Wales and Welsh history has provided us with a range of politically inspired labels and stamps for the more discerning collector over the years. Here is a small sample of them.

David Lloyd George is famous for man things, including his political contributions. He was not universally popular and the Bystander magazine lampooned him on its cover dressed as Queen Victoria in 1911. A small number of stamps with this image were produced.

Merthyr Tydfil may be famous in modern terms for the discovery of Viagra and social deprivation, but it was here that the Red Flag, symbol of the workers, was first flown during the Riots of 1831. A half-assed restaging of this to celebrate the 150th anniversary flopped spectacularly, but resulted in a label showing the town hall and the flag. Pass the pickled onions.

It is remarkable that Das Kapital was translated into Welsh before Russian, but that’s how it is in the Valleys. A translation goof also gave book collectors an edition worth searching for. They made the same goof with a commemorative label, but that’s how it is in the Valleys.

Many of you will have heard of the Rebecca Riots and the destruction of toll gates on the turnpikes of South Wales by protesters wearing women’s frock. Well a protest about the 20p toll to cross an estuary in 2000 flopped when the protesters arrived dressed as drag queens due to misinterpretation as to why men wanted to hire female costumes. This label is thought to originate from the owner of the toll road.

Due to a bit of an administrative mix-up the county of Monmouth was still technically at war with Germany from 1945 till 1974, when the Local Government Act came into play. Despite no indication that Germany would be a threat to the county, a war footing was maintained and recruitment to the local regiment was advertised using these labels on all official mail from County Hall

A project to restore the English-Welsh border to that of the Dark Ages so that it was re-aligned to the line of Offa’s Dyke was very popular in 1978. These labels helped promote the idea, until it was found to be just a money making scam.

Margaret Thatcher is remembered for many negative things, not least for the introduction of the Prawn Laws, ostensibly to protect welsh fishermen, but really only benefiting the fat cats of commerce. The repealing of these laws is celebrated by these three labels from 1994.

Lastly this sombre label remembers the village of Llangwlyb whose residents weren’t warned when their valley was flooded to provide a reservoir to supply English cities. Many were drowned in their beds.