Postal History Cover for British Parliaments enactment of the stamp act. Commemorating the 250th Anniv. of the Stamp Act. In 1766 the controversial stamp act was a major cause of the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin appealed to the British House of Commons and the act was repealed. The historic cover of which only fifty exist, bears the Royal Mail illustrated ship postmark dated 1/11/15. The cover also depicts the 1766 British One Penny Stamp which pre-dated the famous 1d Black Stamp of 1840 by sixty four years.