Page 57 - BWISC 60th Anniversary Display at RPSL, November 2014
P. 57
Frame 52
LABELS AND EPHEMERA – PATRIOTIC LABELS IN WORLD WAR ONE
from the collection of Ian Jakes
Jamaica Lewis Ashenheim Cover.
On the outbreak of hostilities with Germany in August 1914 and the invasion of Belgium by the German
Army, the European Allies tapped into the ‘patriotic fervour’ of the Caribbean people by encouraging the
production of patriotic labels in several British West Indies islands to raise funds for the Red Cross and other
charitable war projects. Examples of these labels are shown in this display.
The Governors in Trinidad and Tobago and in Jamaica authorised letters relating to the charitable businesses of
the Trinidad Red Cross Society and Jamaica Patriotic Stamp League, respectively, to be sent through the post free
of charge in their respective colonies. The Postmaster-General in each of the two countries declared that envelopes
to be used for free postage must be franked with the name of the charity and signed by an authorised person.
On 18 September 1914 the Trinidad Red Cross Society delivered about 900 letters to Port of Spain Post
Office immediately after the Governor of Trinidad and Tobago had authorised free postage, but before the
Trinidad Postmaster-General had issued his requirements for the implementation of the free postage facility.
The Postmaster-General cancelled the Trinidad Red Cross Label on each envelope with a postmark to prevent
the letter from being taxed. The cancellation on the label passed the letter through the post. The Postmaster-
General had ‘almost unintentionally’ created a halfpenny postage stamp for one day only on 18 September
1914. The label now appears in stamp catalogues as a postage stamp.
This exhibit includes examples, not only of the Trinidad Red Cross Label now declared to be a postage stamp,
but also of a Jamaica Red Cross Label endorsed with the authorised frank of Lewis Ashenheim of Jamaica
Patriotic Stamp League. The frank, i.e. the signature of Lewis Ashenheim and the typed charity name,
aided and abetted by a Kingston, Jamaica postmark over the label, has passed the letter through the post.
Has Mr. Ashenheim ‘almost unintentionally’ created a postage stamp?
No Governor in any other British West Indies island authorised free postage and therefore no case can be
made for any other British West Indies Patriotic Label to be regarded as a postage stamp.
LABELS AND EPHEMERA – PATRIOTIC LABELS IN WORLD WAR ONE
from the collection of Ian Jakes
Jamaica Lewis Ashenheim Cover.
On the outbreak of hostilities with Germany in August 1914 and the invasion of Belgium by the German
Army, the European Allies tapped into the ‘patriotic fervour’ of the Caribbean people by encouraging the
production of patriotic labels in several British West Indies islands to raise funds for the Red Cross and other
charitable war projects. Examples of these labels are shown in this display.
The Governors in Trinidad and Tobago and in Jamaica authorised letters relating to the charitable businesses of
the Trinidad Red Cross Society and Jamaica Patriotic Stamp League, respectively, to be sent through the post free
of charge in their respective colonies. The Postmaster-General in each of the two countries declared that envelopes
to be used for free postage must be franked with the name of the charity and signed by an authorised person.
On 18 September 1914 the Trinidad Red Cross Society delivered about 900 letters to Port of Spain Post
Office immediately after the Governor of Trinidad and Tobago had authorised free postage, but before the
Trinidad Postmaster-General had issued his requirements for the implementation of the free postage facility.
The Postmaster-General cancelled the Trinidad Red Cross Label on each envelope with a postmark to prevent
the letter from being taxed. The cancellation on the label passed the letter through the post. The Postmaster-
General had ‘almost unintentionally’ created a halfpenny postage stamp for one day only on 18 September
1914. The label now appears in stamp catalogues as a postage stamp.
This exhibit includes examples, not only of the Trinidad Red Cross Label now declared to be a postage stamp,
but also of a Jamaica Red Cross Label endorsed with the authorised frank of Lewis Ashenheim of Jamaica
Patriotic Stamp League. The frank, i.e. the signature of Lewis Ashenheim and the typed charity name,
aided and abetted by a Kingston, Jamaica postmark over the label, has passed the letter through the post.
Has Mr. Ashenheim ‘almost unintentionally’ created a postage stamp?
No Governor in any other British West Indies island authorised free postage and therefore no case can be
made for any other British West Indies Patriotic Label to be regarded as a postage stamp.
