New Issue: John Harrison (IOM)

Here is the latest issue from the Isle of Man. This one celebrates the life and inventions of John Harrison (1893-1776).

According to Isle of Man Stamps and Coins, John Harrison was a "self-taught Yorkshire carpenter and clockmaker whose extraordinary inventions transformed navigation. "The designs feature a 17th century French cannon linked to the 1707 wreck of HMS Association, a portrait of Harrison, his H1 marine timekeeper, a replica of his 1713 wooden clock, his 1726 wooden regulator and a terrestrial table globe dating from around 1640. Together, they tell the story of his pursuit of precision and his determination to establish longitude accurately at sea." The stamps have been "curated in partnership with inventor and horologist Dr John C Taylor OBE [and] explore key moments in Harrison’s life and work, from his early wooden clocks to the marine timekeepers that solved one of the greatest scientific challenges of the 18th century."

Most of us probably haven't heard of John Harrison, but his work made sea travel safer and helped to support global trade and exploration. He was definitely a pioneer and his major invention was a device that helped to calculate longitude at sea. This was really important at the time and it was so ground-breaking that he was given a reward by Parliament.

John Harrison has no obvious connection with the Isle of Man. However, Dr John Taylor OBE lives on the Isle of Man and two of the stamps show clocks from Dr Taylor's collection. This is more a local person's tribute to a historical figure than a celebration of a famous Manx person. Design quality: The dark blue backgrounds make the six stamps look tidy as a set, and it’s interesting to see Harrison alongside his clocks and inventions. But every stamp follows much the same layout. For someone whose work was so inventive, the design feels surprisingly safe. 5/10

Theme and subject choice: The 250th anniversary of Harrison’s death is a good reason to celebrate him. His timekeepers helped change navigation at sea. Dr John C Taylor’s contribution gives the issue a real connection to someone on the Isle of Man who knows Harrison’s work. Still, Harrison himself isn’t an obvious Manx subject. 4/10

Historical and cultural relevance: Harrison’s achievements matter far beyond Britain, so the historical side is strong. What’s less clear from the stamps is why the Isle of Man is telling his story. A stronger local link would have made the set feel more distinctive. 5/10

Innovation and creativity: Harrison came up with remarkable new ideas. The stamps mostly show pictures of the results, without doing anything especially imaginative with the design. 3/10

Collectability: These could appeal to people who collect stamps about clocks, inventions or maritime history. The objects are interesting, but no single stamp really jumps out at me. 5/10

Personal appeal: these are interesting stamps, but I wouldn’t get especially excited about them. They’re a decent tribute to an extraordinary person; I just wish the stamps were a bit more extraordinary too. 5/10 Overall Score: 27/60