(Great Britain Used in) 1858 (25 Nov) double rate envelope to Derby, endorsed “Pr Packet” bearing 6d. lilac pair bearing fine Bath Jamaica datestamp and both lightly cancelled ‘A01’ obliterators, reverse with Kingston transit, small London transit, Derby transit and blue double arc Doveridge arrival village cancel. Some slightly trimmed perfs, a very rare franking which was contrary to regulations. Ex L.C.C. Nicholson 1940 and J. Grant Glasco 1969.
(Jamaica transit mail) 1829 (6th June) entire to Belfast, Ireland endorsed to travel “pr Prince Elizabeth Packet”, bearing on front two-line red ‘FRANCO HAS/ TA E PUERTO’ handstamp, rated “3/6” made up of 2s1d UK inward Packet Letter charge plus 1s5d inland postage through to Ireland, reverse with fine green MEXICO fleuron applied in transit at Falmouth, red arrival backstamp, very fine, Ex Hugh Wood.
(Panama) 1844 outer letter sheet to Tours, France endorsed “Via Panama”, from an unknown country bearing undated circular SOUTH AMERICA VIA PANAMA handstamp (only mentioned as dated in Robson Lowe) overstruck with very fine Panama Forwarding Agents, Louis Lewis (not listed in Rowe), red framed accountancy handstamp, reverse with double-arc Kingston Jamaica, red London transit, red French entry on front, reverse Paris transit and arrival; fine and attractive.
1801 entire from Kingston to Glasgow initially rated at "2/8" and subsequently amended to "3/-", endorsed HM Ship Surprize and bearing fair strike of Ship Letter/crown/ JAMAICA in oval and a similar mark for Deal. Foster records the earliest date of this ship letter cancel as 11/4/01 wheras this dates 18/2/01.
1815 (18 Aug) entire from John Fergus to Falmouth with some interesting content, with a N.B. addition reading "I am sorry to say that Port Royale is most all burnt down about four weeks before our arrival here". Ship Letter Jamaica oval crown handstamp, rate markings and "1/2" local carriage charge handstamp. Some peripheral faults to entire.
1824-1827 series of five entires from Scotland to a Midshipman, later Lieutenant, on board either H.M.S. Thracian, H.M.S. Magnificent or H.M.S. Tweed in Port Royal, Jamaica. Various rate markings and inscriptions including "Ship gone home"; re-addressed back to Portsmouth. A fascinating group.
1826 entire to London endorsed “packet” on front and on reverse with fine two-line SPANISH- Town/ JA despatch handstamp, red London arrival partly overstriking; fine and clean condition with both the entire and a extra letter within.
1839 (20 Jan) outer letter sheet to London bearing handstamped '3' and oval Bogota Franco handstamp, at bottom left red-brown Carthagena fleuron, a transit handstamp used in Jamaica, reverse with unclear Kingston Jamaica date stamp, double-arc London arrival of 1 Apr; fine and fresh condition.
1841 large part outer letter sheet to Hertford, England bearing manuscript “2/3” rating with to left Carthagena fleuron, a transit handstamp used in Jamaica, reverse with unclear Kingston Jamaica date stamp, London transit; some slight faults, still a good example.
1843 entire to London with manuscript “2/-“ rate marking on front, reverse with fine unframed Spanish Town date stamp, Proud D3, red arrival cds; fine and clean condition.
1845 (29th September) long family letter from the ‘Holland’ correspondence, full of domestic information from a father in Salem, North Carolina to his son, a missionary in Jamaica, bearing blue despatch cds and PAID handstamp, charged ”12” to Philadelphia (which consisted of 10c for over 300 miles and incorrectly 2 cents Ship). Landed with framed Montego Bay/ SHIP LETTER handstamp, charge “1/-“ to May Hill via Spanish Town. Ex Hugh Wood and Booth.
1845 (4th June) thick entire from Columbia, South Carolina, USA via Philadelphia via private ship, rated “1/6” for a double Ship Letter rate plus inland postage from St Ann’s to Mandeville of 2d. for a total charge of “1/8”, showing the only recorded ‘SHIP LETTER/ St ANNS’ handstamp that is not recorded in foster but in Proud SL1. Ex H. Wood
1849 (MY 8) envelope to London bearing fine strike of ‘s 1/-‘ accountancy handstamp (Proud A16), reverse with Kingston Jamaica double arc date stamp without index letter.
1850 and 1851 pair of entires to London showing two different types of Rodney Hall despatch cancels as well as different Kingston transits; good condition.
1852 (JY 22) entire to Quebec, Canada endorsed “Via Steamship/ to/ New York” bottom left and “Paid Ship 4d/ Inland 8d” top right, with Jamaica Paid (JY 24) double-arc date stamp, reverse with Montego Bay Jamaica date stamp, St Thomas transit (JY 31) and various arrivals. Entire from “Providence Estate, St James” addressed to a member of the Legislative Council with both Quebec and Toronto included in address and forwarded between them with a 3d. charge at Quebec but no further charges raised; light vertical filing crease.
1852 cover to Edinburgh endorsed "pr First December Packet", manuscript rate, reverse with "MONEAGUE" despatch date stamp, KINGSTON transit and arrival cancels; with contents.
1853 double rate entire to Toronto, Canada with Falmouth Jamaica double arc date stamp and to right Jamaica Paid double-arc date stamp, reverse with, St Thomas transit. Entire from “Water Valley Estate, Trelawny” addressed to a member of the Legislative Council, redirected to Quebec with FORWARDED, MORE-TO-PAY and PAID 6 handstamps on front. Small part of reverse missing, unusual destination.
1866 O.H.M.S. wrapper used to Spanish Town franked by bisected 1d. tied A52 obliterator with cds of Mandeville in association on reverse, front bearing arrival cancel; some slight tones, (S.G. 1d.)
1868 (Dec) incoming envelope from Paris, endorsed “via Southampton”, addressed to Sir John P. Grant/ Spanish Town” franked two 80c Laureated Napoleons tied ‘3’ Paris stars lozenge, Paris cds to left, boxed PD, London PAID transit and Spanish Town arrival, reverse with Kingston date stamp. Ex Dubois. Sir John Peter Grant was the first Governor under the Crown Colony Regime which lasted from 1866 until 1884 with the Governor having absolute power. He laid the foundations of the modern Jamaica by improving the legal system, creating local councils, all island Police force, local medical system and transferred the seat of Government from Spanish Town to Kingston.
1869 (21.1.) cover to Bristol, endorsed “Pr Packet/... Musgrave, St Elizabeth” franked 1860 6d. deep purple pair and 1s. dull brown cancelled with A30 obliterator, Black River cds in association on reverse. Underpaid for the weight, the handstamp ‘SHORT PAID (1/-)/ FINE (6d)’ applied at Kingston and circular ‘MORE TO PAY’ on arrival in England, small circular framed ‘CH’ of Bristol inspector; a little ink staining at left and slight damage to envelope in bottom left corner. Ex Hugh Wood.