CONTROLS

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On each printed sheet a control letter plus number is printed in the sheet margin. The letter would be changed around march/april each year coniciding with the start of a new financial year, whereas the number would be changed at the beginning of each year and reflect the actual year.

With all King George V issues, the control was placed beneath the 2nd stamp on the bottom row with the exception of the 1d value where it was placed beneath the 11th stamp on the bottom row.

The distance between the letter and the number can be found to vary, being refered to as "wide" and "close".

Somerset House Printings

The stamps were generally printed by the firm Harrison and Son. However preliminary printings were also made by the government printers at Somerset House. The Somerset House printings can be identified from the controls which have an additional dot placed between the letter and the number.

An error exists where the ½d die 2 (crown watermark) can be found with the control completely missing.