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Submarine Telegraph Company.

Steve Hiscocks wrote:
The company was set up in 1850 to operate submarine lines to France and Belgium. Having no internal lines within the UK the company was not taken
over with the other private companies in 1869/70 and was still handling some 9,000 messages per day ten years later. Stamps were engraved by De la
Rue in November 1861 and presumably issued in December or in January 1862. All are of essentially the same design but separate plates were prepared.
There were 80 stamps to a sheet.

Since they had no lines of their own within the UK, this company needed to work in conjunction with other companies.
Initially it worked closely with the British Telegraph Company, and later with its successor, the British & Irish Telegraph Company,
as well as the London District Telegraph Company. Delivery forms and other stationery exist reflecting their joint operations.

It was not until December 1861 that the Submarine Telegraph Company started having stamps printed by De La Rue.
Wove paper, no watermark, sheets of 80 stamps.

4½d on 8s Provisional Overprint, RH6.	4s on 8s Provisional Overprint, RH7.
Image courtesy of Steve Lawrie.	Ex Iain Stevenson, courtesy of Grosvenor Auctions.

Hiscocks lists the following, Rarities taken from L&H:
Perf.13     (not 14 as sometimes described)

Look here for an explanation of the table.

Proofs

The stamps themselves are very scarce, but there are some proofs available:
These two courtesy of Steve Lawrie.
 
The ones below are the centres of proofs like the left one above (half size). The one on the right is cut-down and mounted.

Proof of the 4½d - RH1	Proof of the 3s9d - RH2	Proof of the 4s - RH3	Proof of the 7s6d - RH4	Proof of the 8s - RH5
Proofs courtesy of Steve Lawrie.

Proofs from the "Lilly Collection" courtesy of Mark Gibson.

L&H list these two as rarity R5 (Only known in Official Collections), though these are in private hands.
The one on the right is the only known used example of Submarine Telegraph Company stamps outside of the Royal Philatelic Collection.

Since the company had no inland business and did not compete with the Post Office monopoly, it was not nationalised in the 1869/70 process.
It kept its' lines until 1889 when the government took them over in exchange for rather poor compensation.

STC Stationery.

A form with an imprint top-left suggesting 2000 were printed 5 June 1854, Headed Submarine and European Telegraph Companies courtesy of Steve Lawrie. - My Ref. STC-2-1853-1
It lists 3 stations in London, one each in Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Gravesend, Chatham, Canterbury, Dover and Deal;
2 in France, Paris and Calais; 2 in Belgium, Brussels and Antwerp.    This was used 6 December 1854 at 43, Regent Circus, Piccadilly, London.


The back is plain.

Received Message Form listing.

I originally thought this was dated 8th November 1869 since it was pre-filled with '186', but it is too primitive to be 1869. - My Ref. STC-BI-1859-1
I am forced to conclude that it was produced in 1859 with the expectation of not being used until 1860 it has the bare minimum on it. - Courtesy of Steve Lawrie.
This was used at the Central Station as 58 Threadneedle Street, London E.C. for a message from Paris in French.
However it does not have "(Removed from 30, Cornhill.)" like the next does.


There is no list of stations or printers imprint.


The back has a short disclaimer.

This seems to be dated 12 July 1861 used at Central Station at 58 Threadneedle Street, London E.C. for a message from Moscow. - My Ref. STC-BI-1861-1
It is headed "Submarine Telegraph Company in connection with the British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company.",
with "(Removed from 30, Cornhill.)" below that, and a "Preamble" added at top-left. -  Courtesy of Mark Gibson.


The bottom lists stations in London but has no printers imprint.

The envelope is also shown.

The back has a short disclaimer like the last one.

This seems to be dated 22 March 1864, and is similar to the last. - Courtesy of Mark Gibson. - My Ref. STC-BI-1864-1
It does though have Continental Service information added at both sides and space for the clerk's initials.
This was also used at the Central Station, 58, Threadneedle street, London, EC with "(Removed from 30, Cornhill.)"



Now the bottom again lists stations in London but also adds "all the offices of the London District Telegraph Company".
and has a printers' imprint "R. Clarke, Printer, 51, Threadneedle Street, and White Hart Court, Bishopsgate Street".


The disclaimer on the back is now longer with a reference to an anonymous secretary.

This seems to be dated 8th August 1865, and is very similar to the last. - Courtesy of Steve Lawrie. - My Ref. STC-BI-1865-1
The font of the Company name is now without the serifs, and a printers imprint has been added at the bottom.



Now the bottom again lists stations in London but also adds "all the offices of the London District Telegraph Company".
and has a printers' imprint "R. Clarke, Printer, 51, Threadneedle Street, and White Hart Court, Bishopsgate Street".


The disclaimer on the back is now longer with a reference to an anonymous secretary.

Unusually, this is clearly dated 14th October 1866, but otherwise similar to above. - Courtesy of Steve Lawrie. - My Ref. STC-BI-1866-1
This was used at St. Helier, Jersey (Channel Islands) for a telegram from Guernesey written in French.
No reference to 30, Cornhill.


The bottom gives the opening hours for the stations at St. Helier and Gorey, as well as the same printers imprint.


The back has the same disclaimer as the last..

This seems to be dated 24th December 1869. it is similar to earlier ones, but printed in black. - Courtesy of Steve Lawrie. - My Ref. STC-BI-1869-1
There is nothing on the back, with the previous disclaimer being moved to the bottom of the front, in place of the list of London Offices.
This was used at the London Office - 58 Threadneedle Street, London E.C. for a message from Jersey.

Received Message Form listing (printed in green except for last).

Envelopes.

- My Ref. STC-Env-1852-1

This cover is dated 25/2/1852, only a few months after the Dover/Calais submarine cable was opened on 25th September 1851.
Courtesy Gavin Littaur.

The back of an 1858 delivery envelope showing "SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH COMPANY" on cachet and seal.

	Envelope, courtesy of Dr Mark Gibson. The front is unfortunately missing the stamp, but it does give us a date for this type. It is similar to the 1852 example, but is missing the Station and date information.	Closeup of other seals. courtesy of Steve Lawrie.

Langmead & Huggins note (Pg.16) that "Sometimes Electric Telegraph Company envelopes are found sealed with the seal of the Submarine Telegraph Company."
This has a Cornhill backstamp. The Submarine Telegraph Company initially had its Head Office and an 'Instrument Room' at 30, Cornhill.
The Electric Telegraph Company had offices at 27, Cornhill.

A closeup of a seal from 1879. This seems to have minor differences, it is also more of a blue-green.
image courtesy of Mark Talbot.

- My Ref. STC-Env-1858-1
 
Circa 1858 type - courtesy of Steve Lawrie.

- My Ref. STC-Env-1861-1
 
Circa 1861 type (see form above) - courtesy of Steve Lawrie.

- My Ref. STC-Env-1865-1
 
Circa 1865 type (matches one described by L&H) - courtesy of Steve Lawrie.

The last matches the one that L & H list. They say it contained a form dated 8 August 1865.

Langmead & Huggins also list a number of forms signed by George Saward, but I have listed those under the British Telegraph Company since they are of that style.
and he worked for that company. George Saward though was instrumental in the formation of the Atlantic Telegraph Company and the laying of the transatlantic cable.

Receipts.

A receipt of 25 September 1856 courtesy of Edward Coombes - My Ref. BSTC_Rec_1856-1


The top-left suggests that this is one of 60,000 printed 3/8/1855. This is listed under the BTC because of the similarity of form numbering.

Receipt for 3/9d of 27 May 1869 - courtesy of Mark Gibson. - My Ref. STC_Rec_1869-1

The back shows the London Offices. It lists 12 plus "all the Offices of the London District Telegraph Company".   It has no signature but lists a number of places in Europe, as well as Jersey. On the left side is the imprint of "R. CLARKE, Printer, 51, Threadneedle Street, E.C."
Central ..................... 58, Threadneedle Street. Baltic Coffee House....... Threadneedle Street. No. 7, Charing Cross .......... (Opposite statue) Corn Exchange, Chambers.... (Seething Lane entrance) House of Commons............ (during Session). ————————	LLOYDS. Mark Lane, No. 82 ........... (Fench. Street end) Mincing Lane, No. 21 ....... (Tower Street end) Seething Lane, Corn Exchange Chambers. Stock Exchange. 43, REGENT CIRCUS, PICADILLY.

After the G.P.O. takeover.

After the Post Office takeover of 1870, the STC worked in conjunction with the Post Office.
subsequent stationery can be found there.

Comments, criticisms, information or suggestions are always welcome.

Please include the word 'Telegraphs' in the subject.

Last updated 22nd. June 2023

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