Dominica of the Leeward Islands: Postal History Mid -1700s to World War II The Philatelic Exhibitppm RDP

This is a postal history stampc exhibit developed as the history of a postal system. While it does look at routes, rates, and markings in some detail, the focus is on the history of the Post Office itself. As Dominica is a small country, the entire scope of most aspects of its mail system over an almost 200-year period can be studied in an eight-frame exhibit.What is shown is how mail was sent before there was a formal post office, how a postal structure was developed from the introduction of the British Packet Ship lines, how the London British Colonial Government set up a formal post office for the Island using postage stamps Great Britain stamps, and after this how local Island government began issuing its own stamps and postal stationery. What then also ensued was the development of an internal postal system involving a number of village post offices all around the Island. Later in the 20th Century air mail routes were set up and a system of censorship of mail was developed during World War II.The formal Chapters of the exhibit are:Forerunner Ship Mail Mid to Late 1700’sPacket Mail Systems and Markings 17921850Dominica Post Office and Mail System 18501860Postage Stamps and Stationery 18601898Leeward Islands Post Office Issues 18901903Resumption of Dominica Stamps and Stationery 19031919Village Post Office System 1920’s1930’sPostal Operations in the PreWar Era 1920’s – 1940World War II and Censored Mail 19411945Each Chapter starts with an Introduction to explain the significance of the subject and material to be shown. The Treatment or story line is more or less chronological within each Chapter although the topics of some chapters do overlap to some extent.Each cover or card in the exhibit is described with regard to its postal markings, routes and manner of transport, and the postal rates for the transport. Special items, i.e. rarity or unusual aspects, are denoted in a box with the especially outstanding pieces described in red.The exhibit has a significant number of the major Dominica rarities that have been identified over the years, and it would not be possible to duplicate the exhibit today.Finally, the broad scope of this study of the Dominica postal system allows it to be a useful and important model for the overall development of similar systems of the numerous islands of the British Caribbean area. Read more