1952 International Red Cross Conference Toronto

The XVIII International Red Cross Conference was held in Toronto, July 23 to August 9, 1952. The Canadian Post Office Department issued a 4 cent commemorative stamp on July 26, 1952.

The back cover of the Canadian Red Cross pocket calendar was used as a model for the Red Cross stamp.

Essays

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

Approved Model

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

Progressive Die Proof

National Archives of Canada

1. First Day Covers

a) Ottawa

The Canadian Red Cross Society

July 26, 1952

TO DELEGATES TO THE 18TH INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS CONFERENCE

We are pleased to send you this official "first day cover' of the commemorative postage stamp issue to honor the 18th international Red Cross Conference being held in Toronto from July 23rd to August 9th, 1952, which is to be officially opened this evening by His Excellency, The Governor General of Canada.
.....

The new stamp, which has been specifically cancelled on the first day of issue, is unique in that it it the third Canadian stamp to be issued in two colours and it should, therefore, be of considerable interest to collectors.

While there will no doubt be a great number of "first day covers"  sent by Red Cross branches, stamp clubs and individuals, this is the official envelope issued by the National Headquarters of the Canadian Red Cross Society and only two thousand have been printed.

The majority of these covers are being sent to Conference delegates and national Red Cross societies with a very limited number available to Red Cross workers closely connected with the Conference.

b) Toronto







2. Usages

Domestic forward letter rate


Beamsville to Grimsby, August 20 1952
4 cents forward letter rate



Mission City to Vancouver, November 22, 1952
4 cents forward letter rate
"Found Damaged and Repaired" label



Vancouver City Delivery Branch handstamp on repair label
November 22, 1952


Domestic Post Card


Mailed from the Pacific National Exhibition
PNE cachet applied
Vancouver Sub. P.O. Ex to Edmonton, August 22, 1952
3 cents post card rate (1 cent overpayment)




UPU Surface Letter

The UPU surface letter rate was 5 cents.


Victoria to Sailing Vessel Passat, Hamburg, Germany, September 2, 1952
Registered surface letter
5 cents UPU letter rate + 10 cents registration fee

Forwarded several times. Re-mailed from Antwerp on November 2, 1952 to Germany. Belgium 4 franc stamp affixed and registration marking struck out.



SV Passat is a German four-masted steel barque and one of the last surviving windjammers. The name "Passat" means trade wind in German. In 1951 Passat became an auxiliary sailing school ship of the German merchant marine. In 1957, the Passat was decommissioned. The ship is now a youth hostel venue, museum ship, and landmark anchored in Travermunde, a borough of Lubeck, Germany.


International Air Mail


Toronto to s'Hertogenbosch Netherlands, August 11, 1952
15 cents paying the one-half ounce air mail rate to Europe

1952 Forest Products Definitive

Queen Elizabeth II was proclaimed sovereign of each of the Commonwealth realms on February 6 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth's Coronation took place on June 2, 1953, several months after she acceded to the throne.

This is the first in a series of posts that will deal with the definitive and commemorative stamps issued during the Elizabethan period.

The first stamp issued during Queen Elizabeth's reign was the 20 cent Forest Products definitive issued on April 1, 1952. This denomination was commonly used to pay the minimum registration fee.

The stamp was designed by Alan L. Pollock.

Approved Essay

1. First Day Covers

2. Usages

Acknowledgment of Receipt Subsequent to Despatch


20 cent AR subsequent to despatch of registered article.
Card mailed from Toronto Station E, October 28, 1958. Article had been mailed on July 22, 1952 and delivered on July 23, 1952




Domestic Registration

The minimum registration fee was 2o cents (up to $25 indemnity)


Registered 3 ounce letter from Halifax to Bonavista, October 8, 1953
20 cents registration fee + 8 cents three ounce surface forward letter rate
"G" overprints



British Columbia General Election mailing
The letter contained a Ballot Box key and documents mailed to the Returning Officer after the election
Ganges to Nanaimo, June 13, 1952
20 cents registration fee + 6 cents forward letter rate ( 2 ounces)

International Air Mail



C.D. Howe, Minister of Trade and Commerce
House of Commons to Scarborough, England, December 8 1952
30 cents paying the double air mail rate to Great Britain ( 2 x 15 cents per one-half ounce)
Official stamps "G" overprints



Milverton to Subiaca, West Australia, December 9, 1953
25 cents paying the 1/2 ounce rate to Oceania



Toronto to Geelong, Australia, December 7, 1953
25 cents one-half ounce air mail letter rate to Oceania
Undeliverable and returned with a charge of 3 cents

Letters with return addresses originating from Canada addressed to any country other than Canada, Great Britain, Republic of Ireland, the United States, Mexico, and Columbia, were NOT returned directly to senders if they failed to be delivered at the office of destination. The letters were returned through the Canadian Dead Letter Office subject to the charge of 3 cents each.


Vancouver Dead Letter Office (DLO) No. 3
February 19, 1954


3 cent return charge applied by the Vancouver DLO


International Registration

The international registration fee was 20 cents


Lethbridge to Budapest, May 23, 1953
20 cents registration fee + 15 cents air mail post card rate to Europe

Wilding Period Domestic Registration, AR, and Special Delivery Fees


1. Registration


Source: Canada Official Postal Guide 1952-53



Kitchener to London, April 1, 1954
20 cents registration + 5 cents forward letter rate
The Karsh 1 cent and 4 cent denominations were in period. The Wilding 1 cent and 4 cent denominations were issued on June 10, 1954



Montreal to Toronto, April 21, 1954
20 cents registration + 5 cents forward letter rate
The 2 cent Karsh was still is period. The 2 cent Wilding definitive was issued on June 10, 1954.



Leamington to Kingsville, October 30, 1956
20 cents registration fee + 5 cents forward letter rate



Sault Ste Marie to Toronto, April 24, 1958
20 cents registration fee + 5 cents forward letter rate



Nova Scotia Textiles Limited, Windsor, N.S., to New Minas, May 1 1961
20 cents registration + 8 cents forward letter rate for 2 ounces

Illustrated back:





Montreal local registered letter, April 12, 1955
Strip of four 6 cent stamps paying the fee + postage
20 cents registration + 4 cents local letter rate



Montreal local registered letter, March 14 1957
30 cents registration ($50 indemnity) + 4 cents local postage

AR handstamp advising that an AR card was attached to the envelope


Insufficiently Paid

Insufficiently paid registered letters were forwarded and the amount shortpaid (single deficiency) was collected on delivery.


Toronto local correspondence, October 15, 1957
Correct rate: 24 cents
20 cents registration fee + 4 cents local letter rate
Prepaid 20 cents thus shortpaid 4 cents


Taxed 5 cents (should have been 4 cents)


Official Mail

All mailable matter sent by Federal Government Departments at Ottawa and franked as being departmental in character was free of government postage. The registration fee however had to be prepaid.


Tax Appeal Board, Ottawa to London, Ontario
20 cents registration + Free postage ( Cecil L. Snyder)



National Revenue, Canada correspondence
Fort Erie to St. Catharines, September 11, 1954
20 cents registration fee + 5 cents forward letter rate
"G" overprints for official mail
The Karsh official stamp was still in period. The 5 cent Wilding definitive official was issued on January 11, 1955.



National Revenue of Canada , Collector of Customs correspondence
Toronto Airport to Oakville, October 21, 1956
20 cents registration fee + 5 cents forward letter rate
"G" overprints for official mail



Royal Canadian Mounted Police correspondence
Niagara Falls to Toronto, November 12 1962
20 cents registration + 5 cents forward letter
"G" overprints for official mail



Royal Canadian Mint to Norwich, August 10, 1959
20 cents registration + 35 cents postage ( 11 ounce forward letter rate)
This was probably a coin order for which postage was required


Officers of the House of Commons

Mailable matter from an officer of the House of Commons was sent free. Registration had to be prepaid.



Clerk of the House of Commons to Kincardine, December 9, 1954
20 cents registration fee + free postage


2. Acknowledgment of Receipt (AR)

The AR fee was 10 cents at time of mailing and 20 cents subsequent to despatch.


Mail from Sarnia to Wallaceburg, June 11 1956
Acknowledged at Wallaceburg on June 13, 1956
10 cents AR fee

The AR card was from a 1943 print run





Local Vancouver correspondence mailed July 28, 1961
Acknowledged July 31, 1961
10 cents AR fee




3. Special Delivery Fee

The special delivery fee for letters was 10 cents.


Toronto local letter, March 22, 1960
10 cents special delivery fee + 4 cents local letter rate



Hamilton local correspondence, December 31, 1958
10 cents special delivery fee + 4 cents local letter rate (Return Postage Prepaid meter)





Campbellton to Montreal, May 12, 1956
10 cents special delivery fee + 5 cents forward letter rate



Winnipeg to Toronto, June 25, 1961
10 cents special delivery + 5 cents forward letter rate



Saskatoon to Montreal, May 28, 1959
10 cents special delivery + 5 cents forward letter rate


Kingston to Toronto, 11:00 a.m., August 25, 1959
Toronto Special Delivery "barrel" receiver, 8:00 p.m. August 25, 1959
10 cents special delivery fee + 4 cents post card rate



Moncton to Winnipeg, 2:00 p.m. August 26, 1957
Winnipeg "barrel" receiver, 7:00 a.m. August 27, 1957
10 cents special delivery fee + 5 cents forward letter rate (double post card rated as a letter)



Trail to Woodstock, February 25, 1955

Forward letter rate...................5c
Registration fee........................20c
Special Delivery fee.................10c
Total...........................................35c


Transit cancellations