Province of Canada
1851 - 1859
Postage Rates to the United Kingdom and the United States
A. United Kingdom
1. Cunard Packet
a) 1840 -1854
The rate for letters from Canada to England by Cunard Atlantic Steam Packet Mails via the United States was 1s. 2d. (Sterling) , which was equivalent to 1s. 4d. (Currency). The rate for letters via Halifax was 1s. (Sterling).
Brockville to London, May 8, 1851
1s. 2d Sterling / 1s.4d. Currency packet rate to England via the United States
PAID 1/2 Sg or 1/4 Cy
b) From 1854
In March 1854, postage rates for letters addressed to and from Canada carried by Cunard packet were reduced to 6d. if sent via Halifax, and to 8d. if sent by way of New York.
Paid Packet Mail
Hamilton to Sunninghill England, November 16, 1857
8d. Sterling /10d. Currency packet letter rate via the United States
8 PAID 10 handstamp
Roxton Falls to Honiton, England, September 24, 1858
8d. Sterling /10d. Currency packet letter rate via the United States
"PAID" handstamp and 10d in manuscript (Roxton Falls post office)
"8d Stg PAID 10d Cy" handstamp applied in transit
Kingston to Mansfield, England, November 4, 1859
8d. Sterling /10d. Currency packet letter rate via the United States
"PAID 8dStg" handstamp
Unpaid Packet Mail
Quebec to South Shields, England, August 22, 1854
8d. Sterling /10d. Currency packet letter rate via the United States
"8dStg." handstamp in black indicating that postage was due
2. U.S. Packet mail : Crimean War Period
Cunard Atlantic service was curtailed in 1855 as several of their liners were requisitioned for troop transport during the Crimean war. Letters could be sent for transport by United States packet mail.
Peterboro to Navan, Ireland, July 5, 1855
By United States packet ("By Boston")
1s. 2d. rate (unpaid)
1s. 2d. due handstamp
B. Rates to the United States
In 1851, an agreement between the United States and Canada established a uniform combined rate of 6d. currency or 10 cents American per one-half ounce letter with prepayment and use of postage stamps optional. A number of exchange offices were designated which were required to stamp "Canada" on all letters passing through.
Paid Letters
Paid letter from Smith Falls to Washington, D.C., March 10, 1855
6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate
"PAID 6D" handstamp applied
"C 10" was applied by the exchange office
Paid letter from Toronto to Boston, August 25, 1856
6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate
Since Toronto was an exchange office, the Canadian rate was not stamped on the letter.
Paid letter Kingston to New York, October 29, 1851
6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate
Arc type exchange marking
PAID 10 (cents)
Unpaid Letters
Unpaid letter Kingston to New York, December 16, 1854
6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate
Since Kingston was an exchange office, the Canadian rate was not stamped on the letter. "CANADA 10 Cts" in black indicated that the letter was unpaid.
Unpaid letter Montreal to New York, May 9, 1851
1 s. currency/ 20 cents U.S. one ounce (double weight) letter rate to the United States
The amounts due were written in manuscript
1/- (1 shilling currency)
20 (cents U.S.)
