Key Events In Meter Franking
The following is a list of ‘new developments’ in UK meter franking.
Dates are for introduction on commercial mail and are given to the degree of accuracy known.
Please report any 'improved' dates and suggestions for additional entries.
|
Year |
Day, Month |
Manufacturer |
Event |
Earliest Seen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1920 |
? |
Pitney Bowes |
Company formed |
N/A |
|
1922 |
25 May |
UPF |
Company formed |
N/A |
|
1922 |
5 September |
Pitney Bowes |
Design A - First commercial use |
5 Oct 1922 |
|
1922 |
18 October |
UPF |
Design A - First commercial use |
19 Oct 1922 |
|
1922 |
December |
UPF |
First commercial use of a slogan |
11 Dec 1922 |
|
1924 |
May |
UPF |
First commemorative slogan |
26 July 1924 |
|
1925 |
22 July |
Neopost |
Licence for first British machine |
26 Jan 1926 |
|
1927 |
April |
UPF |
Design B (Royal Cypher GVR) |
2 May 1927 |
|
1929 |
January |
UPF |
First electric drives (Midget) |
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1931 |
? |
Roneo-Neopost |
Company formed |
N/A |
|
1932 |
December |
German |
First Meter Catalogue (Glasewald) |
N/A |
|
1936 |
September |
Neopost |
Design C (Royal Cypher EVIIIR) |
26 Nov 1936 |
|
1937 |
14 June |
Neopost |
Design D (Royal Cypher GVIR) |
20 Oct 1937 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1953 |
1 May |
Pitney Bowes |
Design E (Royal Cypher EIIR) |
22 June 1953 |
|
1959 |
1 September |
Pitney Bowes |
Design F (Emblems) |
21 Oct 1959 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
1967 |
Jan? |
Hasler |
First Hasler m/c (Design G) |
7 Feb 1967 |
|
1968 |
12 June |
Neopost |
Design H (decimal design) |
12 June 1968 |
|
1968 |
20 Nov |
Acral |
First Acral (Francotyp) machine |
10 Feb 1969 |
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|
|
|
|
|
1970 |
May? |
Friden |
First Friden machine |
7 May 1970 |
|
1978 |
December |
? |
Use of meters for PPI franking |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1983 |
Oct 1983? |
Frama |
First Mail & Mechanisation machine |
12 Dec 1983 |
|
1984 |
June 1984? |
Frama |
First Scriptomatic machine |
10 Aug 1984 |
|
1984 |
Aug 1984? |
Francotyp Postalia |
First Envopak machine |