Today in Postal History

This registered cover was sent from Kingstown.
Kingstown is the capital on the southwest coast of St. Vincent.
St. Vincent is at the south end of the east Caribbean island chain in the Windwards.

The cover bears a large R in an oval and has a pencilled blue cross for the registration.
One of the numbers added is the registration serial number - probably the blue 176.
It was struck with four Kingstown CDS and sent on its way to Seaford in Sussex.

The cover arrived in London and received an oval registry mark on September 7.
The serial number 37 on the front was probably added as well.

It was promptly forwarded to Seaford where its arrival
was noted with a squared circle handstamp on September 7.
Seaford is about halfway east from Brighton to Eastbourne
on the English Channel coast south of London.

The cover is franked with four Victorias:  two 1886 1p. rose red and
two 1890 2½p. surcharge on a 1p. bright blue (Scott 43 and 56).

Today in Postal History
January February March April May June
July August September October November December

Pastnotes Index - The First 300 and the Next 208
provides more tidbits about stamps and collectors.

Comments? Send me an e-mail
Please include a reference to this item.