Barbados: THE SECOND EARLIEST KNOWN LETTER FROM BARBADOS, sent just one month after the earliest known, 1656 entire from merchant Edward Jacob headed “Barbados December ye 18th 1656” addressed “To Mr Thomas/Pengelly mrcht.//in London” with added “at ye 3 lions in Cannings Street” and endorsed “p ye Samaritan Q.D.C.”. From Tudor times Cannon Street was known as ‘Canning Street’ and recorded as such by Samuel Pepys in his diary but it is not known how that spelling came about. Sent prior to the first mention of Ship Letters in the Post Office Act of 1657 and apparently delivered privately, passing via the emerging coffee house system. One of the very earliest letters from any island of the West Indies. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Early Inland Mail, 1686 entire addressed “To/Mr. Roger Gordon/Mchant/at the/Bridge Town”, commercial centre of the island, sent by John Hull, “8ber ye 20th 1686”. Hull notes that he “would have been at the Bridge before now. . . but if you do not sail on Saturday I will if God permits come and see you before you go.” Carried by messenger, likely a slave, no organised inland postal service being introduced until 1852. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: “In all” Marking, 1698 double rate ship letter sent by George Lewis, “Bridgetown, Barbados May 17th 98” to ?a relative of the same name, “To/Mr. George Lewis in Church/Yarde Liverpool” endorsed “To Be left at the Post/office in London/England”, first charged “7”, deleted and amended “In all 6”(d.), this representing double inland rate (1653-1711), with “IY/11” London Bishop mark on reverse. A very early item for Barbados handled by the British Post Office. The annotation “In all” was used as a prefix to an amended amount to be collected from an addressee. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Ship Mail with 1d. Master’s Gratuity, 1720 double ship letter to Messrs. Wightman, Drummond & Co. in Edinburgh sent on Jan. 23 by Alexander & Charles Dundas, merchant sons of 1st Lord of Arniston Sir James Dundas, with “26/AP” London Bishop mark, rated “11”(d.) deleted and amended to “In all 1N9”, the 1s.9d. representing 8d. double rate to London (1711-1795) and 1s. double rate onward to Scotland (1711-1764) plus the 1d. master’s gratuity. The 1d. fee (”master’s gratuity”) paid to a private ship’s captain for each letter carried was introduced in 1711 as an inducement for the captain to hand over letters at his first port of call. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Ship Mail via London, 1750 double ship letter addressed to William FitzHerbert (1712-1772) at Tissington, in Derbyshire sent Aug. 15 by George Walker on behalf of John Gay Alleyne, endorsed “By Capn. Holland/Q.D.C.” and with “5/DE” Bishop mark, rated “7”(d) deleted and amended to “In all 1N3”, the 1s.3d. representing 8d. double rate to London (1711-1795) and 8d. double rate onward to Derbyshire (1711-1764) plus the 1d. master’s gratuity.

Barbados: Mail via the London Penny Post, 1761 entire addressed “To/John Holroyd Esqr. at the Revd. Docr. James Baker’s/in Great James Street, Bedford row/London”, endorsed “Penny Post” and with Dockwra mark on reverse, written by Daniel Holroyd, midshipman on the “York” under convoy of the “Temeraire”, firstly “At Sea, Decr. 8th 1761” and continued from “Barbadoes, Decr. 23rd 1761” “preparatory to our supposed attack on Martinico.”, some splitting and repairs. Fascinating descriptive contents of the prelude to the Invasion of Martinique. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Introduction of Post Office Packets to Barbados, 1764, “The London Chronicle, or, Universal Evening Post”, Thurs. Jan. 12-Sat. Jan. 14 1764, containing the announcement by the General Post Office of the introduction of “Three Packet-Boats, at Falmouth, of 140 Tons and 18 Hands each, for the Conveyance of Mails, Expresses and Passengers, to Barbados, Grenada, St Christopher’s, Jamaica, Pensacola, St Augustine, Savanna, Charles-Town, and back to Falmouth.” with details of dates of sailing and postage rates. This broad interest, thrice weekly newspaper, typically eight pages in quarto size, first appeared in 1756. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Naval Mail, 1764 double ship letter from “Greyhound, Carlisle Bay/Nov. 17th 1764” addressed to “Messrs. James & Alexr. Gordon/merchants at the Jamaica/Coffee House/London” with receivers’ endorsement “Bbdos 17th Novr./1764/Capt. Drummond/of ye Greyhound/Man of War”, charged “7”(d.) representing 6d. double rate (1711-1795) plus 1d. master’s gratuity with “10/IA” Bishop mark on reverse. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: THE SECOND EARLIEST SHIP LETTER MARKING FROM BARBADOS, 1766 triple rate ship letter entire to London showing first type “BARBADOES” single straight line marking (type A1) with “DOVER/SHIP LRE” and “30/AU” Bishop mark, rated “10”(d.) incl. master’s gratuity and endorsed “p Capt. Creighton/Q.D.C.”, sent from “Barbadoes att ye/June 5th 1766” addressed to Rev. Daniel Burton, Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, some soiling, fragility and repairs. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: The “BARBA/DOES” Double Line Marking (type A2), 1774 double rate ship letter to London showing fine strike, with “DEAL/SHIP LRE” and “5/IA” Bishop mark, rated “17”(d.) incl. master’s gratuity, addressed to Rev. Richard Hind, Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts and previously containing the “Minutes of the/Barbados attorneys/Aug. 29 1774”. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Forwarding Agents, 1783 (July 30) entire addressed by his brother Alexander to merchant Samuel Cooper in Cork, Ireland with ms. endorsement “Bristol 9th September 1783/Forwarded by Sir/Your very hble Servt/John Morgan” with “BRISTOL” straight line and Dublin “SE/14” Bishop mark, privately carried to Bristol and thereafter charged first 10d., then 1s. and finally 1s.2d. representing 4d., rate Bristol to London, 6d. London to Dublin plus 4d. Dublin to Cork. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Houses of Parliament Free Mail, 1788 entire with “BARBA/DOES” double line marking (type A2) addressed to the Rt. Hon. James, Earl of Lonsdale, redirected from London to Westmoreland with Aug. 18 transit datestamps and double circle “FREE/S”. James Lowther (1736-1802), 1st Earl of Lonsdale and also known as “Wicked Jimmy” or “Jemmy Grasp-all, Earl of Toadstool”, had inherited the Christchurch Plantation on the island. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Licence for Departing Vessel, 1793 (Dec. 23) printed form authorising the departure of Capt. Francis Dayes of the brig “Richmond” for Virginia, trimmed and slightly repaired (255 x 170mm), signed by President of the Council and Commander in Chief William Bishop (1751-1801). Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Early Incoming Mail, 1794 Army agents entire probably carried by naval vessel, addressed to “Lieut Watkins 15th (Battery)/Barbadoes”, sent Jan. 1 by Ross & Ogilvie in London regarding the purchase of state lottery tickets. A scarce early survivor of Barbados’ tropical climate. State lotteries had begun as early as the 1690s and were established by the Bank of England to generate money not just for ‘good causes’ but to fund the wars against France. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Early Mail to British Guiana, 1796 (Aug. 2) privately carried merchant’s entire from Thomas Maxwell & Son to Messrs. Hugh McCalmont & Co. at Starbroock, Demerara, endorsed “p Sloop Flyer”, with message concerning the sale of a cargo of catfish, a little fragile. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Barbados Forwarding Agent, 1797 (July 4) early ship letter to the United States, sent by William Lovell addressed to Alexandria, Virginia with ms. endorsement “Barbados July 22nd 1797 Forwarded/by Gentn. your mo. ob, Servt./David Martin” and Boston “4/SE” Bishop mark, rated “30”(c.) for ship, inland and drop charges. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Early Mail to Jamaica, 1802 (Aug. 26) privately carried entire addressed to Sir John Duckworth, Commander in Chief in Jamaica by James Maxwell with Sept. 5 receiving note. Sir John Thomas Duckworth, 1st Baronet 1748-1817) served during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, and was Governor of Newfoundland during the War of 1812. He was nominated a Knight Companion of the most Honourable Military Order of the Bath in 1801 for the capture of the islands of St Bartholomew, St Martin, St Thomas, St John and St Croix , defeating Swedish and Danish forces. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: The “BARBADOES” Small Straight Line Marking (type A4), the latest recorded date, 1812 (Jan.) double packet letter to London addressed to Major Dick, Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 42nd Highland Regiment, with good strike and London Feb. 20 red receiving c.d.s. on reverse, charged 4s. Major General Sir Robert Henry Dick (1787-1846) served with the 42nd Royal Highlanders in the Peninsular Wars and, after Lt. Col. Sir Robert Macara was killed at Quatre Bras, was in command of the regiment at Waterloo. Dick was later killed at Sabraon, the decisive battle of the First Anglo-Sikh War. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: The Barbados Fleuron (type A5), 1814 entire to merchant banker Nathan Meyer Rothschild in London with “BARBADOES/1AP1/1814” large fleuron, originating from Cuba with receiver’s endorsement “Havannah 1 Feby/1814”, charged “2/2” packet rate with red “F/19MY19/1814” receiving c.d.s. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: ?THE “PAID/TO/ENGLAND” MARKING APPLIED IN BARBADOS (Proud PD1), THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE, 1815 (Apr. 29) entire to Lancaster, England showing circular framed strike in red, alongside Barbados “AP 19/1815” fleuron (type A5) with double oval “SHIP LETTER/(crown)/LIVERPOOL” covering ms. “1/6” indicating payment of withdrawn ship letter rate and a further “1/4” for double inland rate from Liverpool to Lancaster, upper flap separated for display. ‘Paid to England’ markings, used in many West Indies islands, are mainly found on items subject to the somewhat obscure ‘Withdrawn Ship Letter’ scheme of 1814-15 under which a ship letter presented at the post or packet office was charged an amount approximate (rounded down to the nearest halfpenny) of one third of the packet rate and the sender allowed to select the carrying ship. The 1s.6d. payment here represents single packet rate Falmouth of 1s.3d. plus Falmouth to Lancaster charge of 1s.1d., the 2s.4d. total rounded down to 9d. and then doubled to 1s.6d. ?A great rarity and one of the most important pre-stamp covers from Barbados. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: O.H.M.S. Mail, 1820 (ca.) stampless front only endorsed in ms. “His Majesty’s Service” at top, “Government of/Barbados” at lower left, addressed to Earl Bathurst in London. Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst, KG, PC (1762 -1834) served as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies from 1812 to 1827. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Transit Mail, 1831 large part entire from Jamaica to the Hon. John Hoys in Grenada c/o Robert Dickson in New York, this deleted with notes “Recd. 22 Sept.” and “Pr. Packet Schoone/E.J. Elliott. Wm. Day”, sent via Saint Thomas and Barbados with Barbados fleuron (type A5) “26 NO/1831” and scarce oval framed “FORWARDED/by/H.N. GAGE & Co./ST. THOMAS” (unlisted by Rowe), receiving endorsement notes sent from “Jamaica 16th Augt. 1831” and “Recd. 25th Oct. via America”, charged “1/8” with “6” in red, most unusual. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: The Red Crown Mark, 1833 (Jan. 8) entire to London with two line “COVE/SHIP LETTER” in red, charged “1/11” deleted in ms. and by Red Crown, altered to “3/10”, being double ship rate plus double rate from Cove to London, backstamped red Feb. 23 arrival. Use of the Crown has been observed to validate alteration of a postal charge, especially to recharge letters first charged at single rate but subsequently reassessed as double rate. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Packet Mail, 1839 (July 5) interesting letter (part section missing) from Lt. Charles Barker (1881-1860) on board HMS “Seringapatam” at Barbados to his brother in London, redirected to Bakewell, Derbyshire showing framed “PACKET LETTER” in red applied on board, Aug. 25 London c.d.s. and framed “POSTAGE NOT PAID/TO LONDON”, ms. “2/2” for packet rate amended to 3s. for additional 10d. London to Bakewell. Photo. (Image1)

Barbados: Forwarding Agents, 1839 incoming entire from New York dated Nov. 30 with fine strike of oval framed “FORWARDED THROUGH/GILPIN’S EXCHANGE/READING ROOM AND/FOREIGN LETTER OFFICE/N. YORK” in red, the letter handed in at Gilpin’s and privately carried, slight climatic staining. Photo. (Image1)