Late Letter

[Revenuer]

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Was this LATE LETTER cancel on this 6d an additional fee over and above the postage cost?

If so, then this fee for a service and would affectively make this a revenue stamp.

A grey area I know, but remember the ‘late fee’ had nothing to do with the postage content nor did this additional 'fee for a service' affect the delivery it was the sender’s choice of service.

Dave

[Ross Ewington]

LATE LETTER handstamps indicate that an extra charge was payable for a postal service with
the postal charge levied as per the relevant Postal Act(s).

The money collected by the post office was retained by to pay the cost involved for the additional service.
In my opinion, there is no difference between paying for the expedition of one's mail after the normal
closing time in the 19th/20th centuries and choosing to mail a parcel to Europe by sea or air mail.
It was/is the sender's choice and the amount paid by the sender was/is a postal charge in both circumstances.

As I understand it, STAMP DUTY in the 19th century was collected by or on behalf of the State Treasury with all funds going into general revenue
and not directly a particular government department.