1950
 

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Royal Events  :  Philatelic Event

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 Headlines - Labour Party forms a new government.... Points rationing ends after 8 years.... "Schuman Declaration", considered to be the beginning of the creation of the European Union....  Petrol rationing ends.... Korean War.... Princess Anne born.... Soap rationing ends.... Peak District becomes Britain's first National Park.

Royal Events

1 December Malta issues stamp for visit of Princess Elizabeth.

Philatelic Events

Definitives : Coils : Airmail : Postmarks : Other

31 July - change of postage rates for parcels.

1 October - change of postage rates for Empire rate postcards, Foreign rate surface letters and postcards. The Post Master General, Mr. Ness Edwards, had previously announced that; "In order to conform with our international obligations as a member of the Universal Postal Union, increases require to be made in the overseas postage rates for letters to certain overseas destinations, and for certain other categories of overseas mail." [HC Deb 12 July 1950 vol 477 cc1361-5].

Definitives -

After postage rate increases during the War, and the devaluation of the pound in September, 1949, an attempt was made to get back to the Universal Colours laid down by the UPU - even though many countries had abandoned them. The 4d was re-issued in light ultramarine, then the other values followed.

14 July - 4 colour schemes for the lower value definitives were discussed between the Postal Services Department and Harrison and Sons. One scheme was selected and colour trials carried out.

Mid-September - King George VI approves the new colour scheme for lower value stamps, to be issued 3 May, 1951.

[Postscript - Article 161, paragraph 1 of the UPU, which refers to regulated ('Universal') colours was cancelled in 1952].

Further information - articles by P.Worsfold in the British Philatelic Bulletin of June, July, August, 1984.

2 October - Definitive issue of 4d 'colour change' in new colour due to increase in foreign letter rate.

Coils -

June - first coils for 1½d pale red-brown issued

2 October - first coils for 4d issued

Airmail -

31 January - Due to bad weather, BEA carry out and emergency mail flight to the island of Coll, Inner Hebrides.

1 February - Air Letter service by BEA extended to cover routes : London to Edinburgh; London to Glasgow; London to Belfast.

30 September - TWA first service New York to London and Frankfurt. Return flight 2 October landing at Idlewild Airport on 3 October. Cachet from Frankfurt - 'Im 1 TWA Flug, Frankfurt - New York 2 Oktober 1950'; Cachet from London - 'TWA Inaugural Flight, London to New York, October 2, 1950. First Flight Cover'.

5 October -  TWA first service Boston to London and Frankfurt.

< 23 October - new direct service by British European Airways between London (Northolt) and Barcelona. Special cachet - violet double ring inscribed 'British European Airways / First Flight 23 Oct. 1950' and map showing terminal points. Return flight cachet, map replaced by words 'London / Barcelona'.

7 November - new route for BOAC to South Africa. London, via Tripoli, Kano, Brazzaville, Livingstone - arriving Johannesburg on 8 November.

Other -

 

< 6 to 13 May - major London International Stamp Exhibition, held at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London. Sub-post office and special postmarks, (see below). Souvenir sheet issued printed by Waterlow & Sons Ltd.. Two sizes of special envelopes with the same design were produced - normal commercial envelope size and larger size for airmail. 6 colour labels in sheets of 10 with St.George and the Dragon designs sold for 2/6 for the set. King George visits the exhibition with Princess Margaret.

16 to 19 May - 32nd Philatelic Congress of Great Britain, Tunbridge Wells. Special postmark, see below and distinctive number for registered mail from the temporary Post Office at the Assembly. Special pictorial covers. Several reports to the Congress mention difficulties in travel arrangements around the country and shortage of petrol.

 

8 to 16 September - ANSPEX exhibition held at Music Hall, Aberdeen. Labels issued.

Postmarks -

All entries, except *, 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.

* 20 January to 15 May - 'British Industries Fair 8th-19th May 1950 London & Birmingham'. Block.
   
* 1 to 31 March - 'Road Users please Mind The Children'. Block.
   
* 31 March to 1 May - 'The International Stamp Exhibition Grosvenor House London May 6-13'. Block.
   
* 1 to 31 May - 'International Festival Music & Drama Edinburgh Aug 20 - Sept 9'. Block.
   
6 to 13 May - 'London International Stamp Exhibition 1950'. Held at Grosvenor House, London W1. Machine cancel with wide setting between circle and cross. Times : 12.45pm, 5.15pm, 7.15pm and 8.15pm.). Used on ordinary mail at London Western District Office. Numbers 6 to 13 inside cross to correspond with date. 

6 to 13 May - similar to above, but with narrow setting between circle and cross and without time. Used on registered mail. Special design steel handstamp.
6 to 13 May - similar to above, but with time. Used at Western District Office on aerogrammes and covers with misplaced stamps. Special design steel handstamp.

16 to 19 May - '32nd Philatelic Congress of Great Britain Tunbridge Wells'. Special design steel handstamp.
11 to 15 May - 'British Industries Fair. B'ham -'. Fair open 8 to 19 May. Used on ordinary mail. Double circle steel handstamp.
11 to 15 May - 'Brit. Industries Fair. Birmingham (number)'. Single cirlcle, steel handstamps numbered 1 and 2 (3? also). Mostly used on registered mail.
11 to 15 May - 'Registered B.I.F. Birmingham'. Used on registered mail. Rubber oval handstamp.

23 to 25 May - 'Chelsea Flower Show'. Skeleton handstamp.
23 to 31 May - 'Edinburgh CS'. Church of Scotland Assembly. Skeleton handstamp.

19 to 24 June - 'Industrial Exhibn Gloucester'. Skeleton handstamp.
20 to 23 June - 'Registered Royal Highland Show Paisley'. Oval steel handstamp.

16 and 17 June - 'Wimbledon S.W.19 All England L.T.C.' Used for Wightman Cup Championship. Single circle steel handstamp.
26 June to 5 July - 'Wimbledon S.W.19 All England L.T.C.' Used for All England Lawn Tennis Championship. Single circle steel handstamp.

26 June to 7 July - 'Royal Show Oxford'. Used with codes A, B and C. Skeleton handstamp.
25 to 28 September - 'International Marine Insurance Conference Eastbourne'. Special design steel handstamp.

October 1950 to April 1951 - 'G.A.T.T. Conference B.O Torquay'. Single circle steel handstamps numbered 1 and 2. Used on registered mail.
October 1950 to April 1951 - 'Registered G.A.T.T. Conference B.O. Torquay'. Rubber oval handstamp used on registered mail.

* 1 to 20 December - 'Post Early For Christmas'. Plain or with holly leaves. Block.
1950 - 'Earl's Court Exhibition B.O. S.W.5. Single circle steel handstamp.
1950 - 'Registered Earl's Ct. Exhibition B.O. S.W.5'. Rubber oval handstamp. More than one handstamp used, one has '1' below 'registered'.
1950 - 'Olympia. West Kensington. W.14'. Several handstamps used, with and without stop after Kensington. Single circle steel handstamp.
1950 - 'Registered Olympia, B.O. W.14'. Several handstamps used.
1950 - 'Glasgow Kelvin Hall'. Single circle steel handstamp.

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Contact : Malcolm Sanders :  kg6gb@hotmail.com