W H Smith & Son Newspaper Wrappers

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W H Smith & Son Newspaper Wrappers
1870 - 1901

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Over a period of over 80 years the number of newspaper wrappers used by W H Smith runs into many millions. Today there are few about and very difficult to obtain.

Most of the wrappers used by W H Smith were precancelled by the Post Office to enable the company to take the wrapped newspapers directly to various railway stations to catch the mail trains.

PLEASE NOTE - the images on these pages have been scanned at different percentages.
Wrapper dimensions can vary by several mms, the sizes given here are the smallest I have seen

WRAPPERS WITH EMBOSSED DATE

W H Smith 1870 newspaper wrapper addressed to L'Imperatrice des Francais, Paris, France
W H Smith newspaper wrapper, with an embossed date 26 5 70.
The cancel is a Foreign Branch oval obliterator with letter(?) in a diamond

1881 W H Smith newspaper wrapper addressed to J D Safford, City Library Assistant, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
W H Smith 1d Newspaper Wapper with embossed date 10.12.81.
The wrapper is 127mm wide and 239mm deep

w h smith 1887 newspaper wrapper 2d
1887 wrapper addressed to Messrs Reicherter & Hildenbrand, Hotel Continetal, Mustapha Superieur, Algiers
W H Smith 2d newspaper wrapper with embossed date 16.12.87
The wrapper is 127mm wide and 252mm deep

1886 w h smith newspaper wrapper 3d
1886 wrapper addressed to Ward Room Mess, H.M.S. Neptune, Mediterranean Station
W H Smith 3d newspaper wrapper with embossed date 6.4.86
The wrapper is 190mm wide and 315mm deep

cut out from an 1882 newspaper wrapper,
the precancel, SS F, is 10½mm wide and 7mm high the oval in the centre is 4¼mm wide

Cutouts from a 3d wrapper embossed 14.9.83 and a 4d wrapper embossed 3.11.83

Cutouts from a 1½d wrapper embossed 15.3.84 and a 6d wrapper embossed 2.8.84,
the 6d wrapper has a registered cancel

WRAPPERS WITH EMBOSSED DATE and NO ADVERTISING RING

cut outs from 2d 1890, 2½d 1892 and a 3d 1893 newspaper wrapper produced for W H Smith,
all are precancelled with the special obliterator, SS F, for W H Smith newspaper wrappers
all these wrappers have an embossed date.

WRAPPERS WITHOUT EMBOSSED DATE

W H Smith newspaper wrapper addressed to Col Pretyman, Grand Hotel du Louvre, Paris
W H Smith newspaper wrapper with no embossed date.
124mm wide, 254mm deep

W H Smith 1890 newspaper wrapper to Major Legh Phillips, Nuellens Hotel, Aachen, Germany

<> addressed to Major Legh Phillips, Nuellens Hotel, Aachen, Germany
an 1890 W H Smith newspaper wrapper
<>
1893 W H Smith newspaper wrapper to Officers' Mess, R.A., Europa, Gibraltar

1893 W H Smith newspaper wrapper to Officers' Mess, R.A., Europa, Gibraltar

addressed to Officers' Mess, R.A., Europa, Gibraltar
1893 1½d newspaper wrapper, embossed date 25.5.93
189mm wide (incomplete)

W H Smith wrapper addressed to Establishment Sanssouci, Carlsbad, Austria
addressed to Establishment Sanssouci, Carlsbad, Austria
circa 1893 newspaper wrapper, 2½d, 189mm x 315mm

W H Smith 1893 newspaper wrapper to Colonel Chas Morgan, Santa Catalina Hotel, Las Palmas, Grand Canary
addressed to Colonel Chas Morgan, Santa Catalina Hotel, Las Palmas, Grand Canary
an 1893 newspaper wrapper, 1d plus 2½d

W H Smith 1890's newspaper wrapper to Mrs Bolster c/o Frau Generalin von Silfart, 52 Koniggratzer Strasse, Berlin, Germany
addressed to Mrs Bolster c/o Frau Generalin von Silfart, 52 Koniggratzer Strasse, Berlin, Germany
The design of this wrapper is same as the 1878 standard newspaper wrapper.
The size is different, it is 126mm x 255mm , and all corners are cut square.
The design for the W H Smith address is late 1890's
This design of wrapper was in use till 1902

W H Smith 1890's newspaper wrapper to Capt R F Bell, Fort Napier, Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa
addressed to Capt R F Bell, Fort Napier, Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa
A 1½d newspaper wrapper produced for W H Smith
The wrapper size is 171mm x 317
A Foreign Branch "F.B" obliterator has been used to cancel the wrapper.
There is an offset of this cancel on the inside of the wrapper,
which suggests that this wrapper was precancelled

addressed to C H Labouchere, Esq, Nordrach Colonie, Badesche, Schwarzwald, Germany
addressed to C H Labouchere Esq, Nordrach Colonie, Badesche, Schwarzwald, Germany
A 2d newspaper wrapper with an additional ½d stamp
Wrapper measures 191mm x 315mm

W H Smith 3d newspaper wrapper to Mrs West, Rue Leopold 110, Malines, Belgium
addressed to Mrs West, Rue Leopold 110, Malines, Belgium
A 3d newspaper wrapper to which an additional 1½d stamp has been affixed.
Wrapper size is 186mm x 311mm

W H Smith 1890's newspaper wrapper to Countess Magawly de Calry, Residenz Hotel, Vienna, Austria
addressed to Countess Magawly de Calry, Residenz Hotel, Vienna, Austria
The design of this wrapper is same as the 1883 standard newspaper wrapper.
Wrapper is 126mm wide x 254mm deep with square cut corners.
This design was in use till 1902

W H Smith wrapper addressed to C A Malcolm Esq, hotel Zum Schwan, Dillenburg, Hesse Nassau, Germany
addressed to C A Malcolm Esq, hotel Zum Schwan, Dillenburg, Hesse Nassau, Germany
The design of this wrapper is same as the 1883 standard newspaper wrapper.
Wrapper is 125mm wide x 254mm deep with square cut corners.
This design was in use till 1902

1890's W H Smith newspaper wrapper to Officers' Mess, 1st Batt. Wiltshire Regt, Quetta, India
addressed to Officers' Mess, 1st Batt. Wiltshire Regt, Quetta, India
4d newspaper wrapper
(this copy has been trimmed all round)

1901 W H Smith newspaper wrapper to Officers' Mess, 1st Batt. Wiltshire Regt, Peshawar, India
addressed to Officers' Mess, 1st Batt. Wiltshire Regt, Peshawar, India
4d + ½d newspaper wrapper used in 1901
255+mm wide x 252mm deep

More about W H Smith wrappers
see
Wrappers 1901-1937
The C A Malcolm wrappers from 1902
Wrappers 1937 - 196?
A Mystery W H Smith Newspaper Wrapper

Jan Kosniowski
1 April 2004