The United Kingdom, known in philatelic circles as "Great Britain", released many commemorative stamps (postage stamps issued to honour or commemorate a place, event or person) in the 1970s.

History The first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black, was introduced in the UK on 6 May 1840. Until 1924, all British stamps only showed the reigning monarch's portrait, except for the 1913 "Sea Horses" design. The first commemorative stamp was issued in 1924 for the British Empire Exhibition, and since the mid-1960s, six to nine sets of commemorative stamps are released each year. PHQ cards, postcard-sized reproductions of commemorative stamps, have also been issued since the mid-1970s.

+ British commemorative stamps issued between 1970 and 1979 Issue date Issue details Stamps in set Designer(s) 1970 11 February 1970 British Rural Architecture Four David Gentleman 1 April 1970 Anniversaries Five 3 June 1970 Literary anniversaries Five Rosalind Dease 15 July 1970 Ninth British Commonwealth Games Three 18 September 1970 "Philympia 70" Stamp Exhibition Three David Gentleman 25 November 1970 Christmas Three 1971 16 June 1971 "Ulster 1971" Paintings (first decimal commemoratives) Three Stuart Rose 28 July 1971 Literary Anniversaries Three 25 August 1971 British Anniversaries Three 22 September 1971 British Architecture Four 13 October 1971 Christmas Three 1972 16 February 1972 British Polar Explorers Four P.B. Powell 26 April 1972 General Anniversaries Three 21 June 1972 British Architecture, Village Churches Five 13 September 1972 Broadcasting Anniversaries Four David Gentleman 18 October 1972 Christmas Three 20 November 1972 Royal Silver Wedding Two 1973 3 January 1973 Britain's entry into the European Communities Three 28 February 1973 Plant A Tree Year One 18 April 1973 British Explorers Five 16 May 1973 County Cricket 1873–1973 ThreeEdward M Ripley 4 July 1973 British Paintings Four 15 August 1973 400th Anniversary of the Birth of Inigo Jones Four 12 September 1973 Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference Two 14 November 1973 Royal Wedding Two 28 November 1973 Christmas Six David Gentleman 1974 27 February 1974 British Trees One David Gentleman 24 April 1974 Bicentenary of Fire Prevention Act Four David Gentleman 12 June 1974 Centenary of Universal Postal Union Four Rosalind Dease 10 July 1974 Medieval Warriors Four 9 October 1974 Birth Centenary of Sir Winston Churchill Four 27 November 1974 Christmas Four 1975 22 January 1975 Health & Handicap Funds One Philip Sharland 19 February 1975 Birth Bicentenary of J. M. W. Turner Four 23 April 1975 European Architectural Heritage Year Five 11 June 1975 Sailing Four 13 August 1975 150th Anniversary of the first Steam Train Four 3 September 1975 62nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference One 22 October 1975 Birth Bicentenary of Jane Austen Four 26 November 1975 Christmas Four 1976 10 March 1976 Telephone Centenary Four (p,10p,11p,13p) 28 April 1976 Social Reformers Four (p,10p,11p,13p) David Gentleman 2 June 1976 Bicentennial of American Independence 1776–1976 One (11p) Philip Sharland 30 June 1976 Centenary of National Rose Society Four (p,10p,11p,13p) 4 August 1976 British Cultural Traditions Four (p,10p,11p,13p) 29 September 1976 500th Anniversary of British Printing Four (p,10p,11p,13p) 24 November 1976 Christmas Four (p, p, 11p,13p) 1977 12 January 1977 Racket Sports Four (p,10p,11p,13p) 2 March 1977 Royal Institute of Chemistry Centenary Four (p,10p,11p,13p) 11 May 1977 Silver Jubilee (p-10p-11p-13p values) Four {full set = 5} 8 June 1977 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, London One (13p) Peter Murdoch 15 June 1977 Silver Jubilee (9p value) One {full set = 5} 5 October 1977 British Wildlife Five (5 x 9p) 23 November 1977 Christmas Six (5 x 7p, 9p) David Gentleman 1978 25 January 1978 Energy Resources Four (9p, 10p, 11p, 13p) 1 March 1978 British Architecture Four + Miniature sheet(9p, 10p, 11p, 13p)Stamps: Ronald Maddox; Mini-sheet: Jeffery Matthews 31 May 1978 25th Anniversary of the Coronation Four 5 July 1978 Horses FourPatrick Oxenham 2 August 1978 Centenaries of Cyclists' Touring Cluband British Cycling Federation FourFritz Wegner 22 November 1978 Christmas FourFaith Jacques 1979 7 February 1979 Dogs Four 21 March 1979 Spring Wild Flowers Four Peter Newcombe 9 May 1979 First direct elections to European Assembly Four 6 June 1979 Horse Racing paintings Four 11 July 1979 International Year of the Child Four 22 August 1979 Death Centenary of Sir Roland Hill Four 26 September 1979 150th Anniversary of Metropolitan Police Four 24 October 1979 Death Centenary of Sir Roland Hill Miniature sheet 21 November 1979 Christmas Five Fritz Wegner

Other decades United Kingdom commemorative stamps 1924–1969 United Kingdom commemorative stamps 1980–1989 United Kingdom commemorative stamps 1990–1999 United Kingdom commemorative stamps 2000–2009 United Kingdom commemorative stamps 2010–2019 United Kingdom commemorative stamps 2020–2029

Acknowledgments

Stanley Gibbons Concise Stamp Catalogue Gibbons Stamp Monthly Royal Mail Stamp Guide Royal Mail British Philatelic Bulletin

See also

Stanley Gibbons Stamp Collecting List of people on stamps Philately stamps PHQ Cards

References

External links Stanley Gibbons Stamps Shop Homepage Royal Mail