ST. CHRISTOPHER
Early Postmarks
(Concluded from Bulletin No. 17. p.22)
"I have seen specimens of the large fleuron mark (diameter 33 - 34 mm.; letters 5 mm. high) ranging from 14 Sep. 1805 to 21 Oct. 1809. A peculiarity of this mark is the two concentric circles at the foot, the only fleuron in which I have been able to find this feature. (I wonder if the small arc in the circle at the base of the first Jamaica fleuron was intended to be a complete circle ?) In this type the month is abbreviated to three letters, and is followed by the day. e.g. NOV. 18. Specimens of PG 2, the medium fleuron (diameter 28 - 29 mm. with letters 3½ mm. high) which I have seen have ranged from 15 July 1810 to 27 Oct. 1818. The month is abbreviated to two letters, with the day on either side. e.g. 15 JY 15. There are two dots under the "T" in "ST." The only examples I have been able to record so far of PG 3, the small fleuron (diameter 25 mm., letters 3½ mm. high) are from 23 Mar. 1842 to 10 Feb. 1844, although Robson Lowe gives the date for this mark as from 1831 to 1842.
As far as I can ascertain there seems to be a great shortage of letters from St. Kitts in the 1820's and 1830's, and it would be most interesting to hear of any details of this period. In PG 3 the month is again abbreviated to two letters and is followed by the day, e.g. FE 10. Incidentally, in the examples I have seen only the last figure of the year appears, although this may be due to underinking. What experience have other members had on this point ? Whereas with the majority of the fleuron marks from the other colonies, errors of date such as inverted or misplaced figures, seem almost as common as the normals, with St. Kitts the reverse seems to be the case. In fact, among the many examples I have seen, there has been only one such error. The fleuron marks were replaced by the Type PL in 1844, and this type remained in use until the early 1860's. Robson Lowe gives the dates as 1844-61. It is 35 mm. in diameter, with sans-serifed capitals 3 mm. high.
In conclusion I must thank Dr. R. H. Urwick. F.R.P.S.L., and Miss Rose Titford for the valuable assistance and willing co-operation they afforded me in compiling these notes. I also wish to thank Mr. E. H. Warren, F.R.P.S.L. and Col. W. H. Skrine, one of our newer members, for the great help they gave in the preparation of the blocks."