Type 18

The firm of Copestake, Hughes, Crampton & Co. were a Mail Order company operating from:

    5 Bow Churchyard,
    London E. C.

as well as:

    50 Cheapside
    London E.C.

and

    Bread Street
    London E.C.

According to an 1865 Commercial Directory they were warehousemen for:

“lace and sewed muslins, scotch and Manchester goods, cambrics & lawns, crapes, gossamers, velvets, stays, artificial flowers, millinery, baby linen, mantles, outfitting, shawl & haberdashery, umbrellas & parasols”

The senior partner in the firm was one Sampson Copestake.  Another partner George Moore went on to use his fortune for philanthropic purposes.

The firm changed its name from Copestake, Moore, Crampton & Co. in 1877.  At some other time (still to be established) they were called Copestake, Lindsay, Crampton & Co.

Unofficial underprint type 18 (over the gum) in red or blue (2d.).

PP50 1/2d. rose-red (SG 48 or G4) Vertical underprint
Plate 12

PP51 1/2d. rose-red (SG 48 or G4) Horizontal underprint
Plates 13, 14 and 19

PP52 1d. lake-red (SG 43 or G1) Horizontal underprint
Plates 134, 140, 146, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 174, 177, 179, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 204, 205, 206, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214,  216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 222 and 223

PP52b 1d. lake-red (SG 43 or G1) Horizontal underprint inverted
Plate183

PP52c 1d. lake-red (SG 43 or G1) Horizontal underprint double
Plate174

PP53 2d. blue (SG 45 or G3) Horizontal underprint - in blue
Plate 15

PP53a 2d. blue (SG 45 or G3) Horizontal underprint - in red
Plate 15

PP54 2 1/2d. rosy mauve (SG 141 or J6, J10, J12, J15) Horizontal underprint
Plates 5, 9, 11 and 14

PP55 6d. grey (SG 147 or J86) Horizontal underprint
Plate16

PP56 1d. Venetian red (SG 166 or K3) Horizontal underprint

A number of perfins also exist that have been identified as belonging to this firm - at least one for each of the incarnations mentioned above.