King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

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 You must seek permission prior to publication of any of our images.

Envelopes and Postal Covers

19th Century

Postal cover addressed to “The Library, Royal Lancaster Regiment, Kurrachee, India” with Queen Victoria postage paid and on the rear “W. H. Smith & Son, 186, Strand, London.”
The colonial spelling of Karachi between the 1840s and the 1880s was ‘Kurrachee’ This would date this cover to 1888-1890 and used for the 2nd Battalion of the King’s Own.
Accession Number: KO3100/79

Envelope addressed to ‘The Adjutant, The King’s Own, Singapore, Straits Settlement’ with embossed one penny postage and the head of Queen Victoria. Dating from 1899.
Accession Number: KO3074/10

Collection of covers to Sergeant Instructor Spencer, 1st Volunteer Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, Millom, 1894-1902

First World War

Part of Envelope to Private Jimmy Burgess, number 22267, 2nd King’s Own, Salonika. Medal Index Card confirms award of British War and Allied Victory Medals. Later transferred to the Labour Corps as number 389250.
Postmarked ‘Maryport’ 5 Jul 1917 and other Forces Post Office Marks as the letter moved around to find the addressee.
Accession Number: KO0015/01

Envelope postmarked 12 Oct 1914, address to Mrs Owtram, Newlands Hall, Bay Horse, Lancaster.
Accession Number: KO2490/127

Envelope postmarked 22 Aug 1916 addressed to Mrs Owtram, Newlands Hall, near Lancaster.
Accession Number: KO2490/129

Envelope postmarked 16 Sep 1916 address to Mrs Owtram, Newlands Hall, Near Lancaster.
Accession Number: KO2490/131

Envelope to Mrs Owtram, Newland Hall, Nr Lancaster, from Field Post Office dated 25 Nov 1916, passed by Field Censor, number 814.
Accession Number: KO2490/133

Blank envelope stamped ‘Passed Field Censor, 2199’
Accession Number: KO2490/718

Prisoner of War envelope to Mrs E Cowper, from 6228 Lance Corporal Joseph Brown of the King’s Own Postmarked Feb 1917
Accession Number: KO2490/731

‘Green Privilege’ Censor Envelope to Mrs Bates 32, St. Leonard Gate, Lancaster, sent home by Private John Bates, number 35016, 2/5 King’s Own.
Accession Number: KO1531/03

Envelope ‘On Active Service’ Church Army addressed to Mrs Bates, 32 St. Leonard Gate, Lancaster. Field Post Mark dated 31 Dec 1917 Passed by Censor.
Accession Number: KO1531/04

Active Service, Privilege Envelope addressed to Mrs Bates, 32 St. Leonard Gate, Lancaster, from Private John Bates, number 35016 of the 2nd/5th Battalion King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.
Accession Number: KO2735/01

Front of envelope addressed to 35016 Private J Bates, 2/5th King’s Own, A Coy. Postmarked Lancaster 13 Jan 1918, also stamped Return to Sender and Returned Letter Branch, Birmingham.
Accession Number: KO2807/06

YMCA Envelope addressed to Mrs Bates, 32 St. Leonard Gate, Lancaster, postmarked 25 Aug 1917 and passed by Field Censor
Accession Number: KO2807/07

Envelope for the letter to William Hooton, KO1344/03 a
Postmarked ‘Thornton Lancs’ and dated 28 Jul 1915, addressed to Private William Hooton, number 13272, 2 Coy 6th Battalion, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, 38th Bde, 13th Division, Mediterranean Expeditionary force. The rear is noted ‘Killed in Action, 10 Aug 1915 and ‘Next of Kin Notified 31 Aug 1915 in red ink. It is stamped ‘Verified at Records’ and ‘Infantry Record Office’ Preston 22 Sep 1915. In faint pencil is written ‘Killed A W Morrell’ Lieutenant and Quartermaster Archibald Winfield Morrell, 6th King’s Own.
Accession Number: KO1344/03b

Lancaster Parliamentary Election, 1918, envelope for ballot paper sent to Lance Corporal Albert Bamber, formerly of the 1st/5th Battalion of the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, and later with the Labour Corps.  His home address was 23 Bath Street, Lancaster.
Accession Number: KO1463/27a

The National Service Years 1945-59

With so many soldiers along way from home it was vital the the forces mail system operated from all the areas of the world where soldiers were based. 

Forces air mail envelope to "Two Way Family Favourites, BBC, Broadcasting House, London, sent by Bandsman F Bradshaw, number 23024939, of the Regimental Band, 1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment, then based at British Army Post Office Number 1, which was Hong Kong.  The postmark is dated 5th September 1955.
Accession Number KO3046/13

© Images are copyright, Trustees of the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum.
 You must seek permission prior to publication of any of our images.