Henry Bishop (postmaster general)

His appointment was to start on 25 June 1660, but was delayed until 29 September when the Act of Parliament reconstituted the General Post Office.

[3] Bishop claimed no less than £500 in compensation for the loss of income because several independent posts had been started between London and the country but were not suppressed until the act was passed; they infringed on his monopoly to carry letters.

[3] Bishop was the first officially appointed Postmaster General to Charles II[4] but within a year of taking office he was accused of abuses.

[2][9]The postmarks were usually on the back of the letter and are known initially used in the Chief Office in London[2] but were introduced later in Dublin, Edinburgh and New York City.

[10] The original London Bishop Mark, first used 19 April 1661[11] The earliest known examples of use are in the Public Records Office, Kew, West London,[12] consisted of a small circle of 13 mm diameter, bisected horizontally, with the month (in serifed lettering) abbreviated to two letters, in the upper half and the day of the month in the lower half.