Today in Postal History
Turks and Caicos to St. Lucia
December 5, 1932
This neat inter-island cover left Turks Islands
bound for Castries, St. Lucia.
The poor thing had only two black one farthing stamps (SG 162) issued
in 1926
portraying the turk's head cactus and a neat boxed slogan cancel to
help it on its way.
As is often the case, a young traveler leaves town with insufficient
funds.
However, a charitable post office advanced travel funds in the form of
a T in circle postage due mark and a penciled 6c.
The half penny postage was enough to start a
journey of nearly 1400 km.
The Turks
Islands are north of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti) at
the far eastern end of the Bahamas.
St. Lucia is near the southern
end of the Lesser Antilles about 300 km north of Trinidad.
The postage due was duly collected at its
destination.
Two St. Lucia postage due stamps were affixed (SG D1 and D2a -
different No. font).
These interesting stamps were probably printed locally.
Specialists believe there were three settings of the 1d and two
settings of the 2d.
The serial numbers were handstamped individually using a numbering
machine - an accountant run amuck!
The arrival date in St. Lucia appears to be in
January, 1933.
The addressee's name has been removed.
Thanks to Phil, the boxed slogan cancel is:
BUY
TURKS ISLANDS SALT
NONE BETTER
Here is a picture post card showing "Barreling of
Turks Islands Salt" circa 1900.
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