New Issue: River Thames Sailing Barge Set!

Today, 20 November 2025, we release a new multiple definitive stamp set to celebrate the contribution Thames sailing barges made to the development of trade in London and the south-east of England along the Thames Estuary. 

The AI assisted design, the first use of the tool by CILP, reflects early British Edwardian stamp designs and feature a stylized Thames barge. Printed as a strip on the sheet, the stamps cover the four classes of service available.

River Thames Sailing Barge Set (CP075/78)

Thames sailing barges were a commercial boat once common on the River Thames. The flat-bottomed barges had a shallow draught that was ideal for the Thames Estuary, and its surrounding shallow waters and tributaries. Their heyday was at the beginning of the 20th century when over 2000 barges were registered. For two hundred years barge design remained virtually unchanged until the 1860s, when a series of barge races were started and barge designs improved to compete.

A First Day Cover (FDC27) and a FDI Postcard (FDP19) has also been issued. Please note the River Thames Sailing Barge stamps will only be available as two se-tenant pairs of stamps (Standard/Express and Priority/Official) and not as a strip.

All our available stamps and covers can be obtained from Alpha Thematics on Ebid UK. 

Postmaster

New: Empire Windrush Stamp

Empire Windrush: 22 June 2021 

A new stamp commemorating the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks, Essex, UK in 1948, was issued on 22 June 2021. The Empire Windrush marked the start of the post-war immigration boom which was to change British society. Windrush carried 492 black migrants who were coming to a country promising prosperity and employment.

CLP220621S

Their influence and contribution have been overlooked far too long and this is an effort to redress the historical balance. This design is a period photo of the stern of the ship docked at Tilbury with passengers crowding the rails waving at the camera. 

A variant was also be released that was a result of a simple commercial printer's error (same error as Earth Day stamp issued earlier in the year), but were too good to scrap. The information line at the bottom of the stamp has been omitted on 11 sheets. These will be used as normal alongside the 'correct' design.

No first day covers or cards issued for this stamp.

Available from our agent, Alpha Thematics on Ebid UK.