Victorian Age on paper
This is HISTORY. Beware:)))
I went to my husband's office the other day just to see some interiors he's doing. To my surprise he showed a door which looked like a jail and told that he had come to know about it's existence very recently. The age old building is a testimony to British acumen. Hey , this is not worshipping the west. It's just giving the devil it's own share. They deserve it. The record room here has no electricity. Now, think of the fire accidents that start from record rooms due to electrical short circuit. However, referring files during day time wouldn't be a problem as there are wall length windows which allow sufficient light.
Now, let me come to the interesting part of my visit to this record room. As we were passing rack after rack my husband told that there were files which are more than a hundred years old and showed a rack which was marked, '1898'. I pulled a bundle which roughly resembles a A4 size paper folded lengthwise. With an assurance that it will be returned as such , I brought home the bundle and here are some of my curious findings.
1.Revenue stamp paper-obverse
2.Revenue stam paper-reverse
3. Court fee stamp
Sl. no 1 is the revenue stamp paper bearing the profile of Queen Victoria. Compare this with the image of Qn Victoria in Penny Black. The image in the stamp paper is that of a older Queen. As this stamp paper was used towards the end of the Victorian age, the image used is that of a older Queen, I guess. Not visible in this image is the elaborate water mark with a marking 'ONE RUPEE UNDER TEN". The value of one rupee is divided as eight annas each to both the images of the Queen. Only Queen bears the value??!
Sl.no 2: The reverse side bears the stamp of the stamp department , Godavari(District) dated 01 Nov 1898. The entire text is in Telugu. So...any one who knows Telugu can help me out.
Sl no.3 has the image of a 1/2 Re (eight annas )court fee stamp affixed probably on 31.1.1898 and cancelled on 14.2.1898.During my childhood I was always amused by a double shaded colour pencil which my maternal uncle used for his office work that he carried home on week ends. This pencil had blue shade in one half and red on the other. That faded childhood memory struck me again when I saw this cancelled court fee stamp.From small to big, Indian administration less the British contribution , there will be a huge vacuum.
As I keep exploring these files will get back with more interesting findings.
