Sheffield
South Yorkshire, England

The Sheffield area has seen the growth of what was probably one of the largest Charity run Christmas Posts in the UK. From small beginnings in 1981 it has grown to an operation that sells almost one million stamps a year and covers an immense geographical area. For some years it has also exchanged mail with the Chesterfield Scout Post, itself a large operation and via that post also with Barlborough & Spinkhill Post (prior to 2000) which occupies a small area between the Sheffield & Chesterfield delivery areas.

For the first nine years of the Scout Post stamps were not inscribed with the area name, only with the name of the original organising unit "Woodseats Venture Unit". These issues can be seen here.

The Sheffield Scout Post ceased to operate after 2000 due to the closure of some Groups and the withdrawal of participation by others that reduced the level of support below that deemed necessary to provide a satisfactory service.

The various Sheffield Districts are part of the Scout County of South Yorkshire.

1990 (November 29th))

Type 1, ?x?mm, designed by Andy Evans, printed by Henry Boot Design & Print Ltd, Chesterfield in sheets of ? (? rows of ?), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

On part of the print run the brown and blue colours were omitted.

On part of the print run the brown and blue colours were shifted to the right.

1991 (November 29th))

Types 2 to 6, ?x?mm, designed by Barbara Mitchell, printed by Henry Boot Design & Print Ltd, Chesterfield in sheets of ? (? rows of ?), line rouletted about 10 First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes..

1992 (November 26th))

Types 7 to 11, ?x?mm, designed by Barbara Mitchell, printed by Smith Colour Printers, Bradford in sheets of ? (? rows of ?), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

1993 (November 25th))

Types 12 to 16, ?x?mm, designed by Barbara Mitchell, printed by Smith Colour Printers, Bradford in sheets of ? (? rows of ?), line rouletted about 10. For the first time Christmas Cards reproducing the stamps designs were introduced and sold for Ł2.50 for a pack of 10 cards and envelopes. "Maximum" cards were produced by franking the stamps attached to the cards. See here for details. These were not considered to be a success and the experiment was not repeated in subsequent years. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

1994 (November 24th))

Types 17 to 21, ?x?mm, designed by Barbara Mitchell, printed by Smith Colour Printers, Bradford in sheets of ? (? rows of ?), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

1995 (November 25th))

Types 22 to 26, ?x?mm, designed by Barbara Mitchell, printed by Smith Colour Printers, Bradford in sheets of ? (? rows of ?), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

1996 (November 28th))

Types 27 to 31, ?x?mm, designed by Barbara Mitchell, printed by Smith Colour Printers, Bradford in sheets of ? (? rows of ?), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

1997 (November 28th))

Types 32 to 36, ?x?mm, designed by Barbara Mitchell, printed by Smith Colour Printers, Bradford in sheets of ? (? rows of ?), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

1998 (November 26th))

Types 37 to 41, ?x?mm, designed by Owen Driscoll, printed by Bakes & Lord, Bradford in sheets of 50 (5 rows of 10), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

1999 (November 24th))

Types 42 to 46, ?x?mm, designed by Sharron Briggs, printed by Bakes & Lord, Bradford in sheets of 50 (5 rows of 10), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

2000 (November 23rd)

Types 47 to 51, ?x?mm, designed by Tony & Kirsty Jenkins, printed by Bakes & Lord, Bradford in sheets of 50 (5 rows of 10), line rouletted about 10. First day covers were produced on special locally designed envelopes.

Cancellations

Several participating units used their own cancels for mail as it passed through their hands.

Type P1.

Type P2.

Type P3.

Type P4.

Type P5.

Type P6.

Type P7.

Type P8.

Type P9.

Type P10.

Type P11.

Types P12 to P22 - special cancels used only on FDCs and specific to each year.

Type P23.

Type P24.

Type P25.

Type P26.

Type P27.

Type P28.

Type P29.

Type P30.

Type P31.

Type P32.

Type P33.

Type P34.

Type P35.

Type P36.

Type P37.

Type P38.

Type P39.

Type P40.

Type P41.

Type P42.

Type P43.

Type P44.

Type P45.

Type P46.

Type P47.

A range of "number in circle" cancellations were used for general mail - examples of those seen by the compiler can be seen here.

Statistics

Year	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Start	None	None	None	None	None	None	None	None	None	Nov 29
Charity	None	None	None	None	None	None	None	None	None	Ł8,000
Year	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Start	Nov 29	Nov 26	Nov 25	Nov 24	Nov 25	Nov 28	Nov 28	Nov 26	Nov 24	Nov 23
Charity	Ł10,000	Ł9,000	Ł9,400	.	.	.	.	.	.	.