Page 296 - Sierra Leone to 1961 - The Collection
P. 296
The African Steam Ship Company
First Contract 1852-1858
1855 Monthly Service from Plymouth
23 January 1855 - London to Sierra Leone. Rate 1s per half ounce.
Carried by SS Ethiope departing Plymouth on 24 January 1855.
From October 1852 the mail for this service would leave London on the 23rd of each month, and Plymouth
the following day; these dates are demonstrated by the transit datestamps on the back of this envelope. There
is also a SIERRA-LEONE arrival mark of 14 February 1855. This is an early example of the first handstamp
that the Colony had, which was despatched on 21 March 1854; the earliest recorded use is 22 May 1854.
23 Jan 1855 24 Jan 1855 Newspaper report from The Public Ledger
W. MALLALIEU & CO PLYMOUTH announcing the departure of Ethiope from
departure handstamp Plymouth to West Africa on 24 January 1855
Private handstamp
The postage rate was reduced to 6d per half ounce from 1 June 1855. In 1856, Liverpool was the base for the
service, with a call being made at Plymouth. From October 1858 the call at Plymouth ceased.
