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 .

1891 Gibraltar, Registered Postal Stationery to Amsterdam

1891 Gibraltar, Registered Postal Stationery to Amsterdam

Gibraltar, Registered Postal Stationery (size H), Addressed to ’The Directors’ of The Royal Netherlands Steamship Company, Amsterdam.

Uplifted with 2 x 5 centimos green, 4 x 10 centimos red, 2 x 25 centimos blue stamps.

The Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland (‘Netherlands Steamship Company’) or SMN, also known as the Netherland Line or Nederland Line, was a Dutch shipping line that operated from 1870 until 1970, when it merged with several other companies to form what would become Royal Nedlloyd. The company's motto, Semper Mare Navigandum (‘Always sail the seas’), conveniently fitted the same initials.

Gibraltar First 5 issues Queen Victoria 1886-1898

Gibraltar First 5 issues Queen Victoria 1886-1898

Gibraltar 1^st 1886 Issue Bermuda stamps

overprinted ‘Gibraltar’

Gibraltar stamps first appeared in January 1886.  The plates for new stamps inscribed ‘Gibraltar’ were not yet ready, so the first issues were actually overprinted stamps of Bermuda. All of the stamps of Gibraltar, issued between 1886 and 1898 are typographed, perforated 14, and they were printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co. on paper with WMK 2 -- the Crown and CA watermark. 

1886 Gibraltar Overprinted ‘Gibraltar’

on Bermuda 2½d stamp

Basic letter rate to a small town near Genoa in Italy.

This rate of 2½d for the first half ounce applied to most European destinations apart from Spain.

Gibraltar 1886-7  - 2^nd Issue Sterling values

The first stamps for the colony that were actually inscribed GIBRALTAR were issued between November 1886 and April 1887. 

Gibraltar 1889-95  -  3^rd Issue overprinted

with Spanish currency

The next issue in July 1889 was made in Spanish currency. The authorities decided on this course of action for reasons of its convenience to traders in Gibraltar. Spanish currency was still the basis of local trade, and a decimal system of coinage more familiar to the majority of the inhabitants. The Spanish exchange was erratic about this time, and as the peseta was standing at about 9½d., it proved most inconvenient to purchasers of Gibraltar stamps in English values. This was a further reason for the change in currency in this issue. New duty plates were required as it was decided that no change in design was necessary, and in the meantime the remaining stock of the current issue was surcharged with fresh values in centimos. This was carried out by Messrs. De La Rue & Co., in London, the stock being returned there for that purpose, and was only on sale between July and November 1889.

Gibraltar 1889-96 - 4^th Issue in Spanish currency

1895 Supplementary Issue

20c, 1p. and 2p. Same Wmk. and perf as the 1889 issue.

In this year two values were added to the preceding issue, which was still current: a 20 centimos and a 2 peseta, and the colour of the value 1 peseta was changed from brown to ultramarine. These were all ex-Plate “2” of the preceding issue. The 20c. was first issued in olive green, but at a later date the value was shown in brown. The difference between the two colours is slight, and it is hard to understand why this variety was issued, unless it was due to an error in the printing. In this issue there is a difference in the type in the word “CENTIMO” as compared with the 1889 issue. The letters are smaller and square, and this is especially noticeable in the case of the two letters “C” and “M”. It is possible that some of these varieties which are also found in the figures of the value may be due to wear of the plate. However, the “1” used for the 1 peseta differs from that used for the 10c., and the “5” in the 5p. has a straight neck, whilst in that of the 25c., the neck is sloping.

Gibraltar 5^th 1898 Issue in Sterling Currency

In early 1896, the currency of Gibraltar was changed back to Pounds Sterling, and it has been that way until 1971 when it introduced Decimal currency.

  

1868 Gibraltar to New York, USA with scarce 11d rate, via London.

1868 Gibraltar to New York, USA

with scarce 11d rate, via London.

Great Britain used in Gibraltar: 1868 (Aug. 3) envelope to New York at scarce 11d. rate in use for two years only, paid by 2d. , 3d. (pl. 4) and 6d. pl. 6 (wing margin) cancelled ‘A26’ with Aug. 14 London Paid and ''3/CENTS'' (known as the 'anomaly' rate in the first year) in red below. The scarce 11d. rate was in use from 1868 to 1869 only.

1868 Gibraltar to Malta

 Scarce Four Bar A26 Duplex 11^th March  1868 on Pair of GB 1858-69 2d Blue plate 9.            Single circle dated backstamp MR 16 68. Four pence rate for the first half ounce was the rate for packet letters. |The carrier to Gibraltar was the P&O packet Iberia which left Gibraltar on the 11^th            March and arrived in Malta on 16^th March  1868.

1870 GB used in Gibraltar 1d Concessionary

 1870 GB used in Gibraltar Concessionary cover. Soldiers and sailors received a concession that allowed them to send mail back to the UK for 1d instead of the normal 6d rate. The commanding Officer of the Regiment or ship was required to countersign, and the sender’s serial number and name Corporal Carpenter was written at the top.

1877 Gibraltar Chronicle to UK with 1d Red

 Probably sent to the UK because of the manuscript ‘via Spain.

Postal Marks:-     

Gibraltar                 A26 KD8 Duplex 13^th February  1877

Rate:-                     Postal Union rate for printed paper and newspapers. One penny for under 4 ounces via                                  Spain from 1^st January 1876.            

Adhesive:-              GB 1864-79 1d Red  plate 192.

                                 This is the earliest recorded use of this plate in Gibraltar.

1876 Gibraltar GB QV 2½d Rosy Mauve

to Drewsteignton, near Exeter, Devon

Sent from Gibraltar with A26 duplex on December 31st 1876. Arrival handstamp on the back at Chagford 1877.

Drewsteignton is a village, civil parish and former manor within the administrative area of West Devon, England, also lying within the Dartmoor National Park.

Rev Richard Chichester was the Vicar of the Holy Trinity Church.

1882 Gibraltar to Stapleford Abbots, Essex   

Rev Thomas Cochrane, son of Sir James Cochrane.

 Sir James Cochrane had 1 son, Thomas Cochrane who was the Rector at St Mary the Virgin's Church, Stapleford Abbotts in Essex.

1871 Gibraltar to Portsmouth ‘Fleet Mail’ or ‘Ship’s Bag’

1871 Gibraltar to Portsmouth ‘Fleet Mail’ or ‘Ship’s Bag’

Edwin & William Seagrove & Co, Portsea (Portsmouth) were Navy & Military Outfitters. At this time Naval Officers could write to them and place orders. They usually wrote the name of the Officer on the front of each envelope.

By researching the date you can find the names of the ships in Gibraltar at that time. By cross referencing to the Navy List you can ascertain the actual ship on which the officer was serving. In this case Lt. John Ferris on board HMS Inconstant which was in Gibraltar in July 1871. The cover was placed in a sealed bag and sent via the fleet mail Office by whichever means was quickest at that time (Royal Navy ships or merchant ships). Upon arrival the stamp would cancelled by The GPO in this case 42 signifying Foreign Branch.

The arrival manuscript mark by Seagrove implied that it was carried on the P & O ship Poonah, which left Gibraltar on July 10th and arrived in Southampton on July 15th.

1873 Gibraltar to Portsmouth ‘Fleet Mail’

Edwin & William Seagrove & Co, Portsea (Portsmouth) were Navy & Military Outfitters. At this time Naval Officers could write to them and place orders. They usually wrote the name of the Officer on the front of each envelope.

By researching the date you can find the names of the ships in Gibraltar at that time. By cross referencing to the Navy List you can ascertain the actual ship on which the officer was serving. In this case Midshipman John Francis Stuart on board HMS Narcissus, which was in Gibraltar in December 1873. Then cover was placed in a sealed bag and sent via the fleet mail Office by whichever means was quickest at that time (Royal Navy ships or merchant ships). Upon arrival the stamp would cancelled by the GPO, in this case with a killer stamp 8 signifying Foreign Branch.

1860 Torquay to Gibraltar with black S

1860 Torquay overland to Gibraltar

Cover addressed to Commander Cecil de Vere aboard HMS Agamemnon in Gibraltar.

Sent overland ‘via France’ which was quicker than the sea passage. The S was applied in Gibraltar signifying via Spain.

The cover left Torquay on January 23rd 1860 and arrived in Gibraltar on Feb 2^nd 1860.

Two covers addressed to Commander Cecil de Vere aboard HMS Agamemnon in Gibraltar.

Jan 23rd and Feb 22nd  1860. Sent overland ‘via France’ which was quicker than the sea passage. The was applied in Gibraltar, signifying via France and Spain.

The second cover has no large S.

1862 London to Gibraltar Sir James Cochrane

Sir James Cochrane (1798-24 June 1883), was Chief Justice of Gibraltar. One of the most notable cases he handled was the enquiry into the Mary Celeste. Judge's Cave in Gibraltar is named after him.

Cochrane married Theresa in 1829, daughter of Colonel William Haly, who died in 1873. He died at Glen Rocky, his house in Gibraltar, on 24 June 1883, leaving one son, the Rev. Thomas Cochrane, rector of Stapleford Abbotts in Essex.

When Cochrane was first appointed he had a villa constructed during the 1840s and whilst it was being built a cave was discovered. Judge's Cave took its name from Cochrane.

1865 London - cancelled at Dover Station to Gibraltar with 6 x 1d reds and the large S overland stamp applied in Gibraltar.

 Cover from Dover, written my Mrs De Vere, wife of Royal Navy Commander de Vere, to an Army Officer in the 78^th Highlanders who were stationed in Gibraltar. The large S was applied in Gibraltar signifying that the cover went overland via France and Spain.

 Adhesive:               GB 6 x 1d reds all cancelled by Dover 258 front and back

Handstamps:        London single circle 29 NO 65

                                 Dover single circle 29 NO 65

                                 Gibraltar single circle arrival DE 6 65

                                 Red PD in an oval

                                 Black large S in a circle