Can this really be 1819?

[Bob Watson]

Hi Farley
That's consistent with the Falmouth departure of 18 March. I also searched on the UNAM site, but didn't find the arrival date at Veracruz. Bargholtz has it departing VCZ on 20 May for Tampico. This plus the 17 May newspaper date would make the ETA about or before 16 May.

BTW, the 2/3 in postage was made up of 2/1 Falmouth packet rate plus 2d inland rate to port, this according to Tabeart's book on British rates.
Bob

[Farley Katz]

I searched "Lyra" in http://www.hndm.unam.mx/index.php/es/ which has digitized some 600 Mexican newspapers from 1722 to 1978 and is a wonderful resource for researching 19th century Mexico. An issue of La Hesperia, a newspaper from Mexico City dated May 17, 1840, lists the value in silver and gold of cargo from the paquette ship S.M.B. Lyra which left London on March 16, 1840.  See attached.

[Farley Katz]

De nada.

[Bob Watson]

Farley
Many thanks for your efforts. So that confirms it as 1840. That also fits with the Falmouth packet schedule for that year. According to Percy Bargholtz the Falmouth packet Lyra departed Falmouth on 18 March 1840. He was unable to find arrivals at Veracruz, but the Lyra did depart there on 20 May, so presumably it arrived a few days before.
Regards,
Bob

[Farley Katz]

The reply--
"Certainly the London MX was still around in 1849 and although I believe the rate remained unchanged until 1862, 1849 would be nine years into the use of adhesives and although cash payment was still allowed, it would be less likely."

[Bob Watson]

Hi Farley
That's great and confirms that the apparent 1819 is 1840. It's very helpful to have the month confirmed as March and the post office as Old Cavendish Street. The only niggle I have is that the "0" in 1840 looks to me more like a "9". Is it possible this form of the Maltese cross was in use at that time too?
Cheers,
Bob

[Farley Katz]

Bob-
Here's the response I got on the mulready yahoo group (focusing on English line-engraved stamps)-
"London PAID mark of Old Cavendish Street (OCS) dated 15th March 1840, manuscript payment of 2/3 (two shillings and three pence), the half ounce rate to Mexico at the time."

Farley

[Bob Watson]

This small envelope appears to be postmarked in London in 1819. However, envelopes were charged as an extra sheet at this time, so were not used. Also, the 2/3 rate was for carriage by Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. vessels from 1842. Yet I can't see what the year could be. If 1849 the "4" should be wider. Can anyone help?

Bob