Lovely photos of Mike

 I found these delightful old photos of Mike.

Mike's stamp collection: Penny Red

One of the great highlights of my time in South Africa was Mike showing me his incredible collection of stamps and gifting me several albums to potentially take the collection further. In this series, I'm going to celebrate some of the stamps in the collection with some research.

I'm starting with the Penny Red because it has special significance to me. When I was 9 years old and collecting British stamps, Mike gifted me a Penny Red and it made a huge impression on me.  I was so entranced by the fact I now owned something so old.  The sense of wonder it gave rise to is one of my favourite childhood memories.

About the Penny Red

The Penny Red was a British postage stamp issued in 1841 as the successor to the world’s first adhesive stamp, the Penny Black. While identical in design to its famous predecessor—featuring the profile of Queen Victoria—the Penny Red adopted a red-brown color to allow for clearer cancellation marks, solving a major flaw of the black-inked original. It became the mainstay of British postage for over three decades, reflecting the growing demand for efficient communication during the Industrial Revolution. With billions printed, it played a crucial role in democratizing mail and remains a beloved collectible among philatelists.

A list of fascinating facts about the Penny Red

• Issued in 1841 as the replacement for the Penny Black, primarily to improve postmark visibility.
• Same design as the Penny Black, featuring a profile of Queen Victoria engraved by William Wyon, but printed in red-brown ink.
• Used for over 38 years, making it one of the longest-running definitive stamps in British history.
• No perforations at first – early Penny Reds had to be cut from sheets with scissors. Perforations were introduced in 1854.
• Billions printed – estimated at over 21 billion stamps, making it one of the most common stamps ever produced.
• Corner letter system – each stamp had different letters in its lower corners (e.g., A-A, B-B) to prevent forgery and track plate positions.
• 120 different printing plates were used, and collectors often specialize in identifying them.
• Plate 77 rarity – despite billions printed, stamps from Plate 77 are among the rarest and most valuable due to a printing flaw and limited use.
• Still collectible – while common examples are inexpensive, rare variations and plate numbers can be worth thousands.
• Historical significance – the Penny Red reflects the rise of mass communication and the expansion of the British postal system during the Victorian era.

The Penny Red Mike gave me as a child

Penny Reds in Mike's collection

Steak at the Cattle Baron

It's always a big treat to go to the Cattle Baron. Their steaks are absolutely amazing. As usual, I had the Steak Madagascar, a scrumptious 300 gram fillet with a creamy peppercorn sauce.

Cattle Baron with the family

Cattle Baron on final night

Photos of Mike

Mum and I looked for photos of Granny and Grandpa's parents to no avail but found these awesome photos of Mike instead.  Photos from his childhood and photos with Heather.  Very special. 

Childhood photos of Mike

Mike's mum

 

Mike's dad

Heather and Mike

Mum and Mike's home at Woodside Village

 Lots of lovely artefacts and paintings make it into a beautiful home.