Biography
Find out how Arnold Machin created the famous stamp design, and trace the history of the invention and evolution of the postal system
Machin: the Basics
For many people, there can be no more iconic image of the nation than the head of state. We see the Queen's profile every day on our notes, coins and postage stamps, but have you ever noticed that, while the monarch ages serenely with the years on the currency, she remains regally unchanged on the stamps?
The Creation of the Machin Stamp Design
The portrait of the Queen that we stick on the front of an envelope every time we post a letter is thought to be the most reproduced portrait in history. It was commissioned in 1967 to replace an image of the monarch by Dorothy Wilding, which had been in use since the Queen’s accession to the throne in 1952.
The Royal Mail
Until the 17th century, the only way a private individual could send a letter was by a servant or friend. Kings and queens had their own Royal Mail, established in 1516, when Henry VIII appointed Sir Brian Tuke as his first Master of Posts, responsible for ensuring the safe delivery of his letters throughout the land. ln 1635, King Charles I, who wanted to find a new source of income, opened the services of the Royal Mail to the public.
