Atlantic Coast Air Services - Covers and Cancels

Air label cancellations.

There were different cancellations for the air stamps. At the start they were not cancelled with a specific cancel. They were either uncancelled or cancelled with the Lundy puffin cancel. Later two main cancels appeared, the first being an aeroplane followed by the date followed by BARNSTAPLE/LUNDY ISLAND. Redgrove notes two issues of this cancel. After 7th July 1937 it had no border. However, the later cancels appear not to have a date either, whereas the earlier one always does. Anyone who knows anymore about this please let me know. The second was LACAL. The first had several variations, more than Redgrove listed. The second had two variations. The first LACAL with AIR and POST was possibly in use from the 15th to 31st October 1938. The second from 1st Nov 1938. The first LACAL cancel is scarce, whereas the second is common. Firstly, an interesting example and then a selection of variations.

This is a fun example. The normal BARNSTAPLE/LUNDY ISLAND cancel has been incorrectly applied to the Lundy label as well as the air labels. The operative cancelling the Lundy label has obviously felt that the label still requires the Lundy cancel and has the stamp with the standard puffin/date cancel. This has had an interesting effect. The aeroplane of the first cancel extends at the end of the puffin making the puffin look like an owl! Fascinating.

The final cancel for the air labels. The first printing of this label had AIR at the top and POST at the bottom. The first LACAL with AIR POST is scarce and was in use from 3rd October 1938. The Air Post vareity was faked in the late 1940’s and can be seen in the second example where the AIR is straight as against the curved AIR of the original. The second cancel was used from November 1st 1938 onwards.

Flown covers

This selection of covers shows a chronological use of the air stamp on cover.

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Standard cancel black

British Internal Airmails of the 1930’s

Atlantic Coast Air Services - Lundy Label Cancellations and Covers

The first air stamps, the tram tickets were either cancelled with the puffin cancel or were uncancelled. The exception was the CA cancel of which only 11 examples are known which had just the date. The puffin cancel was used until 1st December 1938 when it was replaced by a two part cancel consisting of the ‘Lundy Lights and Lead cancel and a circular date cancel with Lundy and the date. These two cancels are shown below.

Standard cancel black Standard cancel blue Standard cancel light blue

Standard cancel black Standard cancel black Standard cancel no plane Later cancel no date no border Later cancel no border

Newport to Lundy 1/2d blue no border FDC

Newport to Lundy 1/2d blue no border FDC

Halfpenny Tram on cover

Lundy to Isle of Man 1/2d Inverted T Tram ticket.

Lowest recorded number on penny Tram on cover

Lowest recorded number on Roll 3.

3d tram ticket on parcel

1/2d and 3d uncancelled before issue of the 1d.

Large Map Stamp Set First Day Cover

1d block of four from USA.

Exmouth to Lundy 1/2d no date no border in blue. Exmouth to Lundy 1/2d no date no border in blue.

Exmouth to Lundy 1/2d no date no border in blue.

Exmouth to Lundy 1/2d no date no border in blue.

Orcadian type 3 envelope from Kirkwall to Lundy. Lundy Air Labels. Orcadian Cover Cover unusually sent from Southern Ireland (Dublin) Lundy postcard showing the Island Unusual commemorative cover from New Zealand Lundy postcard showing birds on cliff.

Red Stannard Souvenir cover sent from Lundy to USA

Red Stannard Souvenir cover back Lundy and air labels.

Front of Stannard insert for Souvenir cover

Stannard Covers

On the 1st January 1939, the American collector John Stannard sent a large number of commemorative envelopes to the USA. They had a picture of the island on the front and Stannards address on the rear. Most of the covers were printed in red but a few were printed in blue front and back. All covers had an insert introducing the Island and advertising his new book on Lundy stamps.

Blue Stannard Souvenir cover sent from Lundy to USA

Blue Stannard Souvenir cover back Lundy and air labels.

The Tram Tickets were either uncancelled or cancelled with the Puffin cancel in all but 11 cases where the scarce CA cancel was used. This consists of just the date.

Air Post Covers Originals and Fakes.

The AIR POST cancel was introduced in October 1938 and had the LACAL logo surrounded by AIR at the top and POST on the bottom. The Mail authorities objected to the word POST on the labels as it infringed their monopoly so the cancel was changed to LACAL only with the AIR and POST removed. The AIR POST cancel is scarce and in the late 1940’s the cancel was faked. Fortunately the fakes are not accurate and are easy to detect. In the original the AIR is curved and in the fake the AIR is straight . This is the tell for pieces and stamps and on covers the postmark is the 1940/50’s. This can clearly be seen on the two covers shown below.

Rare bisect cover

When the large map stamps were being used, a few stamps appeared that were split in half. These became known as bisects. At first it was thought that a shortage of 1d stamps had led to this introduction. However it was later found that there was no shortage and it was actually a philatelic effort to generate a rare vareity. It was succesful as they are now very scarce on cover.

Unusual Departure Points

Sent from Capetown Paquebot

Sent from Paquebot S.S.Camito

Empire Cover

To assist visitors to the Empire Exhibition at Glasgow, Railway Air Services commenced a direct service between Glasgow and Liverpool on the 2nd May 1938 obviating the detour to Ireland. The service ceased on the 3rd September that year. Approximately twenty covers were carried from Glasgow to London on the first day which bear the Exhibition Red and White’ sticker. Although not a first day cover Empire envelopes to Lundy are scarce.