Stone No.526-2
|
Inscription |
To the memory of JAMES CHALMERS Bookseller Dundee Born 1782 Died 1853 __________ Originator of the adhesive postage stamp which saved the penny postage scheme of 1840 from collapse rendering it an unqualified success and which has since been adopted throughout the postal systems of the world ____________ This memorial is erected by his son PATRICK CHALMERS, Wimbledon 1888. JAMES CHALMERS, bookseller, during the more active portion of his life, occupied no inconsiderable space in our local annals. At a time when burgh politics ran high, Mr Chalmers took a prominent part, first as a Deacon, and afterwards as Convener of the Nine Incorporated Trades. At a subsequent period, he was returned to the Town Council, and held the office of Treasurer for several years. While zealous in expressing his own opinions, he was uniformly courteous and candid towards those from whom he differed; and hence little of the acerbity of party spirit was ever chargeable against him. About the year 1822, Mr Chalmers had his attention turned to the subject of Post Office improvement, and he applied himself with great diligence to obtain an acceleration of the mail ; and, mainly through his exertions, a gain of forty-eight hours was effected in the correspondence between Dundee and London. The services of Mr Chalmers in this matter were at the time acknowledged by some of the leading periodicals of the day. At a later period, when Rowland Hill's plan of uniform postage came into operation, Mr Chalmers—who had upwards of twelve months previously suggested a cheap system of postage, and recommended the use of adhesive slips as a means of franking letters—competed for the premium of £200 offered by Government for the best plan of a , postage stamp. There were no fewer than 2000 candidates for this premium, and amongst them there were several who recommended Source 4
|