Event Desc:
The story of the postal card is the subject of a recent major publication by the Society, in this 5.00 p.m display Vice-President, Simon Richards, examines its introduction to the British West Indieswith emphasis on Grenada.
Grenada’s postal stationery is of particular interest as the postal cards show the only Perkins Bacon material for the area as that firm was still producing the postage stamps for the colony in the run up to UPU admission in 1881. Grenada was also the only island to issue basr rate and international rate postcards on admission. The illustrations show the only known non-uprated usages of their 1d card and the first De La Rue 1d card.
The following year De La Rue took over the production of stamps and postal stationery and the range of items expanded to include reply cards, wrappers and registered envelopes. Victorian wrappers for Grenada include 1½d and 2d denominations and the registered envelopes include the full range of sizes from F to K. Usages of the large I and K envelopes are featured and the only known surviving use of the 2d wrapper. This rich postal stationery history is contrasted with that for other British West Indies islands.
The display is believed to be the most comprehensive showing of Grenada Postal Stationery material ever assembled. The handout includes the previously unpublished consignment history, following several visits to the Postal Museum archives. The story of the George V registered envelopes is of particular interest with four different forms of wording and two denominations.
Postal envelopes were popular elsewhere in the West Indies but were not issued by Grenada until the reign of George VI, which also saw the introduction of airmail stationery.
The display comprises twelve frames of material and will be addressed by a Powerpoint presentation at 5.00 p.m