Page 53 - BWISC 60th Anniversary Display at RPSL, November 2014
P. 53
Frames 48 & 49
POSTAL HISTORY OF THE BWI
from the collection of Federico Borromeo, FRPSL
28 April 1847, to Port of Spain, the earliest date known, the fifth day of use of the stamp
which is cancelled with nine small pen strokes.
The West Indies was the first area of the New World affected by European discovery and subsequent
colonisation; the mail was the only means of communicating with the home countries or the rest of the world,
so from the outset it was the subject of particular attention on the part of the various interested powers.
The British West Indian colonies were divided, in the 19th century, into six groups, as follows:–
1 – The Bahamas.
2 – Barbados.
3 – Jamaica with Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Islands.
4 – Trinidad and Tobago.
5 – The Windward Islands with Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
6 – The Leeward Islands comprising Antigua, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominica and the Virgin Islands.
Chronologically, the first stamp to be issued in the West Indies is the famous ‘Lady McLeod’ on April 1847.
Afterwards, in the 1850s, Trinidad issued stamps in August 1851, Barbados in 1852 and the Bahamas in
June 1859, Jamaica and St. Lucia in 1860, St. Vincent and Grenada in 1861, Nevis and Antigua in 1862,
the Virgin Islands in 1866, the Turks in 1867, St. Kitts in 1870, Dominica in 1874, Montserrat in 1876 and
Tobago in 1879. The uniform Key Plate type of De La Rue was issued for the Federal Colony of the Leeward
Islands in October 1890.
Stamps of the Victorian period mostly depicted a portrait of the Queen, the first issues being printed by
Perkins, Bacon, and later on by De La Rue; the exceptions to this were the classic Nevis and Virgin Islands
stamps with their special designs printed by Nissen & Parker.
POSTAL HISTORY OF THE BWI
from the collection of Federico Borromeo, FRPSL
28 April 1847, to Port of Spain, the earliest date known, the fifth day of use of the stamp
which is cancelled with nine small pen strokes.
The West Indies was the first area of the New World affected by European discovery and subsequent
colonisation; the mail was the only means of communicating with the home countries or the rest of the world,
so from the outset it was the subject of particular attention on the part of the various interested powers.
The British West Indian colonies were divided, in the 19th century, into six groups, as follows:–
1 – The Bahamas.
2 – Barbados.
3 – Jamaica with Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Islands.
4 – Trinidad and Tobago.
5 – The Windward Islands with Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
6 – The Leeward Islands comprising Antigua, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominica and the Virgin Islands.
Chronologically, the first stamp to be issued in the West Indies is the famous ‘Lady McLeod’ on April 1847.
Afterwards, in the 1850s, Trinidad issued stamps in August 1851, Barbados in 1852 and the Bahamas in
June 1859, Jamaica and St. Lucia in 1860, St. Vincent and Grenada in 1861, Nevis and Antigua in 1862,
the Virgin Islands in 1866, the Turks in 1867, St. Kitts in 1870, Dominica in 1874, Montserrat in 1876 and
Tobago in 1879. The uniform Key Plate type of De La Rue was issued for the Federal Colony of the Leeward
Islands in October 1890.
Stamps of the Victorian period mostly depicted a portrait of the Queen, the first issues being printed by
Perkins, Bacon, and later on by De La Rue; the exceptions to this were the classic Nevis and Virgin Islands
stamps with their special designs printed by Nissen & Parker.
