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