Denmark and Great Britain – Mail across the North Sea to 1875 – Birthe and Chris King

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12 November 1828, Part wrapper sent from Danish Altona to London, with SCHIFFS BRIEF-POST HAMBURG and SHIP LETTER LONDON (W&J 1218 recorded 1820-1846). Charged 4 Schilling Courant in Hamburg and charged 1/4 as a double rate Ship Letter in London.

27 July 185X, Cover front marked Paid sent from Gloucester to Helsingør via London bearing 1848 10d embossed cancelled by barred numeral 312 for Gloucester, paying the ½ ounce 1846 Convention rate to Denmark. British share 6d, Danish share 4d, carried by Thames Packet to Altona.

11 May 1852, Ocean Penny Postage propaganda envelope addressed by Elihu Burritt (1810-1879) sent to Copenhagen via Altona by Thames packet prepaid with 1od, in accordance with the postal convention of 26 June 1846, in force from 1 October 1846, with 6d due to Great Britain and 4d to Denmark, noted top right.
Published by Charles Gilpin (1815-1874), Type 2. Gilpin was a Quaker, orator, politician, publisher and railway director, and is described in the biographical catalogue of the Friends Institute as a ‘thorough liberal’.The addressee, Louise Westergaard (1826-1880) was a Danish educator and pioneer. From 1858 to 1880, she managed one of the foremost educational institutions for women in Denmark.

Birthe King, Danish but British married, and living in London. Started collecting in the 1990s, first exhibiting at NORDIA 2002 in Norway with Denmark: Conscience, Conflict, and Camps 1932-1949 (Open Philately), now with two international Large Gold medals. Also Refugee Camps in Denmark 1945-1949 Large Vermeil in both Open Philately and Postal History 2C. Most recent exhibit The Re-unification of Southern Jutland with Denmark 1864-1920 international Gold in Prague 2018 and London 2022. FEPA judge, seminars on Open Philately and Postcards, previously involved in organised philately in UK, Denmark, and FEPA. Co-Chairman of the FIP Working Group on Open Philately.

Chris King; married to Birthe. Exhibits include FIP Bronze: The Soldier; his wife; the Mill and the Baby Hafnia 2001 … FIP Large Gold: Schleswig: from Danish Duchy to Prussian Province – Early Mail to 1867; The Posts of the City of Lübeck: FIP Gold: Denmark and the Napoleonic Wars 1801-1818; Denmark, Slesvig and Holstein: Invasion Occupation and Postal Change; From Prussia to Plebiscite: The Duchy of Schleswig 1868-1920; Denmark and The First World War; Denmark and the Second World War 1939-1949. Most Recent Exhibit: Anglo-Danish Mail c.1800-1875.

Signatory to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists, Ypres, Belgium 2014; Die Professor Dr. Hans A. Weidlich-Plakette Deutschen Altbriefsammler-Verein e.V. 2014; 114th Deutsche Philatelistentag medal 2015, Gotha, Germany; Honorary FRPSL (The Bacon Medal of the Royal Philatelic Society London 2018); AEP European Parliamentary Medal for Philately 2018; Lichtenstein Award of The Collectors Club of New York 2019; Medal for Exceptional Service to organised philately FEPA 2019. Former President of The Royal Philatelic Society London. FIP Judge in Postal History.

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