One of the great British Commemoratives - the 1940 postal centenary
There is something wonderfully British about the 1940 stamps issued to commemorate the centenary of the Penny Black. By May 1940 Britain was in the middle of war which was going badly. France was in the process of being overrun and Norway and Poland had already fallen. Things weren't looking good.
Other countries, in the same situation, might have issued stamps exhorting the populace to feats of bravery - images of barbaric Germans or noble British warriors from history. But in Britain we do things differently. The Post Office put out a beautifully designed set of stamps with the image of Queen Victoria - taken from the Penny Black - and the image of her great grandson George Vl taken from the modern stamps.
Other countries, in the same situation, might have issued stamps exhorting the populace to feats of bravery - images of barbaric Germans or noble British warriors from history. But in Britain we do things differently. The Post Office put out a beautifully designed set of stamps with the image of Queen Victoria - taken from the Penny Black - and the image of her great grandson George Vl taken from the modern stamps.
It's a very attractive set. And I think it is also a tribute to the British people, who even in the depths of war, managed to restrain themselves and retain their fundamental humanity.
The images on this page show a cover that I bought last week (August 2016). The cover is a first day cover, but rather an unusual one. Because it was sent to America in the middle of a war, it has been opened by censors.
It also contains a large number of backstamps. It was sent from Blackpool, and there are backstamps from New York and Dallas. I'm intrigued by a couple of points. It was sent airmail, but it would be nice to know which route was taken.There also appears to be another American backstamp under the censor's label, although one would have thought that the censorship would have taken place before the letter reached America, so the label would not obscure the backstamp. Anyway, it's a nice object and prettier than the usual first day cover. It cost me ten pounds, which I thought was money well spent.
see also - collecting first day covers
wartime stamps from Polish forces in Britain
The images on this page show a cover that I bought last week (August 2016). The cover is a first day cover, but rather an unusual one. Because it was sent to America in the middle of a war, it has been opened by censors.
It also contains a large number of backstamps. It was sent from Blackpool, and there are backstamps from New York and Dallas. I'm intrigued by a couple of points. It was sent airmail, but it would be nice to know which route was taken.There also appears to be another American backstamp under the censor's label, although one would have thought that the censorship would have taken place before the letter reached America, so the label would not obscure the backstamp. Anyway, it's a nice object and prettier than the usual first day cover. It cost me ten pounds, which I thought was money well spent.
see also - collecting first day covers
wartime stamps from Polish forces in Britain