1949 - 1950
In 1949 a series of definitive stamps (1c - 5c) which reproduced contemporary portraits of George VI taken by photographer Dorothy Wilding was issued. The Wilding definitives replaced the previous "War Issue" stamps which had portrayed His Majesty in military uniforms.
The Wilding Photographs
Each of the Wilding photographs below was reproduced for the new definitive series.
National Archives of Canada
The Original Design : Issued January, 1950
For artistic reasons, the words "postes" and "postage", found on Canadian stamps since the release of the 1929 Scroll issue, were omitted in the original design of the Wilding definitives.
One Cent
National Archives of Canada
Two Cents
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
Three Cents
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
Four Cents
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
5 Cents
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
The Wilding definitives were scheduled to be released on June 6, 1949, the day chosen officially to honour the birthday of King George VI. However, there were objections to the removal of the words "postes" and "postage" from the stamps, and the original stamps were not issued on June 6, 1949 as scheduled. Instead, the Post Office ordered the engravers to revise the dies to include the English and French words for postage, and produced a new series of stamps. The five new stamps, referred to as the "Revised Designs" were issued on November 19, 1949. The original Wilding definitives were eventually released in January, 1950.
The Revised Design : Issued November 19, 1949
1 cent
National Archives of Canada
2 cents
National Archives of Canada
3 cents
National Archives of Canada
4 cents
National Archives of Canada
5 cents
National Archives of Canada
Colour Changes
On July 25, 1951, an olive-green 2 cent stamp was issued to replace the original 2 cent sepia stamp, and an orange 4 cent stamp was issued to replace the original dark carmine stamp.
The colour changes were made to conform with the UPU regulations stipulating that all member nations issue postage stamps in the same colours that represented the postal rate paid on the three basic classes of mail matter : printed matter (green), post card (red), and letter (blue). The Post Office planned to change the colour of the 1 cent stamp to brown, and the colour of the 3 cent stamp to red (post card rate). Since the current 4 cent stamp was red (dark carmine), the plan was to change its colour to orange, exhaust the supply of 4 cent red stamps, then issue the 3 cent to red, the UPU post card colour. However, the planned 1 cent and 3 cent colour changes were cancelled upon the death of King George on February 20. Moreover, the UPU colour regulations were removed at the 1952 Brussels Congress.
2 cents
Colour Trials
6 Olive
5 Olive
5 Olive was the accepted colour
4 cents
Colour Trials
19 Orange
75 Red (An orange shade)
75 Red was the approved colour (An orange-red)
First Day Covers
The stamps were originally planned to be released on June 6, 1949, the day the King's birthday was celebrated. The JCR cachet shown below was prepared for the June issue date making reference to "The King's Birthday".
A new series of postage stamps issued on June 6th 1949
in honour of the King's birthday
From recent portraits by Dorothy Wilding Portraits Ltd.
The first Canada Post Office (CPO) replacement first day covers were used for the Wilding issue.
The cover below was mailed from the House of Commons and received the Senate handstamp as well.
