[Hugh]

Further to my last post in this thread ... I found another, somewhat later, example of a Columbia Single Impression machine cancel. This one was applied in 1914, a few weeks before the war.  This is the version with a three-line town die and five wavy lines. (Whitney, 10/89) 

[b]Stamp: 
[/b]George V
Issued October 12, 1912
1d, Scarlet
SG 357

[b]Cancel:[/b]
Columbia Single Impression Machine Cancel with Five Wavy Lines
Three Line Town Die - [b]LONDON.W.C / 2. 1AM / JUL 25 14[/b][b]A[/b]

   

I bought this card for the cancel. But the postcard was wonderful in its own right. It looks like it was purchased by a Canadian visitor the 'Old Curiosity Shop' - even in 1914 (and before) a tourist destination in London for fans of Charles Dickens. Published by Raphael Tuck & Sons - 'Art Publishers to their majesties the King and Queen' - it was of one of a series on 'Character Sketches from Charles Dickens.' This particular card has an image of Trotty Veck and his Daughter Meg from a scene in one of Dickens' other Christmas books -- 'The Chimes'. 'Trotty' Veck was a member of the urban poor and his occupation was to deliver mail and messages in London back in the days when a human messenger was faster and less expensive than the post. He was called 'Trotty' because of the speed with which he plied his trade. 

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Here are a couple of old postcards with an image of the place where the above card was purchased (according to the written text).

   
   

Cheers, Hugh