Type 55

W. H. Smith & Son are the Newsagents, Stationers and Booksellers that still exist today.

Their head office at the time of the underprints was:

    186 Strand,
    London WC2

1867. Official underprint type 55 (under the gum) in red or blue (on 2d).

a)  Vertical underprint, reading upwards

PP187 1d lake-red (SG 43 or G1)
Plates 92, 97, 103, 109, 119, 121, 124, 131, 134, 147, 152, 164, 169, 173, 174 and 183

PP188 2d blue (SG 45 or G2)
Plate 9

PP189 2d blue (SG 46 or G3)
Plate 14

b)  Vertical underprint, reading downwards

PP190 1d lake-red (SG 43 or G1)
Plates 73, 74, 78, 102, 111, 114, 124 and 147

PP191 2d blue (SG 46 or G3)
Plate 9

Essays of a sans-serif W. H. Smith underprint on the 1867 1s., Plate 4, are known.

Other Essays in various colours are known on the 1d. Plate 95 (overprints as well as underprints on the same stamp). These differ from the official underprints in that the address is omitted.