Maggie said, " e.. John Chalmers, born Dundee, invented the adhesive stamp." 'Fraid not Maggie.The chap you are thinking of was the Dundee Bookseller, James Chalmers (1782-1853) - not John. It has been confirmed by correspondence still extant that he himself dated his 'invention' as being November 1837. However Rowland Hill, (Sir, 1795-1879) the 'father' of the Penny Post, published a pamphlet advocating postal reform on 22 February 1837 in which he describes the concept of the adhesive postage stamp. However there is also a claim that postage stamps were used in Paris in 1653 which knocks both these gentlemen's dates into a cocked hat. <grin> Brian