Talk:Pearson Hill letter to French Post

Presentation of the document

• Letter written 1862 by Pearson Hill, British postal reformer Rowland Hill's son, to Piron, one of main head of the French Post, asking for specimens of the first French postage stamps.
• The letter is conserved at the Musée de La Poste, in Paris, room 11 (named "the trasures' cabinet"). Museum's inventory number D/9638.
• Two photographies of a copy of the letter are reproduced in two French postal historic books :
  • pages 1 (until "... much interest" and 4 ("goodness..." to the end) are reproduced in Le Patrimoine du timbre-poste français, Flohic Editions, 1998, page 63 ;
  • pages 2 et 3 are reproduced in Le Spécialisé, edited by Yvert et Tellier, page 32. Sebjarod 11:54, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

Editing work

• Transcripted by hand by User:Sebjarod.
• Presentation, typography and orthograph followed as much as possible.
• Abbreviations expanded : Mons^r became Mons[ieu]r for example. Sebjarod 11:54, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

Importance of the letter in French philatelic history

Considering Hill's demand, French Post discovered that they didn't keep any specimens of the first stamps. The "réimpression" of 1862 was done to create the Post's official archives. Pearson Hill's request was fulfilled. Sebjarod 12:23, 22 February 2007 (UTC)