1891 / 3 Gibraltar soldier's concessionary rate covers

1893 Gibraltar soldier's concessionary rate envelope to Plaistow, Essex, from King’s Royal Rifles.

Gibraltar 1893 (26 December) printed cover from a private with the 2nd battalion, King's Royal Rifles to Plaistow, Essex at 10c concessionary rate, adhesive well tied by largely complete duplex cancel. Correctly countersigned by the regiment's commanding officer at bottom left.

 Adhesives:-           Queen Victoria Gibraltar 10 centimos red SG23 definitive.

Handstamps:-       Gibraltar KD14 A26 duplex

                                 Signature handstamp of the Commanding Officer King's Royal Rifles .

Handwritten:        7531 Private A Copling

1894 Gibraltar sailor's concessionary rate envelope ‘PAQUEBOT’ to Devonport, from H.M.S. Crescent.

 Sept 15th 1894 sailor's concessionary rate envelope to Devon, sent from H.M.S. ‘Crescent’ franked  GB 1d. lilac cancelled ‘A26’ duplex, initialled by commanding officer and showing scarce first type ‘PAQUEBOT’ (33mm) at left, with Sept. 20 arrival backstamp, a rare combination. The cover was sent by Petty Officer Nicholas Sobey.

HMS Crescent was a first class cruiser of the Edgar class. Crescent, and her sister ship Royal Arthur, were built to a slightly modified design and are sometimes considered a separate class. She was launched in 1892, saw early service at the Australia Station and the North America and West Indies Station, served in the First World War, and was sold for breaking up in 1921.  She was built at Portsmouth and launched on 30th March 1892 and was completed on 22nd February 1894 .