Description: This local carriage stamp was issued by the island of St. Mary's in the Isles of Scilly to commemorate a television milestone. The vignette features a finely lined, monochrome portrait of actor William Roache in his iconic role as Ken Barlow, a founding character of the long-running show. Rendered in muted violet and charcoal tones, the design mirrors classic mid-century postage art with flanking "50p" denomination panels and art-deco vertical geometric borders. The lower margin proudly notes the 35th anniversary alongside the show's signature title banner.
Circa: 1995
Condition: Mint Cinderella
Notes:
The actor featured, William Roache, earned a spot in the Guinness World Records as the longest-running television actor in a continuous role. He debuted as Ken Barlow in the very first episode of Coronation Street on December 9, 1960, and was still actively playing the character in 2026.
William Roache himself has participated in multiple high-profile British philatelic launch events over the decades. He has publicly noted in interviews how surreal it was to transition from a regular citizen buying stamps to seeing his own face featured on thematic island carriage labels and postal collectibles.