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This page - Royal Events : Philatelic Events

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Headlines - Germany invades Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France.... Dunkirk evacuation....  Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania occupied by Soviets.... Battle of Britain.... The Blitz begins.... Italy invades Greece.... Coventry hit by Luftwaffe, 568 killed.... RAF bombs Hamburg.... Hungary, Romania, Slovakia join the Axis Powers.

Royal Events

Britain in crisis and under threat of invasion. King George states that he will not leave Britain, though plans are drawn up for the evacuation of the Princesses to Canada, and for re-location of the King within Britain in the case of invasion.

10 May - George receives Chamberlain's resignation, and sends for Winston Churchill to be next Prime Minster.

9 September - Buckingham Palace first bombed. The King and Queen are resident at Windsor Castle during the nights and return to London during the day.

16 November - George visits Coventry and is dismayed by the devastation, he later has to visit many other bombed sites.

Philatelic Events

Commemoratives : Booklets : Airmail : Other : Postmarks

 

1 May - Change of postage rates for letters, postcards, printed papers, commercial samples, Empire rate surface letters, Foreign rate surface letters and postcards 

 

1 July - Change of postage rates for newspapers, parcels

 

30 April 1940 - Out with the old rate 1 May 1940 - In with the new

 

Commemoratives -

 

6 May - Issue of Centenary of First Postage Stamps set.

 

Booklets -

June - 6d (series 6C) booklet issued

8 July - 2/6 (series 7) dated June 1940, booklet issued

17 July - 5/- (series 8) booklet issued

4 September - 2/6 (series 7) booklet issued

October - 2/6 (series 7) booklet issued

Airmail -

1 January - Isle of Man Air Services re-start the Liverpool / Isle of Man service.

January / February - Airmail services between London and New York via Lisbon are frequently disrupted. In the House of Commons, Captain Waterhouse (Assistant PMG) stated; "The Pan-American air service from Lisbon to New York is scheduled to operate twice each week, but I understand that owing to unfavourable weather conditions only seven flights were made during the period from 1st January to 8th February and that there have been intervals between flights of as much as 12 days. Consequently the times of transmission between London and New York have varied within wide limits, but the average time of transmission of correspondence conveyed by the flights actually made, excluding time occupied in collection and delivery, was about 14 days; the average in the reverse direction was about 12 days. I am informed that no westward flight from Lisbon has been possible since 8th February, but I am assured that mails which have accumulated at Lisbon in the meantime will be cleared as rapidly as possible when flights are resumed." Hansard 20 February.

29 February - In the House of Commons, Major Tryon [PMG] replied to a question about international airmails from the UK; "There are air mail services to most countries in the world by direct air services or by a combination of air and surface routes. Air mail correspondence for European countries (other than enemy and enemy occupied territory) is despatched daily by direct air services to France, Belgium and Holland, and correspondence for Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia and the U.S.S.R. receives onward air transmission from Holland. Air mail correspondence for most other European countries is conveyed by air to Paris and thence by surface route. Many of the air services have been subject to interruptions during the present winter and it is not possible on the basis of recent working to quote average transit times which could be regarded as representative under normal conditions.

The normal time of transit, excluding time occupied in collection, censorship (where applicable) and delivery, varies in the case of the European services, from a few hours for the service to Paris to 1 day, 3 days and 4 days for Stockholm, Moscow and Rome respectively. There are two services each week on the Empire air routes to India, Malaya, Hong Kong, Australia and East Africa and one service weekly to West and South Africa; the scheduled times of transmission are 6 days to India, 5–7 days to East Africa, 7 days to West Africa and South Africa, 8 days to Malaya and Hong Kong and 12 days to Australia. There is a twice weekly air mail service to North America by the Pan-American air service from Lisbon to New York; in the most favourable conditions transmission from London to New York should occupy only 3–4 days, but the service has been subject to interruption on account of weather conditions and the average transit time has recently been 14 days. There is a weekly air mail service to South America by a French air service from Marseilles, the correspondence being conveyed from Paris to Marseilles by surface route, and if no delay takes place at any stage of the journey the time of transmission from London to Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Santiago should be 4, 5 and 6 days respectively. Air correspondence for South America may also be sent by surface route, or by air from Lisbon to New York for onward air conveyance to South America.

Air mail receives priority of treatment over other mail by the censorship and I understand that arrangements are now in progress which will, it is hoped, reduce to a minimum any delay which may be due to censorship
."

March - Pan American flights to Bermuda are suspended over a disagreement concerning censorship (censor station on the island). The service to the island does not resume until November.

1 April - British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) formed from merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways.

The planned resumption of summer flights by Pan American on its northern route to Foynes does not go ahead. The southern route to Lisbon continues and later increases to three times a week - Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

BOAC unable to recommence the summer trans-Atlantic service as suitable long-range aircraft are not available - Caribou and Cabot were destroyed by enemy aircraft at Bodo harbour (Norway) in May 1940. It was considered to be very important for morale, and propaganda in the US, that a service from the UK must be resumed. Two flying boats, Clare and Clyde are adapted to carry extra fuel to allow trans-Atlantic flights.

4 June - regular twice weekly BOAC flights from London (Heston) via Bordeaux to Lisbon using DH91 landplanes is started. This was principally in order to connect with the Pan American 'Southern' route from Lisbon to the US. There was a temporary interruption from 19 June to the BOAC flights after the fall of France. Only a few flights occurred to Lisbon (no longer via Bordeaux) until 10 July when a twice weekly service was started using flying-boats.

First flight piloted by Captain O.P. Jones in the De Havilland Frobisher class plane, 'Fingal' >

14/15 June - first mail sent by 'horseshoe route' to avoid axis / occupied countries.

3 July - mail for Australia, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the Philippines is allowed to be carried by the 'northern' trans-Atlantic route then across the US and trans-Pacific route.

2  August - regular service to Lisbon now goes via Oporto. Many of these flights were operated on KLM aircraft (Douglas DC3) with KLM crews which had escaped the German invasion of the Netherlands.

3 August - BOAC flying-boat Clare (G-AFCZ, piloted by Captain Kelly-Rogers), on northern route from Poole, via Foynes (where it was refuelled), Botwood (4 August), Montreal and on to New York (La Guardia - marine terminal) - official mail carried. Clare was an adapted Short C class S30 with long range fuel tanks so that in flight refuelling was not required. Return flight started on 8 August, arriving 10 August. Further flights by Clare and carrying official mail from Poole start on 14 August and 30 August. Civil and official mail is carried on the flight starting on 15 September.

August - flights start from the UK via Lisbon, Bathurst, Freetown, and Lagos.

23 September - flights to Lisbon changed from London (Heston) to Bristol (Whitchurch).

4 October - Flying-boat Clyde (G-AFCX, adapted with long range fuel tanks) makes the final return BOAC trans-Atlantic flight for 1940 to arrive New York on 5 October, then from New York on 9 October, arriving 11 October.

9 October - Lisbon service temporarily suspended, to restart 17 December.

10 November - In order to secure and speed up the delivery of US aircraft to the UK, an 'Atlantic Bridge' air route is started. Aircraft delivered to Canada are then to be flown rather than shipped to the UK. The first flight is from Gander airfield to Aldergrove airport in Northern Ireland.

Other -

 

10 January - series of covers issued by Robson Lowe to celebrate the introduction of Uniform Penny Postage throughout the UK - 10 January, 1840.

 

 

 

18 January - In the House of Commons, 'Mr. Riley asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the regulations providing that greeting cards, Christmas and birthday cards, as well as newspapers for neutral countries, must be ordered and despatched from particular booksellers, printers and publishers, for submission to the censor, are causing great inconvenience to British subjects with friends and relatives in neutral countries; and will he consider some relaxation of these regulations?' This request was refused by Sir V. Warrender as, "the rule is necessary in the interests of national security". [From Hansard 18 January 1940].

 

January - shortly after the visit of King George to France, (December 1939), Sir Winston Churchill gave a speech proposing a Federal Union between France and Britain. Suggestions were then raised in France, and in letters to The Times, that an Anglo-French postage stamp should mark the close relationship between the countries.

 

On 26 January, the French Minister of Posts, M.Jules Julien, wrote to the British Postmaster General (PMG), George C.Tryon, stating that he would like to pursue the proposal of a joint issue. A question was asked on 31 January in the House of Commons about the possibility of a special issue, but at that point the PMG said he was unable to consider issuing such a stamp.

However, following consultation with the King, the PMG wrote back to M.Julien on 21 February, accepting the idea for later in autumn for a set of stamps of various values. He also suggested a design with the King's and the President of France's heads, (Edmund Dulac had already proposed a design with the heads of Britannia and Marianne).

A sketch was produced by the French artist M.Cheffer, (in 1938 he had designed the French stamp celebrating the state visit of King George and Queen Elizabeth to Paris). This sketch was modified to a format suitable for photogravure by Edmund Dulac and Eric Gill working with Harrison and Sons. The stamp included a portrait of King George taken by Dorothy Wilding, and a portrait of the President of France, M.Albert Lebrun. Denominations were to be 2½d / 1fr50c. The issue was planned to be released on 1 September, but had to be abandoned on 17 June due to the German invasion of France.

From an article in the British Philatelic Bulletin, April, 1970

 

For further information see British Philatelic Bulletin, April 1970, April, 1971, December, 1987 and January, 1988.

 

March - first King George VI 1½d reply paid card - and first King George VI 1½d letter card.

 

April - 1d postcard issued.

 

3-6 May - 27th Philatelic Congress of Great Britain held at the Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth, (originally planned for London). Followed by an Adhesive Stamp Centenary Exhibition hosted by the Postal History Society from 6 to 14 May at the Bournemouth Pavilion. Profits went to the Red Cross. A special handstamp in black was used and incorporated a Maltese Cross obliterator, (see postmarks below). Label with design of Penny Black and Maltese Cross sold for 1/-. The next congress was held in 1946.

6-14 May - The Royal Philatelic Society's Stamp Centenary Exhibition at Lancaster House, Westminster. Originally this exhibition was intended to be a major international event, planning for it began in the mid 1930's - obviously the war ended that. However, the RPS were still determined to go ahead to mark the centenary with all profits going to the Red Cross and St.John Fund.

Sir John Wilson, the Keeper of the King's Philatelic Collection and president of the RPS, was the chairman of the organising committee. A special postmark, in red, showing the red cross emblem was used. Special envelopes and labels were also produced, (see Postmarks below).

< Label in black or blue printed by Perkins, Bacon Ltd. Sold for 1/-.

Labels also produced in 5 colours by Waterlow & Sons showing 2x Tower Bridge, Penny black and incorrect date for the exhibition (shown below), and Boadicea Statue. Sheet sold for 6d.

 

June - provisional postcard with 2 x 1d stamps issued

 

July - 2d postcard and 2½d letter card issued.

 

July / August  - Controls imposed on the import and export of stamps. Severe restrictions unless any transaction is to the financial benefit of the UK. All imports/exports had to go through the British Philatelic Association Ltd.

 

21 September - the British Travelling Post Office was suspended for the duration of the war.

Souvenir label

 

1940 blitz - mail was censored to stop and collect information about morale, etc., from bombed areas.

 

14 November - devastating bomber raid on Coventry. Incendiary bombs landed on the Head Post Office but were extinguished. A week later Birmingham's Head Post Office was hit twice.

 

26 December - instructions issued that mail delayed by the 'blitz' was to be impressed with a rubber handstamp DELAYED BY ENEMY ACTION. Cachet continued for about five months, (see postmarks 1 March 1941).

Postmarks -

 

All entries below, except those marked *, are taken from Special Event Postmarks of the United Kingdom by George R. Pearson. Published by the British Postmark Society, 1991 who give kind permission for reproduction.

 

* March - 'Every Home Needs A Phone'. Block.

 

 

3 to 6 May - '27th Philatelic Congress of Gt Britain Bournemouth'. Stamp issued day 6 May for Centenary of 1st adhesive postage stamps. Special design steel handstamp.

6 to 14 May - 'Adhesive Stamp Centenary Exhibition Bournemouth'.  Special design steel handstamp.

6 to 9 May - 'Pavilion Bournemouth'. Probably used in connection with Adhesive Stamp Centenary celebrations. Skeleton handstamp

6 to 14 May - 'Stamp Centenary (Red Cross) ExhibN London'. Special design steel handstamp, struck in red.

23 to 26 May - 'Edinburgh C S'. Church of Scotland Assembly. Skeleton handstamp.

 

 

* 20 June to 18 July - 'Help To Win On The Kitchen Front'. Block.

 

 

* 18 July to 17 August - 'Save Waste Paper Metals Bones Rags'. Block.

 

2 to 21 December -  'Post Early For [ or -For-] Christmas.' Block.

 

 

1940 - 'Earl's Court Exhibition B.O. S.W.5. Single circle steel handstamp. Was this issued during war?

 

 

* Through the year - 'Post Early In The Day'.

 

 

* March and December, and a few other times - 'Grow More Food Dig For Victory'. Block.

 

 

   December - Temporary Post Office in SW London following the Blitz. 
   

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Contact : Malcolm Sanders kg6gb@hotmail.com