Postal History Corner

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Montreal Olympic Games Logo Stamps

1973

Montreal hosted the 1976 summer Olympics. From 1973 to 1976, Canada Post Office issued 22 stamps to publicize the Montreal games. The first set of stamps consisted of 8 cent and 15 cent denominations issued on September 20, 1973 featuring the Montreal Olympic logo. The Post Office press release provided the following description and analysis of the logo:

The specially designed Montreal logo features five interlaced rings crowned with a symbolic "m". The foundation evokes the pervading olympic spirit of universal brotherhood while the "m" signifies the three tiered winners' podium symbolizing the glory of the winner and the chivalrous spirit of a well contested victory. If one takes the "m" to represent Montreal he is also aware of the honour which the International Olympic Committee's choice has bestowed on the host city and country. In another interpretation at the center of the logo one can discern the track of the Olympic stadium where spectator and competitor are united in the spirit of the games.

Olympic Logo
National Archives of Canada

Essay
National Archives of Canada

Essay
National Archives of Canada

Issued Stamps

First Day Covers

Canada Post Office "Official"

Jackson

Canada Envelope Company (Rosecraft)

Schering

Grover

Royal Trust

Kingswood

Child Migration to Canada :
British Home Children
In 1903, John Shaw was sent from England to work as a farm labourer in Canada. Shaw was one of approximately 100,000 poor children who were shipped to Canada from the United Kingdom by religious and philanthropic organizations from 1869 until the late 1940s under the United Kingdom’s Child Migration Scheme.

Dr. Barnardo's Homes was the most prominent organization that shipped children out of Britain to Canada and Australia. The organization sent about 30,000 children to Canada between 1882 and 1939. After his initial stay at a receiving home in Ontario, John Shaw was sent to Dr. Barnardo's Industrial Farm for older boys near Russell, Manitoba. The boys lived in a large house on fourteen square miles of land. There was a dormitory that could sleep 200 boys in bunk beds along with a small jail for boys who broke the rules. The boys were taught the basics of farming before being sent to farms in western Canada.

A "Barnardo" boy learning to plow
at the Manitoba Industrial Farm
(c. 1900)

Barnardo, Manitoba

The Barnardo post office was open from November 12, 1896 to August 31, 1906.

Registered letter from Barnardo, Manitoba to Wilmslow, England, December 11, 1902
5 cents registration + 2 cent letter rate
[The 2 cent stamp fell off]

Barnardo split ring date stamp
December 11, 1902

John Shaw : A British Home Child

In July, 1903, John Shaw was sent to Kaposvar, District of Assinaboia (now Saskatchewan) to work at Fred Willey's farm. The patriotic post card shown below was pre-addressed to the "Manager, Dr. Barnardo's Industrial Farm" and used by Mr. Willey to report John Shaw's arrival at his farm.

(The card was post marked by Riversdale, Assa., post office. The Russell, Manitoba post office receiver cancellation was dated August 4, 1903.)

Fred Willey's Report to Dr. Barnardo's Industrial Farm

Transcription:

July 31, 1903
Kaposvar

John Shaw arrived here this evening.
had expected from what I stated to the Sec'y a more
experienced one.
However I will do my best for him +
report in a month as requested.

Fred Willey

What happened to John Shaw? I contacted Barnardo's and received the following information from Mrs. Valerie Smith, Archive and Administrative Officer:

I have checked the records held here and can confirm that John Shaw was admitted to Barnardo's and emigrated to Canada in March 1903. However, as you are not a descendant you are not entitled to apply for a copy of his records.

I can tell you that John was born in 1885 and was in the employ of Fred Willey. He stayed in touch with us until 1970 when he was living back in the UK.

Recognition of the Hardships faced by the British Home Children

Unfortunately, when they arrived overseas, many of the home children were exploited as cheap agricultural labour and were denied proper shelter and education and were often not allowed to socialize with native children.

In 1987, an investigation was carried out in the United Kingdom which led to the exposure of the child migration scheme and the establishment of the Child Migrants Trust.
In 2010, the Australian governments issued an official apology for the child resettlement programme. In February 2010, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown addressed the House of Commons to offer the British government's apology to former child migrants and their families:

I say today we are truly sorry. They were let down. We are sorry that they were allowed to be sent away at the time when they were most vulnerable. We are sorry that, instead of caring for them, this country turned its back. We are sorry that the voices of these children were not always heard, their cries for help not always heeded. And we are sorry that it has taken so long for this important day to come and for the full and unconditional apology that is justly deserved.

2010 The Year of the British Home Child

Although the Canadian Government chose not to apologize for abuse and exploitation suffered by the Home Children, the Government of Canada designated 2010 as The Year of the British Home Child to "recognize the hardships suffered by British Home Children and their perseverance and courage in overcoming those hardships".
On September 1, 2010, Canada Post issued a 57 cent stamp in honour of the British Home Children:

Friday, September 2, 2011

1973 Royal Visits

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip made two trips to Canada in 1973:

1. Royal Tour - June 25 to July 5
2. Ottawa Visit - July 31 to August 4

1. Royal Tour - June 25 to July 5

On their first visit from June 25 to July 5, the royal couple toured Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, to participate in events marking the tercentenary of Kingston, the centennial of P.E.I. into Canadian Confederation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police centennial and the opening of the R.C.M.P. museum in Regina.

The eleven day tour took the regal couple to the following cities and towns:

Toronto, Cobourg, Kingston, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, London, St. Catharines, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Scarborough, Brampton, Malton, Ontario; Charlottetown, Summerside, Mount Carmel, P.E.I.; Regina, Sask.; Calgary, Alberta.

Toronto : Ontario Place

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Ontario Place, Toronto

300th Anniversary of Kingston

The Queen and Prince Philip visited Kingston on June 27, 1973.

Distinguished Visitor's Book
(Queen's Archives)

The Kingston post office was supplied a slogan cancellation to celebrate Kingston's 300th anniversary:

HISTORIC PASSAGE PROMISING FUTURE
1673 - 1973
PASSE HISTORIQUE FUTUR PROMETEUR

Kingston, November 14, 1973

Southern Ontario : Royal Train

Two Governor General's private rail cars were used by the Queen and the Duke for their travels through southern Ontario.

Royal Train Souvenir Covers

Niagara-on-the-Lake

On her visit to Niagara-on-the -Lake, the Queen officially opened the Shaw Festival Theatre and visited Fort George.

Queen Elizabeth II and Philip Duke of Edinburgh at
Fort George, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Formal Dinner,
Niagara-on-the-Lake

Kitchener: June 28, 1973

The Concordia Club Choirs sang for the Royal couple at Kitchener’s railway station. After arrival Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip disembarked and proceeded by car to downtown Kitchener to rededicate the Kitchener Cenotaph.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip
Rededication of Kitchener Cenotaph

Brantford: June 29, 1973

Although the Royal Train did not stop in Brantford, 3,000 people lined the platform at the station trying to get a glimpse of the Queen.

Regina

Queen Elizabeth II approved a new badge for the RCMP.

Queen Elizabeth II accepts a peace pipe from Chief David Ahenakew
during a visit to the RCMP Training Depot at Regina, July 4, 1973.

RCMP Commissioner Higgitt and Her Majesty,
Queen Elizabeth II,during RCMP Centennial
Celebrations, Regina, Saskatchewan, 1973

Calgary: July 5 - 6

Queen Elizabeth opened the 1973 Calgary stampede and attended grandstand performances, departing from the Calgary airport on July 6.

2. Ottawa Visit : July 31 - August 4, 1973

Queen Elizabeth returned to Canada on July 31, 1973 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Ottawa. Prince Philip had his own program over four days.

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGMs) take place at two-year intervals. They give Heads of Government the opportunity to engage indiscussions on matters of common interest to all Commonwealth members. The 1973 CHOGM was held in Ottawa between August 2 and 10 August 10 1973, and hosted by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The 32 members of the Commonwealth were represented at the biennial summit by 18 prime ministers, five presidents or heads of state, three vice-presidents and six senior ministers. Queen Elizabeth, Head of the Commonwealth, was received heads of government in audience at Rideau Hall.

On August 2, the Canada Post Office issued two commemorative stamps in recognition of the visit in the National Capital from July 31 to August 3 of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, and of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Ottawa August 2 - 10, 1973.

The portrait of Her Majesty the Queen was taken from a photograph by the English photographer Anthony Buckley.

First Day Covers

Kingswood (Fleetwood)