Postal History Corner

2012-02-11T08:40:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Flight Covers

Letters and other items flown by pilots as a favour from remote locations to the nearest post office is called "Courtesy" mail. This post shows courtesy mail from British Columbia and Ontario. (The B.C. Airlines cover was the subject of an earlier post)

B.C. Airlines

B.C. Airlines was founded by Bill Sylvester of Vancouver. B.C. Airlines had bases in Vancouver, Ganges, Alert Bay, and Campbell River.

The Republic "SeaBee" was one of the planes in the B.C. Air Lines fleet. Described by one pilot as looking like "a combination of an egg and a toothpick".

From Alliford Bay, Queen Charlotte Islands, this letter was carried courtesy of B.C. Air Lines. The letter entered the postal system at Vancouver and was cancelled on December 1, 1954.

Rusty Myers Flying Service : Fort Frances, Ontario

Rusty Myers Flying Service based at Fort Frances, Ontario, has provided flying services to Northwestern Ontario since 1941.

The post card below was flown from a fishing camp to Fort Frances by Rusty Myers Flying Service.

Fort Frances to Des Plaines, Ill., June 29, 1963

FLOWN TO NEAREST POST OFFICE
COURTESY
RUSTY MYERS FLYING SERVICE
FORT FRANCES, ONTARIO
CANADA

2012-02-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

Trans-Pacific Travel : 1936
Canadian Pacific Steamship
and Pan American Clipper

In 1936, Mr. Hy.C. Holloway of Honolulu, Hawaii, embarked on a steamship voyage from Hawaii to North America on board a Canadian Pacific steamship. Upon the ship's arrival in Seattle, a letter written by Mr. Holloway and addressed to Mrs. Marie Holloway in Hawaii entered the U.S. postal stream.. The letter was franked with Canadian stamps and correctly accepted by the Seattle post office as "Paquebot" mail. The letter was forwarded to Hawaii "Via Clipper Mail".

Seattle to Honolulu, Hawaii, September 3, 1936
50 cents paying the double weight step Clipper air mail rate

Mr. Holloway's return address

1. Steamship to Seattle (Mr. Holloway)

Postal historians with access to shipping tables would be able to identify the Canadian Pacific ship on which Mr. Holloway sailed. The ship would have been one of the "Empresses" which provided trans-Pacific service. The Empress of Japan is shown in the photograph below:

Empress of Japan leaving Vancouver – 1933

2. Air Mail : Seattle to Hawaii (Mr. Holloway's Letter)

a) Paquebot Mail

The Seattle post office accepted ship mail franked with the stamps of the ship's country of origin. The paquebot cancellation would have alerted transit and receiving offices that the letter was properly franked.

Seattle Paquebot marking

b) Clipper Mail

The endorsement on Mr. Holloway's envelope reads "Via Clipper Mail"

50 cents paying the 1 ounce letter rate

Pan American Airways Clipper "Flying Boats" provided air mail service for the 2390 mile flight from San Fransisco to Hawaii.

Hawaii Clipper

2012-02-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

1977 Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee

The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne. It was celebrated throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth throughout 1977. Queen Elizabeth embarked on several tours during the Jubilee Year including a visit to Canada from October 14 to October 19, 1977.

Canada Silver Jubilee Stamp

On February 4, 1977, Canada Post issued a 25 cent commemorative to celebrate the Silver Jubilee.

Canada Post's Press Release had this description of the stamp:

The stamp commemorating the 25th anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the throne features a photographic portrait study of the Queen by the British photographer Peter Grugeon. The photograph is reproduced with the permission of Camera Press, London, England. In this formal portrait, Queen Elizabeth wears a mauve satin dress embroidered with pearls and rhinestones, the Garter sash and star with Family Orders, and a diamond and pearl tiara, necklace and earrings. This stamp introduces a new typeface on Canadian stamps Cartier - developed by the late Carl Dair and modified in some details to compensate for the effects of miniaturization on postage stamps. The layout for the stamp was created by Toronto designer Ken Rodmell. A special feature of this stamp, seen for the first time on a Canadian issue, is foil stamping. The denomination "25" has been silver stamped to draw attention to its double significance for this issue celebrating Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee.

Jubilee Year Royal Visit to Canada

The Queen and Prince Philip visited Ottawa from October 14 to 19, 1977.

Arrival

Ottawa, October 14, 1977

Opening of Parliament

Ottawa, October 18, 1977

2012-01-29T06:30:00.001-08:00

The Buffalo & Lake Huron Railway

The Buffalo & Lake Huron railway, incorporated in 1856, ran 160 miles from Goderich to Fort Erie. In 1870, the Grand Trunk Railway took over the B. & L.H.

(Source: The Handbook and Catalogue of Canadian Transportation Postmarks by T.P.G. Shaw)

The cover shown in this post features a B. & L.H. R. transit handstamp.

Kinkora to Dublin, November 22, 1862
6d. (12 1/2 cents) rate to Ireland via Canadian Ocean Steamer

Buffalo & Lake Huron Railway transit handstamp
"East November 24"

2012-01-28T19:33:00.001-08:00

No. 111 O.T.U Nassau, Bahamas
B24 Liberator Training

B24 Liberator

No.111 Operational Training Unit (OTU) was established by the Royal Air Force in Nassau to serve as a training location for the B24 Liberator bomber. The Bahamas provided space to carry out operational flying training beyond the range of German aircraft. Following training, Canadian Air Force members joined Atlantic aircraft ferrying operations or were posted to the Far East.

Duke and Duchess of Windsor
RAF Review

The covers shown in the post were addressed to Sgt. J.A. Fudge who was stationed at No. 111 OTU, Nassau in 1943.

Toronto to OTU Nassau, January 3, 1943
20 cents air mail letter rate for 1/2 ounce (10 cents/ 1/4 ounce)

Nassau receiver, January 11, 1943

Air Letter

Toronto to No. 111 OTU, Nassau, March 12, 1943
10 cents air letter rate

Nassau receiver, March 16, 1943

2012-01-26T20:01:00.001-08:00

Canadian Troops Return Home

When the war in Europe ended in May 1945, Canadian troops were repatriated as rapidly as possible. Most were back in Canada by early 1946. The Canadian National Exhibition grounds, which had become Toronto's main training grounds during the war, served as a post-war demobilization centre. The return of Sergeant Major Ernest Squire to Canada is the subject of this post.

Troopship RMS Queen Elizabeth to New York

RMS Queen Elizabeth in New York

Ernest Squire sailed from England to New York on troopship RMS Queen Elizabeth . On December 7, 1945, Squire sent a telegram to his family advising them of his arrival in New York:

"ARRIVED ON QUEEN ELIZABETH LEAVING ON SPECIAL TRAIN TODAY"

Telegram mailed from Toronto, December 7, 1945

Train From New York to Toronto, CNE Grounds

Sergeant Squire's family had been sent a post card on December 5, 1945, announcing the anticipated arrival of Sergeant Squire from the Queen Elizabeth on train number 307 at Toronto. The arrival date was not provided but the definite time of arrival of the train at the CNE grounds would be announced on Toronto radio stations. The reception was to take place at the Pure Food Building, Exhibition Grounds.

The card admitted the holder and party to the reception.

Toronto, December 5, 1945

2012-01-25T07:29:00.000-08:00

YMCA Centennial
1844 - 1944

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is a worldwide organization founded by George Williams on June 6, 1844 in London, England. This post shows souvenir covers created in 1944 to celebrate the YMCA's centennial.

Montreal

In 1851, the first YMCA in North America was established in Montreal.

Montreal, June 6, 1944

Location of first YMCA
in Montreal

Boston

Soon after the Montreal YMCA was opened, the first YMCA in the United States was established in Boston in 1851.

Boston, June 6, 1944

2012-01-23T05:26:00.000-08:00

The Flying Scotsman:
U.S and Canada Tour (1969 - 1970)
and 50th Anniversary (1973)

From 1969 to 1972, Flying Scotsman, one of the most famous steam locomotives in the world, toured the United States and Canada. This post shows souvenir covers of the tour as well as other covers highlighting events in the locomotive's history.

[This is a much expanded version of an earlier post]

History of Flying Scotsman

The Flying Scotsman locomotive was built by the London North Eastern Railway at Doncaster works (Yorkshire) in 1923 and became famous by setting several records. In 1928, she hauled the first non-stop train from London to Edinburgh, the longest non-stop run in the world at that time. In 1934 the Flying Scotsman reached a speed of 100 mph on a trip between Leeds and London.

Flying Scotsman continued to be in service until 1963 when she was bought from British Railways by Mr. A. E. Pegler, a private investor who restored her. From 1969 to 1970, the locomotive toured the United States and Canada. The locomotive was sold in 1973 and continued to run for many years.

1969 London North Eastern Railway Society Summer Tour

August 31, 1969, York
Carried aboard Flying Scotsman, London to York cachet

United States and Canada Tour (1969- 1970)

The Flying Scotsman was shipped to North America from Liverpool on September 19, 1969 and toured the United States and Canada until October 1970. The Flying Scotsman remained in storage in North America until her return to Liverpool on February 13, 1973.

Departure Liverpool

Liverpool, September 19, 1969

Phase I : U.S. 1969

Tour Opening : Boston

Boston. October 13, 1969

Hartford

Hartford, October 13, 1969

New York

October 17, 1969

Philadelphia

Philadelphia, October 21, 1969

Baltimore

Baltimore, October 24, 1969

Washington

Washington, October 27, 1969

Atlanta

Atlanta, October 31, 1969

Atlanta to Dallas

Alabama

Dallas

Dallas, November 7, 1969

Fort Worth

Fort Worth, November 9, 1969

Houston, Tour Closing

Houston, November 14, 1969

Phase II : U.S. and Canada 1970

Slaton, Texas to Green Bay Wisconsin (June-July 1970)

Oklahoma

Kansas

Illinois

Wisconsin

Green Bay

Green Bay Wisconsin, July 26, 1970

August 13, 1970

1970 Canada Tour

Itinerary

Toronto

Toronto, September 3, 1970

Canadian National Exhibition post office handstamp

Ottawa

Ottawa, September 10, 1970

Montreal

September 27, 1970

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, October 3, 1970

BRITISH STEAM LOCOMOTIVE
'FLYING SCOTSMAN' VISIT TO
NIAGARA FALLS OCTOBER 1970

Niagara Falls, N.Y., cancellation,

North American Storage : October 1970 - February 1973

The Flying Scotsman remained in North America until February 1973 due to financial difficulties.
She returned to England aboard the "California Star" which docked at Liverpool on February 13, 1973, in time to participate in 50th anniversary celebrations.

Return to Liverpool 1973

Liverpool, February, 12, 1973

50th Anniversary : May 1973

Doncaster, May 2, 1973

50th anniversary souvenir cancellation

1988 to the Present Day

In October 1988 the locomotive arrived in Australia to take part in that country's bicentenary celebrations. During its 18 month stay in Australia, Flying Scotsman travelled more than 45,000 miles. On August 8 1989, Flying Scotsman set another record, travelling 442 miles non-stop, the longest such run by a steam locomotive ever recorded.

In 2004, the National Railway Museum (NRM) purchased Flying Scotsman, and is carrying out a full overhaul of the locomotive.

2012-01-22T10:22:00.001-08:00

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee 2012
A Rerun of the 1897 Issue
Emergency Engraving Fix Needed!

A model of a $2.00 stamp commemorating Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee was unveiled in Ottawa recently. The stamp copies the design of the famous 1897 Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee series. Unfortunately the engraving of the "2012" Queen is dreadful and must be changed before the stamp is issued.

It appears that the well-known and lovely engraving by Silas Robert Allan for the 1954 "Wilding" definitive issue has been used as a model for the engraved image on the left. The new engraving is adequate but not particularly inspiring. A different photograph of the 1952 Queen should have been selected for the engraving.

Silas Allan's Wilding issue (1954) engraving

The most serious problem lies with the image of the "2012 Queen", on the right, engraved by Jose Peral . The engraving is unflattering and unappealing. Mr. Peral has engraved several stamps and banknotes in the past and has produced good work with landscapes, animals, and anonymous faces.

Jose Peral engraved the design of the $10 whale definitive

However, it is apparent that Mr. Peral's forte is not the human face:

It is ironic that the Canada Post Office had the same problem (ugliness) in 1953 when it released the Coronation commemorative (The Coronation Issue : A New Low in Attractiveness) and the first Elizabethan definitives (Karsh Isssue) in 1953. Perhaps this time Canada Post can do it right.

2012-01-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

International Mail Edward VII Period
Redirected and Insufficiently Paid

In this post covers from 1910 and 1904 are shown to illustrate the application of UPU regulations with respect to redirected and insufficiently paid international mail.

Redirected Mail

Redirected international letters were not liable to additional postage unless redirected to an address requiring a higher rate of postage than the first address. The additional fee was either prepaid when the letter was redirected or postage due charges collected on delivery to the redirected address. Only the single deficiency was to be collected.

The letter below was mailed from Como, Quebec to Croydon, England, and was properly prepaid 2 cents, the rate to Britain. The letter was redirected to Lausanne, Switzerland, for which the rate from Canada would have been 5 cents. A charge of 15 centimes was levied by the Swiss post office which represented the difference between the amount of postage already paid and the postage which would have been paid if the letter had been originally sent to Switzerland.

Rate to Great Britain...................................2 cents
Rate to Switzerland (from Canada)..............5 cents
Rate difference.............................................3 cents
Rate difference in centimes.........................15 centimes (1 cent= 5 centimes)

Como, P.Q., to Croydon, England, September 10, 1910 (2 cents rate to Great Britain)
Redirected from Croydon to Lausanne, September 21, 1910
Taxed 15 centimes for the redirection at Lausanne
Further redirection to Lugano

"Parti" label affixed
The addressee had left

"ANNULE" (Void) handstamp on postage due stamps

The letter was returned to Canada (Lugano September 26, 1910) . Montreal receiver October 9, 1910 and forwarded to the Ottawa Dead Letter Office on October 17, 1910

Ottawa Dead Letter Office handstamp
October 18, 1910

Insufficiently Paid (Not Redirected)

The tax on short paid letters and post cards was double the deficiency. Until 1907, the country of origin marked the letter with a "T" and the insufficiency (single amount) was expressed in centimes. The destination office charged the article with twice the insufficiency, converting centimes into its local currency, if necessary. In October, 1907, the terms of the UPU Convention of Rome came into effect. The method of marking short paid items was changed. The country of origin was to mark the short paid item with a T and double the amount of the insufficiency in centimes.

The post card below from Montreal to Milan posted in 1904 was short paid 1 cent. What is interesting to note is that the "T" marking was not applied in Canada but by the British post office in London.

Montreal to Milan, April 8, 1904
2 cents post card rate
Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed single deficiency, 5 centimes

5 [centimes] : single deficiency

London taxe handstamp

Italian Due

The amount to be collected in Italy was double the deficiency, i.e. 10 centimes. Since 25 centesimi (Italian) = 25 centimes, the amount due was 10 centisemi.

2012-01-14T13:58:00.001-08:00

"Ditto" Machine First Day Covers

Two 1968 first day covers printed on a "Ditto"machine are shown in this post. They are the first ditto cachets seen by the author.

The "Ditto" machine was a spirit duplicator used by schools, church groups, and other organizations from the late 1920s to the 1980s to produce inexpensive copies. Copies made on the machine were most commonly printed in aniline purple. Other colours such as red and green were also available.Dittoing was a low tech, reliable method of making copies. Since the machines used a hazardous alcohol solvent (methanol/isopropanol) in the process they were removed from schools.

Both covers are addressed to Ottawa resident Kathryn Jensen.

Meteorological Service Bicentennial

International Hydrological Decade

2012-01-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

"On Service" Slogan Cancellation
and Delayed Transmission

The cover shown below was mailed by a member of the C.A.A.F. (Canadian Army Active Force) to Bridgeport, Connecticut.

In addition to the date, January 4, 1945, the machine cancellation's hub contains the text "POSTAGE FREE". The slogan "ON SERVICE" explains why the postage was free.

A second interesting aspect of the cover is the "transmission delayed" handstamp:

TRANSMISSION DELAYED
FOR PURPOSES OF SECURITY

The serviceman who mailed this letter was likely being shipped overseas from Halifax, and the letter was detained until the convoy arrived at its destination.

The machine cancellation and transmission delayed handstamp were used in Halifax starting in 1941.

2012-01-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

The Mailomat

The "Mailomat" was a coin-operated postage meter machine for public use manufactured by the Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter Company. The machine was first introduced in Canada, on an experimental basis, in the lobby of the Toronto post office in 1938.

The Mailomat made one operation of purchasing postage and mailing letters. The customer simply dropped money in the coin slot, dialed the correct postage denomination, and inserted the letter in a slot. The machine printed a meter stamp containing the date of the mailing, and held the letter until it was collected by postal workers.

Toronto 1938

First Day of Operation

Toronto to Stamford, September 21, 1938
3 cents U.S. surface letter rate

Ottawa 1944

The next experimental operation was at the Ottawa Station B post office.

(The Billboard, February 26, 1944)

First Day

Ottawa to Kansas City, February 3, 1944
4 cents surface letter rate to the United States

Cachet

Insert

A second Ottawa cover:

Ottawa to Memphis, February 26, 1944
4 cents surface letter rate to the United States

Toronto CNE 1947

A Mailomat machine was operated at Toronto's 1947 CNE.

Toronto to Rochester, September 2, 1947
3 cents surface post card rate to the United States

Front of Post Card made available to patrons

Canadian Postage Meters Ltd. envelope
Toronto to Hamilton, August 26, 1943

2012-01-09T04:30:00.001-08:00

WW II Censorship
Blackout Cancellations

In 1941, the Canadian Department of National Defence requested that the Canada Post Office delete all local date stamps on letters arriving from H.M.C. Ships. It subsequently requested that Merchant Marine, Canadian Army, and RCAF mail be treated in a similar manner. Starting in December, 1942, Canada Post Office removed the town names from cancellers used in port cities and designated military areas. Although introduced to censor military mail, these "blackout" cancellers were used on both military and civilian mail.

Mr. Ron Leith' s well-written article Canada World War II Blackout Cancellations published in the July-August 1995 issue of The Canadian Philatelist, provides an excellent review of these devices.

Mr. Leith notes that blackout cancellations from about two dozen locations on the east and west coasts have been reported.

1. Blackout Machine Cancellations

Mr. Leith lists the following four types of machine cancellers in use in Canada during the blackout period : Columbia, Perfect, Universal Model-D, and Pitney-Bowes Model-G. He explains why there are four blackout machine types, as follows:

Dater hubs on these models were not compatible with one another and consequently there are four distinct blackout machine types. In all cases only the hub rim was replaced; the dater and killer bars remained the same after conversion.

The Perfect and Pitney-Bowes Model-G blackout cancels are shown in this post. (Columbia and Universal machines cancels not shown)

a) PERFECT

Prince Rupert,B.C.

Prince Rupert, October 2, 1944

Slogans

Mr. Leith notes that over forty different slogans with blackout machine cancels were in use.

Victoria, B.C.

SAVE TIME
FLY YOUR MAIL

Victoria, July 4, 1944

Quebec City

SAVE TIME
USE AIRMAIL
EPARGNER DU TEMPS
UTILISEZ LA POSTE AERIENNE

Quebec, April 7, 1943

SAVE YOUR SCRAP
MATERIAL
CONSERVEZ VOS
REBUTS

Quebec City, June 29, 1945

CONSERVE COAL
CONSERVEZ
LE CHARBON

Quebec, June 14, 1945

Halifax

CONSERVE COAL
SAVE ONE TON
IN FIVE

Halifax to Montreal, May 11, 1944

SAVE METALS
RAGS AND
WASTE PAPER

January 18, 1943

b) PITNEY-BOWES MODEL G

Halifax Fleet Mail Office

Halifax FMO to Pinner, England, November 28, 1944

Examined by DB/N 100

Halifax F.M.O., December 10, 1944

Examined by DB/N 100

Victoria

Victoria, November 29, 1943
(Victoria had 2 Perfect and 1 Pitney-Bowes machines)

Vancouver

CONSERVE COAL
SAVE
ONE TON IN FIVE

Vancouver, January 12, 1943

PAY NO MORE
THAN
CEILING PRICES

Vancouver to Ingersoll, October 20, 1944

Late blackout
September 3, 1945

2 . Circular Date Stamps

North Sydney, N.S.

North Sydney, April 26, 1944

Halifax

Halifax, May 2, 1943

Vancouver

Vancouver, March 22, 1944

Vancouver Special Delivery

Vancouver Special Delivery, December 19, 1944

3. Blackout Duplex Cancellations

Five blackout duplex cancels had been identified by 1995. An example is not shown in this post.

2012-01-08T06:01:00.001-08:00

Wartime Slogans

1939-1945

Many slogans produced during 1939 - 1945 period were connected to the war effort. This post shows some of the wartime postal and meter slogans dealing with topics such as finance, conservation of materials, and patriotism.

A. Postal Slogans

BLOOD DONORS
WANTED
DONNEURS DE SANG
DEMANDES

Ottawa, October 17, 1944

BUY VICTORY BONDS

Toronto, June 11, 1941

Hamilton, November 5, 1943

CANADIAN LEGION
WAR SERVICES APPEAL
GIVE FREELY NOW

Toronto, February 21, 1940

CONSERVE COAL
SAVE
ONE TON IN FIVE

Hamilton, January 23, 1944

Postwar use
Ottawa, December 2, 1946

CONSERVE COAL
CONSERVEZ
LE CHARBON

Postwar Use
Quebec, April 3, 1946

CZECHOSLOVAK
TAG DAY
NOVEMBER-13

Toronto, November 8, 1943

EAT RIGHT
FOR HEALTH

Ottawa, May 27, 1943

ENLIST
NOW

Toronto, October 18, 1941

FILL
A DITTY
BAG

Hamilton, September 11, 1943

See article dealing with ditty bags here.

HELP
THE
RED CROSS

London, March 29, 1945

NETHERLANDS
RELIEF FUND
TAG DAY
SEPTEMBER 18TH

Toronto, September 6, 1943

PAY NO MORE
THAN
CEILING PRICES

Toronto, November 17, 1944

Postwar use Vancouver, November 2, 1945

PAY NO MORE
THAN CEILING PRICES
NE PAYEZ PAS PLUS
QUE LES PRIS PLAFOND

Montreal, January 25, 1945

SAVE FAT
FOR
EXPLOSIVES

Toronto, June 29, 1943

SAVE METALS
RAGS AND
WASTE PAPER

Toronto, March 27, 1943

SAVE YOUR SCRAP
MATERIAL
CONSERVEZ VOS
REBUTS

Montreal, January 12, 1943

SOUSCRIVONS
A L'EMPRUNT
DE LA VICTOIRE

Montreal, June 5, 1941

V ... _

According to H.E. Guertin, the "V" for Victory" slogan was first conceived by a Belgian lawyer Victor De Lavelye in January 1941 while in London, England, and its use spread to many Allied nations.
(The Wartime Mail and Stamps Canada 1939-46)

Morse code V = 3 dots 1 dash

Hamilton, September 20, 1941

Montreal, September 29, 1942

B. Meter Slogans

FOR VICTORY

Toronto, December 11, 1941

NOTHING MATTERS NOW
BUT VICTORY!
BUY VICTORY BONDS

Fort William, February 1, 1943

REMEMBER HONG KONG
BUY 1942 VICTORY BONDS

Montreal, March 24, 1942

WIN THE WAR
BUY
WAR SAVINGS STAMPS

Toronto, August 8, 1941

Vancouver, July 14, 1941

YOU SERVE BY SAVING
BUY
WAR SAVINGS STAMPS

Toronto, October 23, 1940

2012-01-07T04:34:00.001-08:00

Fort Victoria Centennial 1943

Fort Victoria c. 1869

Fort Victoria, built in 1843, was a fur trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company on Vancouver Island. The fort was the beginning of a settlement that eventually grew into Victoria, British Columbia.

In 1943, a pictorial slogan cancellation commemorating Fort Victoria's centennial was produced for use at the Victoria post office.

100TH ANNIVERSARY
15TH MARCH 1843 - 1843
FORT VICTORIA

Victoria, March 17, 1943

2012-01-06T05:04:00.000-08:00

Canada to the United States :
1792 - 1851

This post deals with mail sent from Canada to or through the United States in the 1792 to 1851 period.

Postage Prepayment

In his classic text, The Postage Stamps and Postal history of Canada, Winthrop Boggs devotes a chapter to `Postal Relations Between Canada and the United States 1792 - 1886`. Boggs provides the following guidelines to classify a cover from Canada to the United States:

1. If before May 14, 1849, inclusive, the Canadian postage must be paid to the line.

2. If before June 1, 1792, the United States postage is UNPAID.

3. If between June 1, 1792 and November 15, 1847, inclusive, the Canadian postage must be prepaid, but the United States postage could be PAID or UNPAID.

4. If between November 16, 1847 and May 14, 1849, inclusive, the Canadian postage must be prepaid, but the United States postage could not be prepaid at Canadian offices, although United States Stamps could be affixed to be treated by U.S. postal officials as they saw fit.

5. If between May 15, 1849, and April 15, 1851, inclusive, the letter could be prepaid through or not at all; partial prepayment was not allowed.

6. From July 1, 1851, the whole of through rate of 6d or 10c per half ounce could be paid in Canadian stamps or cash.

Canadian Rates

The Canadian rate was the rate from the office of origin to the lines.

Ferriage

Letters transported across the border by ferry were subject to a `ferriage` charge from 1829 to 1837.

U.S. Rates

The U.S. rates were from the lines to the destination.

This post considers three periods:

1. To November 15, 1847
2. November 16, 1847 to May 14, 1849
3. May 15, 1849 to June 30, 1851

1. To November 15, 1847

Letters from Canada to the United States had to be prepaid to the lines but the U.S. charge could be prepaid or collected by the addressee.

York to London, England (Via New York) : 1834

The cover below was sent from York to London, England, "Via New York". A ferry fee was imposed in addition to the postage rate from York to Queenston. Both Canadian and American postage were prepaid at York. The remaining postage was paid by the recipient.

York to London, July 1, 1834

Canadian and American Postage (Paid)

British Rate Marking

1s. 7d. Due

Hamilton to Rochester : 1838

The next cover is an 1838 letter mailed from Hamilton to Rochester, N.Y.

Hamilton to Rochester, N.Y., November 28, 1838
Prepaid from Hamilton to Queenston, 4 1/2d. 60 mile rate
(Ferriage rate dropped)
U.S. postage 10 cents unpaid

Canadian Marking

U.S. Marking

Kingston to New York : 1843
Kingston was an exchange office. Since the Kingston P.M. was also P.M. for the United States, there was no Canadian charge.

Kingston to New York, August 6, 1843
U.S. postage paid

Paid 18 1/2 cent : 150 - 400 mile U.S. rate

Kingston to New York : 1847
The U.S. rates were changed on July 1, 1845. The rate to New York was Kingston was reduced from 18 1/2 cents to 10 cents.

Kingston to New York, July 10, 1847
U.S. postage paid

U.S. 10 cents : over 300 mile rate

Montreal to New York : 1847

Montreal to New York, August 27, 1847
Canadian and American postage prepaid

Paid 4 1/2d. (60 mile rate the the border)

Paid 10 cents (over 300 mile rate)

2. November 16, 1847 to May 14, 1849

On November 16, 1847, Canada ceased to collect U.S. postage. Letters from Canada to the U.S. had to be prepaid to the lines. United States postage could only be paid with U.S. stamps.

Montreal to New York : 1849

Montreal to New York, May 7, 1849
Canadian postage 4 1/2d. prepaid
U.S. postage 10 cents unpaid

"Paid to Lines"

Montreal tombstone cancellation
"PAID" crossed out by U.S. post office
U.S. 10 rate marking ( over 300 mile rate)

3. May 15, 1849 to June 30, 1851

In 1849, an arrangement was reached in which letters between the United States could be paid through or not at all. Partial prepayment was not allowed.

Montreal to Cambridge, Mass. : 1850

Montreal to Cambridge, Mass., September 29, 1850
The postage was completely paid.

Canadian Marking

American Marking

LINKS

`Canada U.S.A. Mail (1792-1851)` by Dorothy Sanderson published in the June 1, 1973 issue of Maple Leaves, the Journal of the Canadian Philatelic Society of Great Britain

PhilaMercury a database for United States covers sponsored by Richard Frajola

2012-01-05T03:46:00.000-08:00

Stamps With Perforated Initials

George VI Period : 1937 - 1953

Stamps with perforated intitials (perfins) have been produced by companies since the late 1890s as a means of limiting the theft of postage stamps. The Post Office regulation dealing with perfins is found at the bottom of this page.

This post shows a selection (about 20%) of the different perfins in use from 1937 to 1953. The OHMS perfins produced by the federal government of Canada are not included, but will be the subject of a future post dealing with the official stamps of Canada. Covers bearing perfins from the following sources are shown:

BT : Bell Telephone
CBC : Canadian Broadcasting Company
C/GE : Canadian General Electric Company
CHI : International Harvester Company of Canada
CMS : Consolidated Mining and Smelting
CNR : Canadian National Railways
CPR : Canadian Pacific Railway
E : T. Eaton Co.
FS/&CO : Finley, Smith & Co.
IHC : International Harvester Co.
LA : Province of Ontario
NLY : New York Life Insurance Co.
PS : Province of Saskatchewan
Q/CLQ/C : Quebec Liquor Commission
R&Q/COC : Royal & Queen's Insurance Cos.
SC/C : The Steel Company of Canada
TRAV : Travelers Insurance
WR/CO : Wm. Rennie Seeds

BT
Bell Telephone

Kingston, January 31,1942
2 cents local letter rate

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

Cornwall local correspondence, May 16, 1951
3 cents local letter rate + 20 cents registration

CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Company

Sackville to Chicago, December 1952

C/GE
Canadian General Electric Company

Toronto to Ingersoll, November 14, 1944
4 cents forward letter rate

Toronto local letter, October 15, 1947
3 cents local letter rate

Toronto to Hamilton, November 16, 1950
4 cents forward letter rate

CHI
International Harvester of Canada

Hamilton local letter, February 11, 1941
2 cents local letter rate

Ottawa to Williamsburg, May 27, 1943
4 cents forward letter rate

Hamilton to Tillsonburg, February 17, 1944
4 cents forward letter rate

CMS
Consolidated Mining and Smelting

Trail to Toronto, December 13, 1938
3 cents forward letter rate

Trail to Victoria, October 6, 1943
4 cents forward letter rate + 10 cents registration

Trail to Ingersoll, January 31, 1945
4 cents forward letter rate

CNR
Canadian National Railways

Winnipeg to Washington, March 23, 1943
4 cents letter rate to the United States

National Railways Munitions Ltd.

Montreal to Ingersoll, January 23, 1945
4 cents forward letter rate

Canadian National Steamships

Toronto to Hamilton, June 13, 1946

Toronto to Hamilton, June 2, 1952
2 cents printed matter rate

Toronto to St. Thomas, Need

CPR
Canadian Pacific Railway

Toronto to Kingsville, November 30, 1938
1 cent printed matter rate

Ottawa to Port Burwell, November 14, 1941
3 cents forward letter rate

Toronto local letter, April 30, 1951
3 cents local letter rate

Quebec Central Railway Company

Sherbrooke to Philadelphia, June 29, 1944

Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Co.

Vic. & Court. RPO, October 24, 1941

Canadian Pacific Airlines

Vancouver to St. Paul, August 27, 1949
7 cents air mail letter rate to the United States + 10 cents special delivery fee

E
T. Eaton Co.

Montreal to Cookshire, May 12, 1942

FS/&CO
Finley, Smith & Co.

Montreal local correspondence, June 6, 1941
2 cents local letter rate

LA
Province of Ontario (Legislative Assembly)

Toronto to Picton, November , 1937
5 cents letter rate (2 oz.) + 10 cents registration fee

Fire Marshall`s Office

Toronto to Sarnia, April 16, 1944
4 cents forward letter rate

Motor Vehicles Branch

Toronto to Whitby, March 5, 1953
4 cents forward letter rate

NLY
New York Life Insurance Co.

Montreal, June 23, 1943

Quebec to Beauce, July 14, 1943
4 cents forward letter rate

PS
Province of Saskatchewan

Legislative Assembly

Regina to Swift Current, March 1, 1948
4 cents forward letter rate

The Saskatchewan Hospital Services Plan

Regina, May 26, 1948

Saskatchewan Government Purchasing Agency

Regina, March 17, 1952

Q/CLQ/C
Quebec Liquor Commission

Montreal, July 31, 1938
2 cents local letter rate

R&Q/COC
Royal & Queen's Insurance Cos.

Halifax, March 3, 1942

Halifax, May 9, 1944

SC/C
The Steel Company of Canada

Hamilton to Phillipsburg, November 29, 1937
3 cents surface letter rate to the United States

Hamilton January 31, 1943
2 cents local letter rate

TRAV
Travelers Insurance

Toronto, June 1, 1942
2 cents local letter rate

WR/CO
Wm. Rennie Seeds

Toronto, July 5, 1937
2 cents local letter rate

Toronto to Port Burwell, May 8, 1940
3 cents forward letter rate

Golf and Estates Department

Toronto to Newark, May 3, 1948
4 cents surface letter rate to the United States

Regulation dealing with perfins

Section 230 of the Postal Guide reads as follows:

No objection is made by the Department to the perforation of postage stamps or post cards with the distinctive marks (initials or other) of the individual or firm using them, but it must be understood that the designs employed shall be for the purpose of identification, and not for advertising.

The perforation shall not exceed one thirty-second of an inch in diameter, and the whole space occupied by the identifying device shall not exceed one-half inch square... individuals or firms desirous of using perforated postage stamps or post cards must first make application to the Postmaster General (submitting their proposed design) and obtain permission for their use.

2012-01-04T03:54:00.001-08:00

Shand Dam Official Opening 1942

The Shand Dam, on southwestern Ontario's Grand River, was the first multi-purpose dam in Canada, built for flood control and low flow augmentation to improve water quality during the dry summer months. The dam created a 12-km long reservoir (Belwood Lake) the centre of the Belwood Conservation area.

Opening

Over 3500 people attended the opening on August 7, 1942. A huge street dance followed in Fergus, 5-km downstream from the dam. The Elora and Fergus post offices were provided with commemorative rubber cachet handstamps to mark the event. Examples of the special markings are shown in this post.

Fergus

Fergus, August 7, 1942

Fergus cachet

Elora

The Elora cachet was used on commercial mail after Shand Dam's opening day.

Elora to Elmira, August 13, 1942

Elora cachet

2012-01-03T02:14:00.000-08:00

Advertising Covers
George VI Wilding Period
1949 -1953

Advertising covers from the 1949 to 1953 period are shown in this post.

Braden's
Kapuskasing

Cochrane Old Home Week
Canadian Legion

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Toronto

Elk's Club
Fort William

Lloy Motors
Simcoe

Belyea Bros. Limited
Toronto

McFayden Seeds

George McLeod Department Store
Calgary

A.A. Carlson
North Bend, B.C.

Meaford Steel Products, Limited

Bell Telephone
Orillia

City of North Bay

Appleford Bros.
Tillsonburg

Chateau Laurier

Restaurant Supply Co.
Winnipeg

Dominion Seed House
Georgetown

Hudson's Bay Company
Smooth Rock Falls

Bulman Bros.
Vancouver

Canadian National Exhibition
Toronto

Bulman's Limited
Vernon

Charles Goodfellow Lumber Sales Limited
Montreal

Duncan's
Guelph

Hemisphere Trading Corp.
Montreal

The Elmwood Casino News
Windsor

Seaforth Shoes Ltd.
Seaforth

Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club Limited
Toronto

2012-01-02T02:15:00.001-08:00

Advertising Covers
War Issue : 1942 - 1949

Advertising envelopes used during the War Issue period (1942-1949) are shown in this post.

Tweed Steel Works Limited
Tweed

F. Welby Casler
Mitchell

Planet Bicycle Company
Toronto

A.B. Jardine & Co.
Hespeler

W.E. Astin Rexall Store
Gananaque

Hallidays
Hamilton

Hudson's Bay Company

W.J. Murfitt
Pibroch, Alberta

Reliable Bird
Winnipeg

The United Church of Canada
Revelstoke

Aladdin Homes Limited
Toronto

Marks Stamp Co. Limited
Toronto

Frank Richards Mens Shop
Kamloops

A. McKim Limited
Montreal

Grey Fruit and Produce Ltd.
London

Empire Hotel
Timmins

Fred W. Bray Limited
Hamilton

Dr. Ballard's
Toronto

The Ontario College of Art
Toronto

Lennox Equipment and Supply Co. Ltd.
Selby, Ont.

Robertson, Stark & Holland Limited
Toronto

Victoria Hotel
Dunnville

The Summerside Y Men's Club

Imperial Tobacco

The Bodega Art Tavern
Brantford

College Sacre-Coeur
Victoriaville

Tobe's Treery
Niagara-on-the-Lake

Cole Lumber Company
Bartonville

Robin Hood Flower Mill Limited

Societe Zoologique de Quebec
Charlebourg

Canadian International Trade Fair
Toronto

Radio Stations CJCB and CJCX
Sydney, N.S.

McNaughton Lodge
Coxvale, Ont.

Victoria and Island Publicity Bureau

Elmira Old Home Week

David Neon
Vancouver

Newfoundland Tourist Development Office

Connors Bros. Limited
Black's Harbour

Hess & Clark Ltd.
London

The Boy Scout Association
Toronto

Canada Rex Spray Co., Limited
Brighton

General Films Limited

Heintzman & Co., Limited
Toronto

Port Arthur

North Bay Old Home Week
Wm. Durrell

Drug Trading Company
Toronto

Geo. H. Lees & Co.
Hamilton

Bell Centennial
Bradley Machine Co. Limited
Brantford

Leamington District Agricultural Society

Canadian National Exhibition
Toronto

NOCA
Vernon

2012-01-01T02:01:00.001-08:00

Advertising Covers:
George VI Mufti Period

This post shows attractive covers mailed in the 1937 to 1942 period.

Wm. Rennie Seeds

Rae J. Watson

Woodward Stores Ltd.

Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada, Limited

Kingston Bible College

Victoria, B.C.

Vancouver, B.C.

Manganese Steel Castings, Limited
Sherbrooke Centennial

Regina Florist Co. Ltd.

Hess & Clark

A. Prud'homme & Fils, Limitee

Geo. H. Lees & Co.

J. Donat Langelier Limited

White Rose

Joe Caputo
Espanola Shoe Repair Shop

Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition

Troy Chemical Co.

Hamburg Felt Boot Co. Limited

Frank Fales & Sons Limited

John S. Simmons

Hallidays

Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition

Brantford Diamond Jubilee
G.F. Sterne & Sons, Limited

The Robert Simpson Eastern Limited

Hotel Coulson, Sudbury

The Manitoba Cold Storage Co. Limited

J.W. Kelly Piano Co. Ltd., Vancouver

Brandram-Henderson

Canadian Nature

2011-12-31T10:46:00.001-08:00

1936 : U. S. - Canada Rocket Flight

A rocket flight was planned from the United States across Niagara Falls, Canada, in conjunction with the 1936 Third Annual International Exhibition (TIPEX) held in New York. German dealer Karl Henning prepared stamps, covers and cancellations, but the flight did not take place.
This post shows the labels and covers for the proposed rocket flight.

Labels

Covers

2011-12-30T19:01:00.001-08:00

Semi-Official Air Mail:
Laurentide Air Services Limited

From 1924 to 1932, the Canada Post Office authorized airline companies to charge a fee for carriage of mail in northern Canada and issue their own stamps. The airline fee was in addition to Canadian postage. Airline company stamps were not to be affixed to the front of the envelopes.

Laurentide Air Services

Laurentide Air Service Ltd, carried out operations in both Québec and Ontario, including the first regular Canadian air-mail, passenger and freight service from Haileybury, Ont, to Rouyn, Qué (1924).

Rouyn Lake to London, England, October 22, 1924
4 cents Canadian postage paying letter rate to Great Britain

25 cents paying air mail rate from Rouyn to Haileybury

2011-12-14T01:00:00.001-08:00

1980 Commemoratives:
Private First Day Covers

Arctic Islands

Date of Issue: January 23, 1980

Winter Olympics

Date of Issue: January 23, 1980

[Not shown]

Academy of Arts

Date of Issue: March 6, 1980

Atlantic Whitefish
Greater Prairie Chicken

Date of Issue: May 6, 1980

Les Floralies

Date of Issue : May 26, 1980

World Congress of Rehabilitation International

Date of Issue: May 26, 1980

O Canada Centenary

Date of Issue: June 6, 1980

John Diefenbaker

Date of Issue: June 20, 1980

Canadian Musicians

Date of Issue: July 4, 1980

Ned Hanlan

Date of Issue: July 4, 1980

Saskatchewan
Alberta

Date of Issue: August 27, 1980

Uranium

Date of Issue: September 3, 1980

Inuit: Spirits

Date of Issue: September 25, 1980

Christmas

Date of Issue: October 22, 1980

Military Aircraft

Date of Issue: November 10, 1980

E.P. Lachapelle

Date of Issue: December 5, 1980

2011-12-13T02:29:00.001-08:00

1979 Commemoratives:
Private First Day Covers

Quebec Carnival

Day of Issue: February 1, 1979

Spiny Soft-Shelled Turtle
Bowhead Whale

Day of Issue: April 10, 1979

Postal Code

Day of Issue: April 27, 1979

Frederick Philip Grove
Emilie Nelligan

Day of Issue: May 3, 1979

Colonel C.M. de Salabery
Colonel John By

Day of Issue: May 11, 1979

Atlas Chemical

Hanstamp on back of envelope

Provincial and Territorial Flags

Day of Issue: June 15, 1979

White Water Race

Day of Issue: July 3, 1979

Women's Field Hockey

Day of Issue: August 16, 1979

Inuit - Shelter and Community

Day of Issue: September 13, 1979

Christmas-Antique Toys

Day of Issue: October 17, 1979

United Nations Year of the Child

Day of Issue: October 24, 1979

Aircraft - Flying Boats

Day of Issue: November 15, 1979

2011-12-12T06:23:00.001-08:00

Cash on Delivery (C.O.D.) Service:
Elizabethan Period to 1967

[Information for this post has been provided by a prominent Canadian postal historian whose generous assistance is greatly appreciated]

Definition

Mail matter which was posted at an accounting post office in Canada for delivery at any post office within Canada, or any rural route, within Canada, could be sent subject to C.O.D. service. Up to $100 charges due to the sender from the addressed could be collected and remitted to the sender by post office money order.

Fee to be Prepaid

The C.O.D. fee in addition to the ordinary postage was to be prepaid.

C.O.D. Fee Periods

There were three C.O.D. fee periods during the time period covered in this post:

1) To March 31, 1964
2) April 1, 1964 to September 30, 1967
3) From October 1, 1967

Money Order Fee

In addition to the sum to be remitted to the sender, the addressee was charged a fee required on a money order for the amount due to the sender. The money order fees were not remitted to the sender but the amount of the fee was written on the triangular C.O.D. sticker attached to the C.O.D. item. There were two Money Order Fee periods during the time period covered in this post:

1) To October 31, 1963
2) From November 1, 1964

Four C.O.D. items from the Elizabethan period to 1967 are shown in this post in addition to C.O.D. remittance envelopes in which money orders for amounts collected from addressees by the Post Office was mailed to senders.

C.O.D. ITEM 1

The C.O.D. item shown below was mailed at the letter rate from the Ontario Office of the Registrar-General. The amount to be collected for the sender from the addressee was 60 cents.

Toronto to Woodstock, January 10, 1957

Franking Paid by the Sender

Forward Letter Rate............5 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2.............10 cents
Total...................................15 cents

Total Collected from the Addressee

(Registrar-General C.O.D. label)

Charge to Sender.....................60 cents
Money Order Commission...... 4 cents
Total......................................64 cents

C.O.D. ITEM 2

The second item shown below was a parcel mailed from Westbank, B.C. to Salmon Arm, B.C., on March 23, 1961. The amount to be collected for the sender from the addressee was 85 cents.

Franking Paid by the Sender

There are two possible C.O.D. fees depending upon the amount of C.O.D. parcel insurance selected.

a) Minimum Insurance Up To $50 : Free

Parcel postage (7 lb.)............75 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2.............10 cents (Insurance to $50)
Total...................................85 cents

b) Insurance > $50 and up to $100 : 30 cents C.O.D. fee

Parcel postage (4 lb. 90z to 5lb)............55 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $100.......................30 cents (Insurance >$50 and up to $100)
Total................................................85 cents

Total Collected from Addressee

Charge to Sender.....................85 cents
Money Order Commission....... 4 cents
Total....................................... 89 cents

C.O.D. ITEM 3

The next item is an undated parcel from St. Albert, Alberta, to Milk River Alberta. The amount to be collected from the addressee was $1.75. The Money Order Commmission of 10 cents indicates that the parcel was mailed after October 31, 1963, since the Money Order Commission for $1.75 increased from 9 cents to 10 cents on November 1, 1963.

Franking Paid by the Sender

There are two possible rates in this case depending upon when the parcel was mailed.

a) October 1, 1963 - March 31, 1964

The minimum C.O.D. Fee was 10 cents.

Parcel postage (8-9 oz.)............10 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2..................10 cents
Total........................................20 cents

b) March 31, 1964 - October 31, 1967

The minimum C.O.D. fee was 15 cents

Parcel postage (up to 4 oz.)............5 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2.......................15 cents
Total...........................................20 cents

Total Collected from Addressee

Charge to Sender.....................$1.75
Money Order Commission.........0.10
Total.......................................$1.85

C.O.D. ITEM 4

The final C.O.D. item is an undated parcel tag mailed from Valley Gardens, Gilford, Ontario, to Hope, British Columbia. The amount to be collected was 99 cents.

Franking Paid by the Sender

The parcel was mailed after February 8, 1967 (issue date of the Centennial definitives) but prior to November 1, 1967. The most likely rate would have been :

Parcel postage (4 lb. 6 0z.).......84 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2...............15 cents
Total...................................99 cents

(If mailed after September 30, 1967, the minimum C.O.D. fee would have been 50 cents, leaving 49 cents to pay the parcel rate; however, 49 cents was not a parcel rate to B.C. at that time)

Total Collected from Addressee

Charge to Sender.....................99 cents
Money Order Commission....... 5 cents
Total....................................... $1.04

C.O.D. Remittance Envelopes

Ottawa local mail, June 8, 1968

Centennial Envelope

For the Centennial Year celebrations, Canada Post prepared C.O.D. remittance envelopes featuring both the Centennial Year and Expo 67 logos.

August 18, 1967 to Burlington

2011-12-11T05:01:00.000-08:00

General Manuel Noriega P.O.W.
Correspondence to Canada

This post shows a cover and autographed letter received from Manuel Noriega while he was a prisoner at the Federal Correctional Institute in Miami in 2009.

Manuel Noriega

General Manuel Noriega was the de facto leader of Panama from 1983 to 1989. The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power. Noriega was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to Miami where he was tried on eights counts of drug trafficking, racketeering and money laundering in April 1992. Under Article 85 of the Third Geneva Convention Noriega was still considered a prisoner of war. In Florida he had his own prison cell furnished with electronics and exercise equipment.

His prison sentence ended in September 2007. Noriega remained at the Federal Correctional Institute in Miami pending resolution of extradition requests from France and Panama. In April 2010, Noriega boarded a flight to Paris to face charges of money laundering. After a re-trial as a condition of the extradition, he was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in jail in July 2010. On December 11, 2011, Noriega was extradited to Panama.

Correspondence from General Noriega

The cover and letter below were sent by General Noriega (POW) to the author on July 29, 2009. The "Undercover Address", P.O. Box 779800, Miami, Fl., printed on the return address label conceals the fact that the correspondence had been sent from the Federal Correctional Institute, Miami.

Envelope

From "POW" General Manuel Noriega to Ontario, July 29, 2009

Undercover Address

Manuel Noriega added "GR" and "POW" to the printed returned address label:

P.O. Box 770800, Miami Fl.

General Noriega's Letter

2011-12-09T17:35:00.001-08:00

Princess Alice and Dehydrated Orange Juice

In 1945, Princess Alice, the wife of then Canadian Governor-General Lord Athlone had been provided samples of dehydrated orange juice. The delightful correspondence from Princess Alice is the subject of this post.

Dehydrated Orange Juice

During the war years of the 1940s, the National Research Corporation (NRC) of Cambridge, Mass., developed a high vacuum process for dehydrating medical products such as penicillin. The U.S. Army asked NRC to apply this technological advance to food, especially orange juice. In 1945, NRC developed a method of concentrating orange juice into a powder, creating the Florida Foods Corporation to supply the military. When the war ended a few months later, the contract was cancelled causing Florida Foods to shift to the commercial market. The company moved away from the dehydrated product and decided to create frozen orange juice concentrate. The company renamed itself Minute Maid in April, 1946.

Minute Maid has never made its dehydrated orange juice available to the public despite reports that the product closely matched the taste of fresh-squeezed orange juice.

The Vice-Regal Couple

On June 21, 1940, Major-General Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (1874 – 1957) was sworn-in as Canada's 16th Governor-General on June 21 1940 and served until 1946. He succeeded John Buchan who had died in office on February 11, 1940, after suffering a stroke.

Princess Alice (1883-1981), Lord Athlone's wife, was a grandchild of Queen Victoria and a first cousin to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.

Princess Alice and Lord Athlone

Princess Alice's Orange Juice Letter

The 1945 letter shown below was addressed to a Mr. Scully, a resident of New York City, and was franked by the Assistant Secretary to the Governor-General. Since the free mail privilege only applied to domestic mail the envelope should have been franked with a 4 cent stamp.

Princess Alice to New York, December 12, 1945

Initials in the lower left corner of the envelope

AM = Alice Mary

Transcription of the letter:

11-12-45

Dear Mr. Scully:

How kind + prompt you have been about those precious crystals. I had no idea one could not order as many as one liked. I am rather horrified at my "faux pas". However you got over the dilemma splendidly. I told George to let his mother know that she need not ... bothered over the strange people sending her parcels-He says you cannot possibly tell orange drink made from these crystals from fresh fruit, which is rather wonderful.

With all kind thoughts
Affectionately yours
Alice Mary

Princess Alice's signature

Although the manufacturer of the orange crystals is not identified, it is most likely that the Princess had received samples of the NCR dehydrated juice. The letter captures the thoughtfulness and kindness of Princess Alice who, as vicereine of Canada, supported the war effort by serving as Honorary Commandant of the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service, Honorary Air Commandant of the Royal Canadian Air Force (Women's Division) and president of the nursing division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

A Question for Food Scientists

Calling all food scientists! Can anyone explain why Minute Maid has never marketed dehydrated orange juice powder?

2011-12-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

The War Years:
Dutch Royalty in Canada

On May 10, 1940 Germany invaded the Netherlands. Two days later the entire Dutch royal family fled to England aboard HMS Codrington, sent by George VI. While Queen Wilhelmina established her government-in-exile in London, Princess Juliana (heiress to the throne) took her daughters to Canada.

Princess Juliana c.1940

The Princess and her daughters Beatrix (now Queen of the Netherlands) and Irene sailed to Canada aboard the Dutch ship "Sumatra" arriving in Halifax on June 11, 1940.

Arrival in Halifax, June 11, 1940 Princess Juliana
and her daughters disembarking from the Dutch
ship "Sumatra"

The Princess and her family resided at Stronaway in Rockcliffe, a suburb of Ottawa during their five year sojourn in Canada.

Stornaway

During the war, Juliana's husband Prince Bernhard was stationed in London as part of the Allied war planning councils and an active RAF wing commander flying both fighter and bomber planes into combat.

Princess Juliana , Prince Berhard and their
eldest daughters in Ottawa

Princess Margriet

Juliana's third daughter, Margriet, was born January 19th, 1943 at the Ottawa Civic Hospital (the land under the hospital was temporarily placed under Dutch control so that the princess could remain Dutch and would therefore not obtain a double nationality).

Christening of Princess Margriet, at Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Ottawa, June 29, 1943
Seated (from right to left) in the front row are Prince Bernhard; Princess Juliana with infant daughter Princess Margriet; Princess Beatrix; Princess Irene; Queen Wilhelmina; the Governor General, the Earl of Athlone; Princess Alice. Mackenzie King is seated in the second row behind Queen Wilhelmina.

Princess Juliana with Queen Wilhelmina, Prince Bernhard
and the three princesses at Stornoway, 1943.

Office of the Aide-de-Camp to H.R.H. Princess Juliana correspondence

Ottawa to Millhaven, Georgia, December 27, 1943

Juliana's "Thank You" Gift to Canada

Juliana returned to the Netherlands in May, 1945. To thank the Canadians for their hospitality, Princess Juliana sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa in1945. Since then, the Dutch send 20,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa each year, which has led to the creation of the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa.

2002 commemorative stamp

(Juliana became Queen of the Netherlands with Wilhelmina's abdication in 1948 and was succeeded by Queen Beatrix after her own abdication in 1980.)

2011-12-05T05:07:00.000-08:00

House of Commons Mail
Part III
16th - 20th Parliaments (1926 - 1949)

This post is the third in a series dealing with mail from the House of Commons. In this part, mail from the 16th to 20th Parliaments (1926-1949) is shown.

16th Parliament: December 9, 1926 - May 30, 1930

Prime Minister : William Lyon Mackenzie King

Franklin Smoke

Franklin Smoke (1860-1937) was the Conservative Member of Parliament for the Ontario riding of Brant from 1926 to 1935. Smoke attended public and secondary schools at Paris, Ontario then proceeded to studies at Osgoode Hall Law School. In 1908, he was appointed King's Counsel.

Franklin Smoke

Franklin Smoke to Jacksonville, Fl., March 28, 1930

Thomas Merritt Cayley

Thomas Merritt Cayley (1878 – 1933) was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Oxford South from 1926 to 1933. He spent 18 years teaching in the public schools of Ontario, the last 13 in Norwich while for 4 years he was principal of the Norwich Continuation School. He was secretary treasurer of the Otter Mutual Insurance Company and secretary-treasurer of the Mutual Fire Underwriters of Ontario.

Thomas Merritt Cayley

Thomas Merritt Cayley to Norwich, June 6, 1928

Correspondence from Thomas Cayley

17th Parliament: Sept. 8, 1930 - August 14, 1935

Prime Minister : Richard Bennett

Charles Marcil

Charles Marcil, (1860 – 1937) was was first elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal Member of Parliament in the 1900 election and represented the Quebec riding of Bonaventure until his death in 1937. Marcil served as Speaker of the House from 1909 to 1911.

Charles Marcil

Charles Marcil to Ottawa (re-directed to Quebec) , April 14, 1932

J.S. Woodworth

James Shaver Woodsworth is considered to have been one of the half-dozen most important national political figures in twentieth-century Canadian history. The Canadian Museum of Civilization's website provides this biography of J.S. Woodworth:

Born in Ontario but raised in Manitoba, James Shaver Woodsworth (1874–1942), was a Methodist clergyman, social worker, politician, and the first leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation.

Woodsworth started out as a Methodist clergyman in 1896, but had become a social worker in Winnipeg’s North End by 1904. His experience of urban slums convinced him that socialism was the solution to poverty. Despite being fired from his position as a government social researcher in 1917 for being a pacifist and arrested for libel during the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, Woodsworth’s ideals made him a popular Winnipeg politician.

His popularity led to his election as the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg North Centre in 1921, a riding that he held until his death. As a Member of Parliament, Woodsworth consistently campaigned for labour rights, improved social welfare measures and democratic socialism. Although he failed to make socialism a reality in Canada, he succeeded, in 1926–1927, in persuading Prime Minister Mackenzie King to introduce an old-age pension plan — Canada’s first social welfare legislation — in exchange for providing the votes Mackenzie King needed to stay in power.

J.S. Woodsworth

J.S. Woodsworth to Winnipeg, February 18, 1933

Agnes Campbell Macphail : Canada's First Female M.P.

In 1919 the Election Act was amended so that any British subject of the full age of 21 years, male or female, might be a candidate for election to the House of Commons. In the following general election, in 1921, Agnes Macphail was one of four women who ran for election, but she was the only one elected. She took her seat in the House of Commons on March 8, 1922, and was a member until the general election of 1940, when she was defeated. She was subsequently elected to the Ontario Legislature as a CCF candidate in 1943 and 1948.

Agnes Macphail (1890 - 1954) had been a school-teacher, and ran for election under the banner of the United Farmers of Ontario. However, she had been a member of the CCF from its foundation, and was essentially a farmer-Labour representative. She was deeply interested in the organization of co-operatives for the marketing of farm products. She also was keenly concerned with working conditions, and personally investigated conditions in the Cape Breton mining area in the early 1920's. Perhaps her most important contribution, however, was to prison reform. She was largely responsible for the setting up of a Royal Commission in 1936 to study the Canadian Penal system.

Agnes Campbell Macphail

Agnes Macphail to Guelph, May 10, 1933

Robert James Manion

Robert James Manion (1881-1943) was a physician and politician. He was elected MP for Fort William from 1925 to 1935. Following the election of 1930, Conservative Prime minister R.B. Bennett appointed Manion Minister of Railways and Canals. Manion was defeated in the 1935 federal election.

In July 1938 Manion was elected leader of the Conservative Party. Manion won a by-election in London later that year and opposed conscription after WWII broke out. Hostility from hard-line Toronto Tories over his nonconscription policy, contributed to the party's poor showing in the March 1940 election. He lost his own seat and resigned his party leadership in May of that year.

Robert James Manion Minister of Railways and Canals

Robert James Manion to Port Arthur, March 25, 1935

Eusebe Roberge

Eusebe Roberge was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Quebec riding of Megantic from 1922 to 1935 and Megantic-Frontenac from 1935 to 1940.

Eusebe Robert

Eusebe Robert to Montreal, February 19, 1934

George Brecken Nicholson

George Brecken Nicholson was the M.P. for the Ontario riding of Algoma East from 1918-1926 (Unionist), 1926 and 1930-35 (Conservative). In business, he was part of the lumber firm Austin and Nicholson and became president and secretary-treasurer of the McNaught Lumber company. Nicholson was also a director of the Excelsior Life Insurance company.

George Brecken Nicholson

George Brecken Nicholson to Sudbury, April 10, 1933

18th Parliament: Feb. 6, 1936 - January 21, 1940

Prime Minister : William Lyon Mackenzie King

Almon Secord Rennie

Almon Secord Rennie (1882 – 1949) was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Ontario riding of Oxford from 1935 t0 1945. A merchant by career, Rennie was mayor of Tillsonburg from 1922 to 1924 and served as a deputy reeve for Oxford County council.

Almon Secord Rennie

Almon Secord Rennie to Norwich, February 11, 1939

Burton Maxwell Hill

Burton Maxwell Hill (1883-1963) was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the New Brunswick riding of Charlotte from 1935 to 1945. From 1918 to 1925, he was the New Brunswick provincial Deputy Minister of Public Works. In 1925, Hill became a full provincial minister of Public Works but resigned later that year after the government was defeated in an election where Hill did not win a seat. In 1929 and 1930, he was commissioner for the Saint John Harbour Board.

Burton Maxwell Hill

Burton Maxwell Hill to Saint John, February 18, 1936

Douglas Gooderham Ross

Douglas Gooderham Ross (1883 – 1961) was the Conservative member for the Ontario riding of St. Paul's from 1936 to 1949. Ross was vice-president of the Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company. Ross was not fond of CBC radio personality Max Ferguson's satirical Rawhide show describing it in the House of Commons as "meaningless ravings and tripe" and as an insult to the intelligence of Canadians.

Douglas Gooderham Ross

Douglas Gooderham Ross to Toronto, March 12, 1937

Harry R. Fleming

Harry Fleming M.D. (1894-1942) was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Saskatchewan riding of Humboldt from 1936 to 1942.

Harry R. Fleming

Harry R. Fleming to Melville, Sask., March 10, 1939

House of Commons Members Stenographers

Members Stenographer to Markdale, June 2, 1939

Members Stenographers
J.H.S.

Arthur Beauchesne : Clerk of the House of Commons

Arthur Beauchesne (1876 – 1959) was a Canadian civil servant who was Clerk of the House of Commons from 1925 to 1949. He is the author of the procedural manual, Rules and Forms of the House of Commons of Canada, which is used by Canadian Members of Parliament during parliamentary debates. In 2003, he was designated a Person of National Historic Significance.

Arthur Beauchesne, Clerk of the House of Commons

Library of Parliament

The Library of Parliament is the main information repository and research resource for the Parliament of Canada. The main branch of the library sits at the rear of the Centre Block on Parliament Hill and is the last untouched part of that larger building's original incarnation, after it burned down in 1916.

Library of Parliament to Toronto, April 26, 1939
Registered : House of Commons registration handstamp

Felix Desrochers : General Librarian 1933 -1956

The biography of Felix Desrochers can be found at the Canadian Parliamentary Review website.

Felix Desrochers, B.G. (Bibliothécaire Général)

Sergeant at Arms : Major Milton Fowler Gregg

Major Milton Fowler Gregg (1892 – 1978) was the recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest Commonwealth award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy", during the First World War.

The citation for Gregg's Victoria Cross reads:

Lt. Milton Fowler Gregg, M.C., R. Can. Regt., Nova Scotia R. - For most conspicuous bravery and initiative during operations near Cambrai, 27th September to 1st October, 1918.

On 28th September, when the advance of the brigade was held up by fire from both flanks and by thick, uncut wire, he crawled forward alone and explored the wire until he found a small gap through which he subsequently led his men and forced an entry into the enemy trench. The enemy counter-attacked in force and, through lack of bombs, the situation became critical. Although wounded Lt. Gregg returned alone under terrific fire and collected a further supply. Then rejoining his party, which by this time was much reduced in numbers, and in spite of a second wound, he reorganized his men and led them with the greatest determination against the enemy trenches, which he finally cleared. He personally killed or wounded 11 of the enemy and took 25 prisoners, in addition to 12 machine guns captured in the trench. Remaining with his company in spite of wounds he again on the 30th September led his men in attack until severely wounded. The outstanding valour of this officer saved many casualties and enabled the advance to continue.

From 1934 until 1939 he was the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Commons. Following the outbreak of World War II , Gregg served overseas for two years and then commanded officer training centres at various military facilities in Canada.

In 1944, he was appointed President of the University of New Brunswick, serving in that position until 1947 when he was elected to Parliament as Liberal Member for York-Sunbury riding. Gregg served in the cabinets of Prime Ministers William Lyon Mackenzie King and Louis St. Laurent for almost ten years as the Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Veterans Affairs, and Minister of Labour.

Milton F. Gregg Sergeant-at-Arms

Sergeant-at-Arms to Toronto, November 6, 1936

Tourist Mail : The Nursing Sisters Memorial

The post card shown below featured a photograph of the Nursing Sisters Memorial.

House of Commons to Clayton, N.Y., September 29, 1937

The Nursing Sisters Memorial

The Nursing Sisters' Memorial is located in the Hall of Honour in the Centre Block on Parliament Hill. The completed panel was unveiled during the summer of 1926 to honour the forty-six matrons and nursing sisters who lost their lives during the Great War.

19th Parliament : May 16, 1940 - April 6, 1945

Prime Minister : William Lyon Mackenzie King

William Henry Moore

William Henry Moore (1872 – 1960) was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Ontario riding of Ontario from 1930 to 1945.

Moore, a lawyer, was also the author of several books dealing with culture and economics. According to Graham Fraser, Canada's sixth Commissioner of Official Languages:

"William Moore was an improbable defender of French-language rights in Canada. He was, as he listed proudly in his biography, of United Empire Loyalist descent, and a farmer in Pickering, Ontario. ...In 1918, when World War I was still raging and in the aftermath of Regulation 17, which abolished French-language education in Ontario, Moore wrote a remarkable book entitled The Clash: A Study in Nationalities. In the book, he argued that British traditions called for bilingualism and inclusion, and shrewdly contrasted them with what he called the rigid Prussian approach."

William Henry Moore

William Henry Moore to Eden, February 23, 1942

James Angus MacKinnon

James Angus MacKinnon (1881-1958) was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Alberta riding of Edmonton West from 1935 to 1949. He held many cabinet positions including Minister without Portfolio, Minister of Trade and Commerce, Minister of National Revenue (Acting), Minister of Fisheries, and Minister of Mines and Resources. In 1949, he was called to the Senate representing the senatorial division of Edmonton, Alberta. From 1949 to 1950, while a senator, he was a Minister without Portfolio in the cabinet of Louis St-Laurent.

James Angus MacKinnon

James Angus MacKinnon to New York World's Fair, New York, July 4, 1940

Charles Stephen Booth

Charles Stephen Booth (1897-1988) was elected in 1940 as a Member of the Liberal Party to represent the riding of Winnipeg North. Prior to his federal political experience, he served overseas in the Western University Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force then in northern Russia as a pilot. In 1936 he became a lieutenant colonel and commander of the Winnipeg light infantry. From there he moved to London, England where he was placed with the 1st Canadian Corps Headquarters and promoted to colonel where he also achieved the ranks of Assistant Deputy Adjutant General, Brigadier and then Deputy Adjutant General.

Charles Stephen Booth to North Hatley, Quebec, July 17, 1943

House of Commons Reading Room

The Reading Room, located close to the Commons chamber, provided parliamentarians, staff, and members of the press gallery with an extensive collection of Canadian and foreign newspapers and periodicals including numerous local weekly papers. In 1990, the Reading Room was converted to a committee room. A detailed history of the House of Commons Reading Room can be found at the Canadian Parliamentary Review website.

House of Commons Reading Room

House of Commons Reading Room handstamp

Huuse of Commons Reading Room to Hamilton, June 20, 1940
Arthur Beauchesne Clerk of the House of Commons handstamp

Brooke Claxton

Brooke Claxton was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Quebec riding of St-Lawrence-St-Georges from 1940 to 1954. Claxton served as the Minister of National Health and Welfare and as Minister of National Defence.

Claxton contributions included establishing the CBC, building the welfare state, creating the modern Canadian military, and setting up the Canada Council.

Brooke Claxton

Brook Claxton to New York, May 1, 1943

House of Commons dated roller cancellation

Charles Edward Johnston

Charles Edward Johnston (1899 - 1971) was a teacher and a politician. He served as the Social Credit Member of Parliament for the Alberta riding of Bow River from 1935 to 1958. He moved to provincial politics and served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1959 to 1967 for the governing Alberta Social Credit party.

Charles Edward Johnston

Charles Edward Johnston to Berkeley, Calif., April 5, 1943
4 cents surface letter rate + 10 cents registration fee

Almon Secord Rennie

Almon Secord Rennie (1882 – 1949) was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Ontario riding of Oxford from 1935 t0 1945. A merchant by career, Rennie was mayor of Tillsonburg from 1922 to 1924 and served as a deputy reeve for Oxford County council.

Almon Secord Rennie to Lachine, February 16, 1943

Rennie correspondence

Manley Edwards

Manley Justin Edwards (1892 - 1962) was a barrister, teacher and Canadian federal politician. He was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Alberta riding of Calgary West from 1940 to 1945.

Manley Edwards

Manley Edwards to Toronto, March 5, 1941

Ralph Maybank

Ralph Maybank (1890-1965) was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Manitoba riding of Winnipeg South Centre from 1936 to 1951. He held positions of Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Welfare (October 1947 to January 1949), and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Mines and Resources (January 1949 to July 1951). He was appointed a judge of the Manitoba Court of King's Bench in July 1951.

Ralph Maybank

Ralph Maybank to Winnipeg, April 5, 1944

M. J. Coldwell

Major James William Coldwell (1888 – 1974), was a social democratic politician and leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party from 1942 to 1960. Coldwell was the C.C.F. Member of Parliament for the Saskatchewan riding of Rosetown-Biggar from 1935 to 1958.

Coldwell was respected by his peers in other political parties and was offered Cabinet posts in provincial and federal governments, Speakership of the House of Commons and a Senate seat. He served as a member of the Canadian delegation at the creation of the United Nations. Coldwell was named to the Privy Council (1964) and made a Companion of the Order of Canada (1967). The Douglas-Coldwell Foundation, a left-wing educational organization, is named after two remarkable Saskatchewan political figures.

M. J. Coldwell

M. J. Coldwell to Montreal, March 24, 1945

Coldwell with a young David Lewis (N.D.P. leader 1971- 1975)

20th Parliament : September 6, 1945 - April 30, 1949

Prime Ministers:
William Lyon Mackenzie King
Louis St. Laurent

Frederick Samuel Zaplitny

Frederick Samuel Zaplitny (1913-1964) was the C.C.F. Member of Parliament for the Manitoba riding of Daupin from 1945 to 1949 and 1953 to 1958.He operated an insurance and real estate brokerage in Dauphin, and he was president of the Dauphin Chamber of Commerce at the time of his death.

Frederick Samuel Zaplitny

Frederick Samuel Zaplitny to Dauphin, April 6, 1949

Gaspard Fauteux

Gaspard Fauteux was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Quebec riding of St. Mary from 1942 to 1949. In 1945, Fauteux was elected as Speaker of the House of Commons, a position he held until his resignation from the House in 1949. The following year he was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec, a position he held until 1958.

Gaspard Fauteux

Speaker of the House of Commons

Gaspard Fauteux to the Italian Ambassador, Ottawa, November 15, 1948

Frank Lennard

Frank Lennard was the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for the Ontario riding of Wentworth from 1936 to 1940 and 1945 to 1962.

Frank E. Lennard

First day cover sent by M.P. Frank Lennard, October 1, 1948

George Black

George Black (1873 – 1965) was an administrator and politician in Yukon Territory. He went to the Yukon in 1898 during the Gold Rush and prospected for gold, making a fortune and losing it when his claim was swept away in a flood. He then established a law practice in Dawson City.

During World War I, Black recruited a regiment from the Yukon to fight in the war. He became the company's Captain , and was wounded in combat.

Black was the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament from 1921 to 1934 and 1940 to 1949. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1930 to 1935. In 1935 he resigned his seat for health reasons. His wife, Martha Black, ran in his place as an "Independent Conservative". She held the seat, becoming the second woman elected to the House of Commons (the first being Agnes Macphail) , and the first American-born woman to do so.

In 1940 Martha stepped aside, allowing her husband Black to run for the Yukon seat which he held until 1949.

George Black

George Black to Ketchikan, Alaska, June 13, 1947

Library of Parliament : Francis Aubrey Hardey

Francis Aubrey Hardy was the Parliamentary Librarian from 1944 - 1959.

Francis Aubrey Hardy

Library of Parliament to Victoria, August 20, 1945