Royal Mail unveil special stamps honouring UK attraction with dual hemispheres

When you stand across the line from this UK spot, you have one foot in the east and one in the west

Posting a letter might seem a thing of the past. But whether it’s a birthday card, an update from abroad, or just a note of appreciation to a loved one, there are new stamps on the UK market that could fit the bill.

Royal Mail has unveiled 10 stamps being issued to celebrate the history and scientific developments achieved at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, since its foundation in 1675. And the attraction has a fascinating feature.

The Observatory stands at the Prime Meridian, which divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Visitors can stand with one foot in the East and one foot in the West – literally straddling the hemispheres.

The Prime Meridian is also the reference point for Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), the basis for all time zones.

The main set of six tamps pays home to the the Airy Transit Circle Telescope, Flamsteed House, which is the Great Equatorial Telescope, the largest refracting telescope in the UK, the Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope, the Prime Meridian where visitors can experience said dual hemispheres, and the Shepherd Gate Clock. A further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, honour prize-winning clockmaker John Harrison and his marine timekeepers, ahead of the 250th anniversary of his death next year.

The stamps showcase each of Harrison’s prototypes for measuring longitude at sea, which became known as H1, H2, H3 and H4.

“We are proud to honour the Royal Observatory’s 350th anniversary with a set of stamps that celebrate its enduring legacy in advancing our understanding of the universe,” said David Gold, Director of External Affairs at Royal Mail.

The Royal Observatory was founded by King Charles II in 1675 and was Britain’s first state-funded scientific building.

The Observatory was founded to provide better star charts that would enhance navigation for global trade.

Flamsteed House, the Observatory’s original building, became home to ten successive Astronomers Royal who observed the stars and developed new instruments such as the Airy Transit Circle and Great Equatorial Telescope.

And what’s so special about the Prime Meridian? Well, from the late 19th century, astronomers took thousands of measurements to define the Prime Meridian and establish zero degrees longitude.

Their work transformed how we explored our world in an age before smartphones and satellites.

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was made publicly visible via the Shepherd Gate Clock and its distribution via telegraph signals became an essential part of daily life.

Out at sea, Royal Navy surveyors plotted their longitude from Greenwich using chronometers based on John Harrison’s revolutionary marine timekeepers.

The widespread use by ships worldwide of charts based on the Greenwich Meridian contributed to the international recognition of Greenwich as Prime Meridian of the world in 1884.

The stamp images narrate the story of the Royal Observatory and its pivotal role in the history of astronomy, timekeeping, and navigation.

The set features specially commissioned artwork highlighting key areas such as notable buildings and significant objects from the collection.

Fancy surprising a relative with a good old-fashioned letter? The stamps are available to pre-order from June 5 by clicking here and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 10 stamps is priced at £17.90.

The stamps go on general sale from 12 June.

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