MICHAEL HAMILTON
POSTAL HISTORY
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All world BANK TRANSFERS by WISE to Michael David Cameron Hamilton SORT CODE 23-08-01 Account 58021507. No postal charges
See RED TEXT ABOVE for world wide BANK TRANSFERS by WISE, PayPal also available. Contact on WhatsApp on 0066 0823715197



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LATE FEE COLLECTED BY INSUFFICIENT POSTAGE/FINE FROM RECIPIENT, New Zealand postal history
Extraordinary 1865 cover endorsed "p. Claud Hamilton" and franked Chalon QV 2d pale blue placed in the Post Office late mail box with red manuscript instruction "Late Letter" (without accompanying cash) pmk'd Picton "11" without despatch datestamp (contrary to regulations) addressed H.D. Jackson in Nelson, the 6d late fee charge attended to by addition of INSUFFICIENTLY PAID 6/FINE 6 handstamp with black 1/- to be collected from the recipient, part of the address redacted, reverse NELSON MR 4 1865 arrival.
The enclosure, written "In great haste" is on printed Union Bank of Australia paper and headed "Pictou 3 Mch/65" and mentions "enclosing 7/6 in postage stamps".
£925


Combination BAHAMAS and CUBA to Sweden postal history
1936 printed Swedish America Line (top left) cover to Gothenborg, Sweden with delightful combination Bahamas KGV ½d, two pairs plus single KGV 1½d and Cuba 3c, 10c tied four strikes PAQUEBOT (41 x 6mm) handstamp, reverse Havana ABR 2 1936 cigars machine slogan. Sender address on flap from Pier 97, New York, some frontal stains.
£225





CONFEDERATE sloop-of war transfers YANKEE P.O.W.s to DANISH brig, St. Croix postal history
1863 letter written April 13 by semi-literate Dudley K. Dow to his "mothere" Mrs Thomas Dow, Deer Isle, Maine, USA stating that he had been taken by the Felardy (his hearing/understanding for the Florida) and "Cent in to Cante Croix", his postscript in ink confirms that his stay on the island has been dull "the times hire is dool" but mentions "we shell leave here to day For home", posted in small envelope, slightly trimmed at left, with handstruck SHIP and "5" (due) in black and landed with red BOSTON/MY 6/MASS d/ring. On March 12th 1863 the Danish brig “Christian” took into St. Croix prisoners recently transferred from the Confederate States Steamer (C.S.S.) “Florida”. The “Florida” was a sloop-of-war serving as a highly successful commerce raider in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. She was built in Liverpool and departed England 22 March 1862, and after a collision with a United States Army Transport troop ferry sank on 28 November 1864. The Florida captured 37 prizes during her short impressive career. Two books cover this event: “The Life and Services of John Newland Maffitt” (captain of the C.S.S. Florida). On Page 283 of the journal is mention of capturing the bark M. J. Colcord from New York bound Cape Town on 30 March 1863, and their transfer to the Danish brig Christian some 37 hours later on 1 April 1863. “The High Seas Confederate” book, Page 83, confirms that Maffitt captured “a propaganda” ship, the M.J. Colcord on 30 March 1863, transferring provisions from the prize, that the master of a Danish brig agreed to take all the remaining prisoners, and that Maffitt burned the M.J. Colcord.
£6500







THE UNIQUE B.W.I. "DOUBLE COUNTRY" JAMAICA and BAHAMAS SAILOR'S CONCESSIONARY RATE ENTIRE
1835 entire "From Alexander Spain on board His Majestys Brig Wasp" to his sister Charlotte Spain in Southampton countersigned on face by J.N. Syke, Lt. Acting Commanding Officer with "Paid 1" in horizontal oval and matching red ink LIVERPOOL AP 14 1835 arrival backstamp. Written at Port Royal, Jamaica 12th February, travelled with him to Belize, with cross-written finish at Nassau, Bahamas 12th March with "since writing the first part we have been with troops to Honduras in New Spain and thence to this place on the same errand". Opening tear into address panel hardly detracts, some small internal splits but clean with delightful content including mention of fond memories of picking buttercups and daisies on their way to school.
No privilege rate countersigned pre-stamp Sailor's letters are currently recorded from Jamaica (which is quite extraordinary for such a large island) or the Bahamas, and the only two recorded entires as such for the B.W.I. group, are from Antigua (HMS Pique MY 26 1845) with rate paid by attached sewn 1d coin, and 1d paid from Alexander to his sister Charlotte Spain on the Wasp while again at Belize 30 June landed Dartmouth 29 August 1835. The "Wasp" was built during 1811-12 and at this time was on duty on the North America and West Indies station with 85 officers and men, 24 boys, 20 marines. Alexander Spain was a first class boy waiting to be rated. He mentions homecoming in about 20 months - the Wasp arrived Portsmouth 15 April 1837 having left Jamaica 11 February but during a gale on 4 April she lost her foremast and straps plus her bowsprit during a mid-Atlantic collision with the Elizabeth due poor visibility.
£2800

GREAT BRITAIN and ANTIGUA "both ways" postal history
1900 cover with GB QV 1d lilac pmk'd Chipping Norton AP 4 00 to Miss Bowen, The Point, St. Johns, Antigua with MY 4 00 (wider fleuron at base) backstamp, returned with Leeward Islands QV 1d pmk'd Antigua MY 9 00 (smaller fleuron at base), backstamped Bristol and Chipping Norton MY 25 00 cds, flap roughly opened.
£275



BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION advertising label, British Honduras postal history
1924 use of KGV 2c brown/buff newswrapper to South Kensington, London pmk'd Belize JY 11 24 cds, reverse 60x74mm locally produced "BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION/VISIT BRITISH HONDURAS COURT" label with lower edge showing printed broken line and separation rougher edge.
£1250



VICTORIOUS "PORTLAND" RAN AGROUND in RIVER SHANNON and STRANDED, ANTIGUA INTERRUPTED PACKET MAIL
This entire is headed “Antigua 28th Octr 1796” and marked “by Portland packet” from the Tudway correspondence to Wells, Somersetshire with handstruck S:KITTS rated 2/- changed 3/2. The “Portland” had left Falmouth with the mails for the Leeward Islands on AU 29 1796 and when off Barbados was attacked by a French privateer in which she beat off the attacker and preserved the mails. The Cook, William Thomson, lost a leg during the fighting and subsequently died of his injuries. In calm seas, near Guadeloupe, another armed privateer, the “Temeraire”, of much superior force gave chase. At daylight on October 18th the enemy hoisted her French colours and came alongside to board. The Master, Nathaniel Taylor, organised the passengers to open their musquetry upon her killing or wounding 41 of 68 on board. Captain Taylor was killed in the moment of victory. The “Temeraire” was taken into Montserrat as a prize, and the “Portland” left St. Kitts on 30th October bound Falmouth. Due a shortage of fresh water she put into the River Shannon on the west coast of Ireland on 6th January 1797. Sailing shortly after she had to put back because of bad weather, and whilst sheltering she was driven from her moorings and higher up the river ran aground. Stranded and waiting to be refloated on the Spring Tides she eventually arrived at Falmouth on 25th March. In the interim the Mate, Richard Leonard, personally took the mails from Limerick to London and they were placed in the post JA 14 97 per backstamp. This is the first recorded “Portland” interrupted mail entire clearly documenting its journey. The full story can be found in “The History of the Sailing Packets to the West Indies” by Len Britnor Pages 72-73 published by the BWI Study Circle 1973.
£2250



SAILOR'S LETTER WITH CONCESSION RATE PAID BY 1d COIN, Antigua postal history
1845 entire headed May 26th 1845 from John King, Master at Arms on board Her Majesty's Ship Pique, Antigua (a naval soldier responsible for discipline and law enforcement aboard a ship) countersigned Horace Baker (Lieutenant & Commanding Officer) to his wife in Devonshire Buildings in Bath without the customary manuscript "1d paid" in red ink (as applied on land) but with his last ("my last") GB QV 1d coin sewn alongside the address panel confirmed by London PAID JU 20 1845 transit (not deemed overweight or subject to additional charge). Although a few dozen Soldier's Letters are recorded for the prestamp period this seems to be the only recorded accepted stampless Sailor's Letter from the BWI prior 1850. Contents include mention of discovery that the Foremast is so rotten, and a portion sent to the Admiralty with expectation of being ordered Home by September unless the mast is ordered to be built at Halifax or Port Royal "which I do not think they will do now the ship is three years in Commission". (Between 1841 and 1846 Pique, a sailing frigate with 36 guns, served on the North America and West Indies Station, on 10 March 1842 the Illustrious (see David Pitts lots 39, 159), with the Pique, Fair Rosamond and Spitfire departed Barbados for Antigua and Jamaica).
A scan of the entire has been mounted on card and an actual 1845 1d coin has been sewn on with hemp, using the original 7 in and 7 out needle holes, to simulate how it could have looked, although it was on reverse in actual transit. Only one other BWI prepayment by sewn 1d coin entire is known written January 24th 1847 and posted on land with ANTIGUA double arc JA 27 1847 on a Soldiers Letter (ex Gerald Sattin) to a shoe maker in Edinburgh, the coin evidently was also sewn to the reverse as the circumference of the sewing holes obscure the frontal addressing.
£6500

BERMUDA postal history
1884 cover marked per "Nubian" with 1880 QV 4d orange-red (SG.20) pmk'd ST. GEORGES K3 "2" duplex dated A/FE 21 1884 to London locally directed with crowned "R" handstamp to denote no additional charge, reverse with (early) black HAMILTON (H1, first period blue ink ended January 1883) dated B/FE 21 84 and red London MR 13 84. A rare cover from the second voyage of the "Nubian".
The first voyage of the "Nubian", in transit from Virginia on an experimental new service for the Union Line, was announced to call at Hamilton on JA 10 1884. The ship was five days late and single covers are known from St. Georges pmk'd JA 10 1884 and JA 15 1884 and both landed with red LIVERPOOL SHIP cds.
£450


EXTRAORDINARY USE OF BROKEN OBLITERATOR "A 9" USED AT NEWLY OPENED OFFICE, Jamaica postal history
1875 unique cover with temporary re-introduction of the broken "A 9" numeral obliterator (Type H "A79" with "7" missing); two strong clear strikes on 2 x QV 1d blue Crown CC wmk (SG.8) addressed Bules Penn, Four Paths Post Office, Clarendon with KINGSTON MR 11 75 transit alonside. Reverse with manuscript "Mt Charles 11 Mar 1875" written top left corner and central poor FOUR PATHS MR 15 75 arrival. Arguably one of Jamaica's greatest rarity covers and a great exhibition item. The "A79" (H) was allocated to the Richmond Post Office (St. Mary Parish) and only one cover is known dated FE 2 1866. Shortly after this date the instrument became damaged as a differing format replacement "A79" (Type J) is known used at Richmond AU 7 1866 (just five months later). Robert Topaz in his 1967 rarity guide recorded no examples damaged "A 9" on Pine wmk issues, but recorded the "A 9" on CC wmk 1d, 2d, 3d, 4d, 6d each described as very rare and each allocated his highest pricing of £270 each in his 1981 pricing guide.
The Mount Charles Post Office (St. Andrews Parish) was opened September 15th 1874.
£4250


PAID AT NEVIS - AN EXQUISITE and INTRIGUING FAKED COVER
1885 completed fabricated cover showing why the PAID AT NEVIS Crowned Circle was used on pairs QV ½d dull green and singles QV 1d carmine (SG.25,27a) during the period 9/12/83 to 9/9/86 (dates taken from village manuscript markings on loose stamp overstruck with the Crowned Circle): 1885 cover addressed Chas. Hill Esq., English Harbour, Antigua with genuine QV 1d carmine superbly tied full upr. bogus PAID AT NEVIS Crowned Circle to uprate to 2½d for the under 300 mile inter-island rate (with further strike alongside) additionally showing bogus NEVIS A/DE 12 85 despatch cds alongside address panel. B/stamped further bogus NEVIS A/DE 12 85 cds and what is now considered extremely dubious ANTIGUA/ A/DE 14 85/ ENGLISH HARBOUR cds (note that this is the same date as found on the E.V. Toeg cover bearing 8 x QV 1d to Sherring, Bristol with RPS certificate). The author being aware that genuine strikes of both the Crowned Paid and Nevis cds have an oily appearance at this time has cleverly used his paint brush to simulate the oily stains within the Nevis despatch cds and soiled the cover at top left for good measure. (Shortages of the 2½d adhesive were highly probable at this time as only 1080 copies 2½d red-brown CA were invoiced AU 10 82 followed by 5100, 5100, 5160 copies of the 2½d ultramarine on NO 6 83, MY 21 84, AU 7 84). No genuine covers with the QV ½ds or single QV 1d with PAID AT NEVIS are known to exist.
£925
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