circus aired on the 5th of October 1969.

6th – The author behind The Charge of the Light Brigade, Lord Alfred Tennyson died on the 6th of October 1892.

7th – It wasn’t until the 7th of October 1920 that women became full members of Oxford University and could officially graduate.

Stamp depicting the Ford Model T and the Ford Escort — 1st - Ford 'Model T' and 'Escort', 19½p, British Motor Industry, 1982

Stamp depicting the portrait of Richard III — 2nd - Richard III, 69p, The House of Lancaster and York, 2008

Stanmp depicting a flower and bird pattern by the textile artist William Morris. — 3rd - Strawberry Thief, 15½p, British Textiles, 1982

Stamp depicting the Orient Express in motion with passengers — 4th - Murder on The Orient Express, 1st NVI, Agatha Christie, 2016

Stamp depicting the members of Monty Python, one wearing a chief's hat. — 5th - Monty Python, 1st NVI, Comedy Greats, 2015

Stamp depicting a portrait of Alfred Lord Tennyson and a painting by Edmund Burne Jones. — 6th - Tennyson in 1888, 24p, Death of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1992

Stamp depicting the facade of Queen's College Oxford. — 7th - The Queen's College Oxford, 1st NVI, UK A-Z (Part 2), 2012

Week two

8th – Clement Attlee died on the 8th of October 1967, as Prime Minister he improved social services and introduced the National Health Service.

9th – The Beatles’ singer and songwriter John Lennon was born on the 9th of October 1940.

10th – On the 10th of October 1903 The Women’s Social and Political Union had their first meeting, they would later be nicknamed the suffragettes.

11th – The World Cup winning footballer Sir Bobby Moore was born on the 11th of October 1937.

12th – Edward VI was born to Henry VIII and Jane Seymour on the 12th of October 1537 and became King at the tender age of 9 years old.

13th – The first published story of the marmalade loving bear – Paddington was on the 13th of October 1958.

14th – King Harold is believed to have been killed with an arrow to the eye at the Battle of Hastings on the 14th of October 1066.

Stamp depicting two hands joined to make the shape of a heart for the NHS. — 8th - Hands Forming Heart, 20p, Health, 1998

Stamp depicting the Beatles' album cover 'Let it Be'. — 9th - Let it Be, 72p, The Beatles, 2007

Stamp depicting the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst. — 10th - Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, 9d, British Anniversaries, 1968

Stamp depicting an illustration of Bobby Moore holding the World Cup. — 11th - Bobby Moore, 26p, Millennium Series 'The Entertainers' Tale', 1999

Stamp depicting a painting of Edward VI. — 12th - Edward VI, 62p, The House of Tudor, 2009

Stamp depicting an illustration of Paddington Bear by Peggy Fortnum. — 13th - Paddington Bear, 1st NVI, Animal Tales, 2006

Stamp depicting a scene from the Battle of Hastings when King Harold is shot in the eye. — 4d, Battle of Hastings, 1966

Week three

15th – Michael Fish, BBC Weather presenter, famously denied the coming hurricane in Briton on the 15th of October 1987.

16th – The love story of Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester was first published on the 16th of October 1847.

17th – Mother Teresa the Catholic Saint was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on the 17th of October 1979.

18th – The first broadcast of the children’s show The Magic Roundabout was on the 18th of October 1965.

19th – Jackie Stewart on the 19th of October 1969 wins the 20th Formula One World Drivers Championship by 26 points.

20th – The first monarch of the House of Hanover, George I, was crowned on the 20th of October 1714, as the closest protestant relative of Queen Anne.

21st – Lord Horatio Nelson dies at the Battle of Trafalgar on the 21st of October 1805 and to preserve his body he was transported back to England in a cask of Brandy.

Stamp depicting a storm with big waves and lightening. — 15th - Stormy, 42p, Weather, 2001

Stamp depicting an illustration of Charlotte Bronte in the foreground and Jane Eyre in the back. — 16th - Charlotte Bronte, 12p, Famous Authoresses, 1980

Stamp with an embossed image of a dove holding an olive branch. — 17th - Nobel Peace Prize, E, Centenary of Nobel Prizes, 2001

Stamp depicting an image of Dougal from The Magic Roundabout. — 18th - Dougal, 1st NVI, Classic Children's TV, 2014

Stamp depicting an image of Jackie Stewart in a 1973 Tyrrell 006/2. — 19th - Jackie Stewart, 54p, Grand Prix, 2007

Stamp depicting a portrait of George I. — 20th - George I, 1st NVI, House of Hannover, 2011

Stamp depicting Nelson wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar in part of the Panorama by William Heath. — 21st - Nelson wounded on Deck, 1st NVI, Bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar, 2005

Week four

22nd – The first rugby game to be performed under floodlights took place on the 22nd of October 1878 between Broughton and Swinton.

23rd – The London premier of ‘Shadowlands’ the love story of C.S. Lewis and Joy Gresham took place on the 23rd of October 1989.

24th – Jane Seymour, the third wife Henry VIII and the only wife to give him a son died on the 24th of October 1537.

25th – Lord Cardigan led The Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War on the 25th of October 1854.

26th – Winston Churchill became Prime Minister for the second time on the 26th of October 1951.

27th – Captain James Cook, the commander of the Endeavour was born on the 27th of October 1728.

28th – Howard Carter discovered the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun’s funeral mask on the 28th of October 1925.

Stamp depicting two men playing rugby. — 22nd - Rugby, 13½p, Sport, 1980

Stamp depicting the C.W. Lewis character Aslan. — 23rd - Aslan, 97p, Magical Realms, 2011

Stamp depicting a portrait of Jane Seymour. — 24th - Jane Seymour, 26p, The Great Tudor, 1997

Stamp depicting a soldier from the Crimean War. — 25th - Piper Muir, 1st NVI, 150th Anniversary of the Crimean War, 2004

Stamp depicting a close up portrait of Winston Churchill. — 26th - Churchill Commemorative, 1s3d, 1965

Stamp depicting an image of a sailing ship and Captain James Cook's signature. — 27th - Captain Cook, 1/9, British Anniversaries, 1968

Stamp depicting an image of Tutankhamun with hieroglyphs. — 28th - Statue of Tutankhamun, 3p, General Anniversaries,1972

Week five

29th – Sir Walter Raleigh, the famous hunter of El Dorado was executed on the 29th of October 1618 and his head was presented to his wife.

30th – Henry VII was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey on the 30th of October 1485.

31st – Finally the air battle and bombing raids of The Battle of Britain stopped on the 31st of October 1940.

Stamp depicting an illustration of Sit Walter Raleigh. — 29th - Walter Raleigh, 7½p, British Explorers, 1973

Stamp depicting the interior fan vaulting of Westminster Abbey. — 30th - Fan Vaulting 2/6, 900th Anniversary of Westminster Abbey, 1966

Stamp depicting planes in flight during the Battle of Britain. — 31st - Battle of Britain, 4d, 1965

Here are just a few examples of stamps through history and their ability to commemorate the past. I hope I have been able to touch on an area of history that interests you.

-Georgina Tomlinson, Assistant Curator (Philately)

Visit our Philatelic Collection page to find out even more.