50th anniversary of special stamps celebrates iconic East of England

The East of England’s most iconic people and places will be celebrated in the activities commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the Special Stamps programme.

The top 10 East of England Special Stamps have featured:

1. University of Leicester – 1971
2. All Saints Church, Earls Barnton, Northamptonshire - 1972
3. St Andrew’s in Helpringham, Lincolnshire - 1972
4. Grand Junction Canal – 1993
5. National Space Centre, Leicester - 2000
6. Norfolk and Norwich project, Norwich - 2000
7. Church of Ormesby St Michael, Great Yarmouth - 2009
8. Great Central Railway, Leicestershire – 2004
9. Brancaster, Norfolk Coast – 2006

10. Ely Cathedral - 1989

2015 marks the 50^th year of the Special Stamp programme, which celebrates events and commemorates anniversaries relevant to UK heritage and life.

Simon Dixon, Digital Humanities and Special Collections Manager at the University of Leicester, said: “The University is associated with two of the stamps in this special collection.

“The landmark Gowan-Stirling Engineering building is given pride of place in the 1971 collection while the National Space Centre, which is the brainchild of the University of Leicester, is featured in the 2000 collection.

“Both these distinctive buildings are of national interest and importance which is duly reflected in the 50^th year of Royal Mail’s Special Stamp programme.

“A number of first day covers of the Engineering Building also form a part of the special collections here at the University and we will plan to put these on display during the year.”