Ipswich
Suffolk, England

Ipswich has been served by at least four different groupings - up to three at the same time - each is listed separately below.

Service originally started by 4th Ipswich in 1987, joined by 1st & 2nd Ipswich in 1993 and 31st Ipswich in 1997. Up to 1994 each group distributed independently to all of the area served. In 1995 1st & 4th got together and split the town in 2, exchanging cards for each others areas. In 1997 2nd & 31st came to a similar half & half agreement and eventually in 1999 all four groups got together and divided the town into 4 delivery areas, exchanging mail as required. In 1997 1st Kesgrave Scout Group (a nearby village) started a local post and now has also joined in with the Ipswich exchange system. From 2002 the 1st Martlesham Scout Group has also joined in.

By 2017 the service had grown and the following Scout Groups were involved :- 4th Ipswich, 2nd Ipswich, 18th Ipswich, 31st/9th Ipswich, 1st Ipswich, 1st Claydon, 1st Martlesham , 1st Kesgrave, 1st Grundisburgh, 1st Westerfield, l7th Felixstowe.

Deliveries are now made to the following areas :- All of the following Post Code Areas: IP1, IP2, IP3, IP4, IP5 including Kesgrave, Rushmere and Martlesham, Ipswich Borough and Pinewood area, Claydon, Barham, Great Blakenham, Grundisburgh, Playford, Great/Little Bealings, Westerfield, Witnesham, Henley, Tuddenham, Felixstowe, Trimley St Mary, Trimley St Martin & Kirton.

Covers from all four of these Groups can be found with manuscript year dates added - these are not believed to have been added to the general post handled and may well have been an extra for the benefit of the philatelic market. No date stamps have been used at any time.

1st Ipswich (All Saints) are part of the Ipswich Wolsey District, 2nd Ipswich (St. Bartholemew's), 4th Ipswich (All Hallows) and 31st Ipswich (Britannia) are part of the Orwell District, all within the Scout County of Suffolk.


1st Ipswich


1993

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Type C1.



1994 to 1998

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Type C2.



1999 onwards

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Type C3, (slightly variable in colour) - text set lower than in type C2.




2nd Ipswich


1993 onwards (except 1998)

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Type C1, various shades of blue have been seen.



1998

See joint 2nd/31st service below. After this year 2nd Ipswich returned to the use of their own canceller as all four groups had got together.




2nd/31st Ipswich


1998


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Type C1.




4th Ipswich


The value is usually (but not always) added in manuscript ink of various colours in the circle provide in the design.


1987 to 1990

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Type C1 48mm wide.



1991

red 10p cancel

Type C2 48mm wide.



1992

blue 10p cancel

Type C3 48mm wide.



1993

green 10p cancel

Type C4 48mm wide.



1994

violet 10p cancel

Type C5 48mm wide.



1995

orange 10p cancel

Type C6 48mm wide.



1996

violet 10p cancel

Type C7 52mm wide.



1997

blue 10p cancel

Type C8 52mm wide.



1998

green 10p cancel

Type C9 52mm wide.



1999

red 10p cancel

Type C10 52mm wide.



2000

black cancel

Type C11 52mm wide, much duller than previous green.



2001

violetcancel

Type C12 52mm wide, 20mm high, black.




18th Ipswich


date?

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Type C1.




31st Ipswich


2002

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Type C1.



2003

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Type C2.



2007

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Type C3.



Statistics

Year 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
Start None None None None None None Nov 27 Nov 28 Nov 29 Nov 30
Charge None None None None None None 5p 5p 8p 8p
Carried None None None None None None 5,873 18,159 20,511 23,742
Year 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Start Dec 1 Nov 30 Nov 29 Nov 28 Nov 27 . . . . .
Charge 10p 10p 10p 10p 10p 10p 10p 10p 10p 10p
Carried 18,557 23,623 35,150 36,263 40,174 . . . . .
Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Charge 10p . . . . . . . . .
Carried >27,000 . . . . . . . . .
Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Charge . . 20p . . 25p 25p . 30p COVID
Carried . . . . . . . . . COVID
Year 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Charge 30p 35p . . . . . . . .
Carried . . . . . . . . . .

Scout County of Suffolk

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This page last amended 11th October 2023
© copyright 2023 John Crabbe