10-February... Release of the Imperforate Penny Red...

The Imperforate Penny Red postage stamp was released on this day (10-Feb) in the year 1841 by the Royal Mail of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...  This succeeded Penny Black and it continued as the main postage stamp till 1879...

The stamp features portrait of Queen Victoria...

This stamp can be collected under the themes:

(a) Queen Victoria...

(b) Head of State...

(c) Crowns and Coronets...

(d) Royal Family / Queen...

15-January... Opening of The British Museum...

Royal Mail in the year 2003 released a set of 6 postage stamps to commemorate the 250 years of The British Museum...

The British Museum was established in the year 1753 following the Royal Assent of King George II...  On this day (15-Jan) in the year 1759, the first exhibition galleries and reading room for scholars were opened...  

The set of 6 postage stamps features, (1) painted wooden coffin of Denytenamun (2nd class stamp) ; (2) Alexander the Great (1st class stamp) ; (3) the Sutton Hoo helmet, excavated from the ship burial in Suffolk ; (4) Indian bronze sculpture of Goddess Parvati, consort of the God Shiva (42p) ; (5) the mask of the Central Mexican Fire God Xiuhtecuhtli (47p) ; (6) the Easter Island (Rupa Nui) statue Hoa Hakananai'a (68p)...

These stamps can be collected under the themes:

(a) Museums...

(b) Art...

(c) Famous People...

(d) Sculptures / Carving...

(e) Headgear...

(f) God / Religion...

(g) Masks...

(h) Anniversaries...

12-January... Conceiving of "Astronomical Society of London"...

Royal Mail in the year 1970 released a postage stamp to commemorate the 150 years of Royal Astronomical Society (formerly known as Astronomical Society of London)...

A vision for the creation of Astronomical Society of London (ASL) was made on this day (12-Jan) in the year 1820... The Society was conceived to encourage and promote the study of Astronomy, Solar-system science, Geophysics and other closely related branches of Science...

In the year 1831, a Royal Charter was signed by William IV.  Since then, ASL was renamed as Royal Astronomical Society...

The stamp above features, three influential personalities in founding the Society, namely, Sir William Herschel (at left) holding his famous drawing of Uranus and its two satellites ; Francis Baily ; and John Herschel, William's son...  In the background is William Herschel's 40-ft Telescope, which stood at his home in Slough, as depicted in the RAS Logo earlier...

This stamp can be collected under the themes:

(a) Astronomy...

(b) Science...

(c) Telescopes...

(d) Famous personalities...

(e) Anniversaries...

10-January... Opening of London Metropolitan Railway Transport Network...

 

In the year 2013, Royal Mail commemorated the 150 years of London Metropolitan Railway transport network with the release of a 2nd Class postage stamp...

One of the World's oldest underground transport network, the London Metropolitan Railway was opened on this day (10-Jan) in the year 1863... 

The issue year 2013, coincides with the anniversary of the opening of London's Underground: the steam-driven Metropolitan Railway running between Paddington Station and Farrington Street via Kings Cross...

This stamp can be collected under the themes:

(a) Railways...

(b) Underground / Subways...

(c) Steam Engines...

(d) Anniversaries...

5-January... Publication of Robert Louis Stevenson's Novel "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde"...

British Royal Mail commemorated "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", the Novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson with the release of a 37-British penny postage stamp in the year 1997...

The novel was published on this day (5-Jan) in the year 1886...  

The novel was about a London lawyer named Gabriel John Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde...

This stamp can be collected under the themes:

(a) Famous people...
(b) Novelists...

(c) Authors...

31-December... Death anniversary of Robert Boyle...

 

A distinguished 17th-century natural philosopher, scientist, and Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS),  Robert Boyle is remembered on this day (31-dec)...

Born as the seventh son of the Earl of Cork, Robert Boyle received an extensive education, and study abroad in Europe...  Robert Boyle is most renowned for Boyle's Law, formulated around 1662, which establishes the relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas at a constant temperature...

Robert Boyle played a crucial role in the establishment of The Royal Society, a leading scientific institution, and his contributions earned him the title "Father of Modern Chemistry"...

The Royal Society archives holds nearly 46 volumes of Robert Boyle's scientific papers and also seven volumes of his correspondence...

A trailblazing scientist and a key figure in the scientific revolution of the 17th century, Robert Boyle was paid tribute by Royal Mail of Great Britain with the release of a 1st class postage stamp in 2010...  The year 2010, commemorates the 350th anniversary of The Royal Society...

This stamp can be collected under the following themes: 

(a) Science and Technology...

(b) Inventors / Scientists...

(c) Scientific Institutions...

(d) Anniversaries / Jubilees... 

11-December... Abdication of Edward VIII...

 

The eldest son of King George V and Queen Mary, Edward VIII abdicated the throne on this day (11-dec) in 1936... 

Edward VIII ascended to British throne following the death of his father, King George V... However, his reign was short-lived, lasting less than a year, as he abdicated the throne, making way for his younger brother, who became King George VI...

Edward VIII's desire to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee, led to his decision to step down as the British monarch... 

Edward VIII was commemorated by Royal Mail with the release of 1-British penny definitive postage stamp in 1936...

This stamp can be collected under the following themes: 

(a) Crowns...

(b) Heads of State / Kings...

(c) British Royal Family... 

2-December... International Day for the Abolition of Slavery...

A global moment to reflect on the past, acknowledge progress, and unite against modern forms of exploitation, International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed across the World on this day (2-dec)...

The day stands as a testament to humanity's collective resolve to eliminate all forms of enslavement and it commemorates the adoption of the UN Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others...  

The occasion fosters global awareness, advocacy, and concerted efforts to combat egregious violations of human dignity...

It is the day which reinforces the imperative to dismantle the chains that bine individuals and reaffirms the universal commitment to a World free from the scourge of slavery...

To mark the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade in Great Britain, Royal Mail in 2007, released a set of six postage stamps honoring the great personalities who campaigned for the abolition namely, Thomas Clarkson - Abolition Committee's Chief Researcher ; William Wilberforce - the Parliamentary Spokesperson for the anti-slavery movement ; Olaudah Equiano - the prominent Black figure involved with the abolition movement ; Ignatius Sancho - a Black abolitionist ; Granville Sharp - a fierce campaigner for Black rights ; and Hannah More - the female abolitionist in Britain...

These stamps can be collected under the following themes: 

(a) Campaign Leaders...

(b) Anti-racism...

(c) Anniversaries / Jubilees...