Monday, June 6, 2011

George VI War Issue
The Post-War Years
1945- 1949
Domestic Rates and Fees



The domestic rates during the 1945 to 1949 period were unchanged from those in effect on April 1, 1943. The introduction of "All-Up" air mail service on July 1, 1948, was a significant development in which domestic mail posted at surface letter rates were sent air mail if such service was available. The following rates and fees are considered in this post:

1. Forward Letter
2. Local Letter
3. Post Card
4. Air Mail
5.Printed Matter
6. Samples
7. Registration
8. Acknowledgment of Receipt
9. Special Delivery
10. Money Packet
11. C.O.D.


1. Forward Letter

The forward letter rate was 4 cents for the first ounce and 2 cents for each additional ounce.


Sioux Lookout to Galt, May 27, 1946
4 cents forward letter rate



Toronto to London, April 28, 1948
4 cents forward letter rate



Vernon to Salmon Arm, July 2, 1949
4 cents forward letter rate



Tiverton to Hamilton, February 19, 1946
8 cents paying the three ounce forward letter rate
4 cents for the 1st ounce and 4 cents for the next 2 ounces @ 2 cents/ounce


2. Local Letter

The local letter was 3 cents for the first ounce and 1 cent for each additional ounce.


North Bay local letter, June 9, 1948
3 cents local letter rate



Brantford local letter, May 16, 1947
3 cents local letter rate


3. Post Card


The domestic post card rate was 3 cents.


Toronto to Brockville, April 22, 1949
3 cents post card rate



Hamilton to Tillsonburg, December 5, 1946
3 cents post card rate


4. Air Mail

The air mail rate was 7 cents for the first ounce and 5 cents for each additional ounce.


Penticton to Hamilton, November 22, 1948
7 cents air mail rate



White Horse to Ottawa, March 22, 1948
7 cents air mail rate
OHMS perfin



Winnipeg to Toronto, July 10, 1946
12 cents paying the 2 ounce air mail rate
7 cents for the 1st ounce + 5 cents for the next ounce



St. John to Toronto, March 25, 1949
32 cents paying the 6 ounce air mail rate



1st ounce...................................................7c
Next 5 ounces @ 5 cents/ounce................25
Total........................................................32c


All-Up Air Mail Service

On July 1, 1948, "All-Up" air mail service was introduced, Domestic mail posted at surface letter rates would be sent air mail if such service was available. However, a specific request for air mail service required payment of the air mail rate.


Halifax to Vancouver, July 1, 1948
Souvenir cover of first day of "All-Up" service


5. Printed Matter

The printed matter rate was 1 cent for each two ounce.


Brighton to Tillsonburg, February 12, 1949
1 cent printed matter rate



Toronto to Hamilton, March 15, 1946
1 cent printed matter rate


Householder Mail

Circulars and other articles of third class mail, prepaid at the rate of 1 cent per two ounces could be posted addressed simply "Householder".
Address Label

Householder matter could be mailed to the postmaster where delivery was requested with an address label attached on which was indicated the name of the post office, the number of pieces included in the package, with postage calculated on each item, prepaid by means of a postage stamp affixed to the address label.


Address label sent from Yarmouth to Springhaven, July 27, 1948
20 items to be delivered to each boxholder and householder served by the Springhaven office.
20 cents prepaid for the delivery of 20 items


6. Samples

Samples of merchandise or of goods for sale were subject to the rate of one cent for each two ounces.


Kitchener to Tillsonburg (Undated roller)
6 cents paying the 4 cent letter rate (Letter inside) + 2 cent sample rate for 4 ounces


7. Registration

A graduated scale of registration fees was in effect.





Ottawa to London, April 16, 1946
4 cents forward letter rate + 10 cents registration fee




Victoria local letter, March 21, 1946
3 cents local letter rate + 10 cents registration fee



London to Wheatley, February 16, 1946
6 cents forward letter rate (2 ounce rate) + 10 cents registration fee



Shawinigan Falls to Kitchener, December 10, 1948
4 cents forward letter + 10 cents registration fee



Gravenhurst to Toronto, November 27, 1947
4 cents forward letter rate + 10 cents registration fee



Chatham to Quebec City, September 29, 1947
7 cents air mail rate + 10 cents registration fee


8. Acknowledgment of Receipt

The Acknowledgment of Receipt fee was 10 cents at time of mailing and 20 cents subsequent to mailing.


Registered mail from Edmonton to Gunn, October 20, 1948
10 cents AR fee
Receipt acknowledged October 25, 1948



Registered mail from Penticton to West Sutherland, February 12, 1948
10 cents AR fee paid with peace issue stamp "OHMS" perfin


8. Special Delivery

The special delivery fee was 10 cents.


Toronto to Westmount, April 30, 1946
4 cents forward letter rate + 10 cents special delivery fee



Montreal to Ottawa, March 27, 1946
7 cents air mail rate + 10 cents special delivery fee


Peace Issue - Circumflex error

The initial issue of the air mail special delivery stamp had a circumflex accent instead of a grave accent.


Swift Current to Norwich, March 4, 1947
7 cents air mail + 10 cents special delivery fee


Peace Issue - Correct Accent


Edmonton to Winnipeg, August 14, 1948
7 cents air mail + 10 cents special delivery fee



2 ounce air mail letter from Montreal to Winnipeg, June 28,1947
12 cents air mail rate (7 cents for the 1st ounce + 5 cents for the 2nd ounce) + 10 cents special delivery fee



Barrie to Halifax, December 9, 1949
4 cents "All-Up" forward letter rate + 10 cents special delivery fee


Montreal Airport Mail Facility transit
December 9, 1949



Registered + Special Delivery
St. Thomas to Toronto, November 17, 1945
4 cents forward letter rate + 10 cents registration fee + 10 cents special delivery fee






Air Mail + Registered + Special Delivery
Sydney to Sherbrooke, November 27, 1945
7 cents air mail rate + 10 cents registration fee + 10 cents special delivery fee



Registered + Special Delivery
Montreal local letter, June 26, 1948
3 cents local letter rate + 10 cents registration fee + 10 cents special delivery fee




9. Money Packet

The money packet rate was 7 cents for the first ounce and 5 cents for each additional ounce. The registration fee of 10 cents was also to be prepaid.



Bank Of Montreal, Chatham, Ont., to Bank of Montreal, Merlin, Ont., August 29, 1945
$2.02 paying the 38 ounce money letter rate.



Rate Calculation

Registration Fee...................................$0.10
1st ounce................................................0.07
Next 37 ounces @5 cents/ounce...............1.85
Total....................................................$2.02



Bank of Montreal, Winnipeg to Reston, Man., February 16, 1948


$2.12 paying the 40 ounce money packet rate

Rate Calculation

Registration Fee.....................................$0.10
1st ounce................................................. 0.07
Next 39 ounces @5 cents/ounce................1.95
Total.....................................................$2.12


10. C.O.D.

C.O.D. service was available at Money Order Post Offices in Canada. Up to $100 could be collected from the addressee and remitted by Post Office Money Order.

C.O.D. Tags

C.O.D. tags consisted of four sections:

(1) Receipt for the sender
(2) a record for the office mailing
(3) a delivering employee record
(4) a money order record

Two fees were involved with C.O.D. Service :
  • C.O.D. fee paid by the sender
  • Money Order commission paid by the recipient of the C.O.D. item
Schedule of Money Order Charges




Section 4 : Money Order Records

$0.01 - $5.00 Money Order Charges
The charge was 10 cents


C.O.D. item from Midland to Big Pond Centre, Nova Scotia, March 4, 1948
Item received March 12, 1948
$2. 92 collected : $2.82 for the sender + 10 cents money order commission


The addressee had paid the 10 cents money order commission
10 cent stamp cancelled at Midland, March 15, 1948, the office that issued the $2.82 money order to the sender.




$5.01 - $10.00 Money Order Charges

The charge was 12 cents.


C.O.D. item from Yarmouth to Port Saxon, December 3, 1947
Item received December 9, 1947
$9.34 collected : $9.22 for the sender + 12 cents money order commission


The addressee had paid the 12 cents money order commission
Stamps cancelled at Yarmouth, December 11, 1947, the office that issued the $9.22 money order to the sender