The Early Stamps of Lundy Island(1929 – 1942)

– The Original –British Local Stamps

Steve Wimpenny October 8th , 2007

Riverside StampClub

Location

Lundy Island

Lundy lies in the Bristol Channel

11 miles off the coast of Devon

in South-West England

The island is 3 miles longand ½ mile in breadth

at its widest.

Lundy Island

Name: from old Norse“Lund” – Puffinand “ey” – Island

Map c.1857

Early Philatelic History

1887 – March 3rd – Opening of Post Office on Island

1892 – Start of mail service to British mainland

1912-1915 – twice weekly mail service established between Lundy and Devon

1925 – October – Island purchased by Mr. M.C. Harmon

1927 – Mail service to Lundy ceases operation following disputes with Mr. Harmon

1927-29 mail between Lundy and Devon carried free of charge by Mr. Harmon

1929 Lundy Stamps and Coins(‘Lundy Autonomy”)

Exchange Rate:½ puffin = 1/2d UK1 puffin = 1d UK

Coins: declared illegal currency by UK Govt.

Stamps: used for payment of localcarriage between Lundy and British mainland.

1st Stamp Issue – November 1st 1929

Printers: Bradbury Wilkinson & Co Ltd.

Varieties: 5 distinct transfer types of each value

Perf. 11 ¾

Cancellations

1929-38 Rectangular Puffin Slogan – used for carriage only

1940 Onwards LUNDY CDS – used for

carriage and Philatelic Souvenirs

Cancels in Black, Blueor Green (rare)

New Values – July 11th 1930

Printers: Bradbury Wilkinson & Co Ltd.

Varieties: 6 distinct transfer types of each value

Perf. 11 ¾

Varieties

i.) Buff Paper - 1p, 6p, 9p and 12p printed on lightly toned or ‘buff’ paper.

- scarce… beware of light toned copies

ii.) Imperforate - ½ p, 9p- Genuine copies are cut from the 1942 Tighearna

MS (see later)- Extensively forged but easy to identify

The forgeries have small margins and are crudely printed.

Tighearna (The Chief)Imperf. Sheetlet – 1st February 1942

New Value – ex Tighearna Sheet

2p Blue – New Design- Genuine copies are cut from the 1942

Tighearna MS- Extensively forged. The forgeries have small

margins and are crudely printed. They exist both Imperf. and with crude Perf. 11 ¾

New Values – November 1st 1939

Printers: Bradbury Wilkinson & Co Ltd.

Perf. 11 ¾ Ptg.: 100,000 each

Note: used copies are almost always CDS, slogan cancels are rare

1934 (June) – Experimental mail carrying flights between Lundy andBarnstaple Aerodrome (UK).

1935-36 – Atlantic Coast Air Service mail flights (one per week).

1937-39 – Lundy & Atlantic Coast AirService Mail Flights

Mail service was discontinued on 6th September 1939 due to WWII

The 1930’s Airmail Service

Atlantic Coast Air Services1st April 1935

“The Tram Tickets”

Three values: ½d, 1d, 3d

Printers: Williams Ltd. of Leicester, UK

Imperf. x Roulette 11 Printed in Coils of 500 each (numbered)

Withdrawn from use 1st April 1936

Atlantic Coast Air Services1st April 1936

“The Large Map Issue”

Six values: ½d, 1d, 2d, 3d, 6d, 1/-

Printers: Pincombe & Sons of Barnstable, UK

Roulette 9 Printed in sheets of 100

Lundy & Atlantic Coast Air Services

11th June 1937

Single value: ½d Violet

Printers: Willsons of Leicester, UK

Roulette 7 Printed in sheets of 48Stock exhausted 1938

Lundy & Atlantic Coast Air Services

1st February 1938

Single value: ½d Violetwith black overprint

Note scarce green Lundy Lights & Leads Cancel (1938 – 1943) on ½ and 1p stamps

Lundy & Atlantic Coast Air ServicesAir Views

31st February 1939

Two values: ½d Red, 1d Black

Printers: Willsons of Leicester, UK

Roulette 7 Printed in sheets of 48

All civil air servicessuspended due to WWIIon 6th September 1939

Overprints of the 1929 & 1930 Issues

The existing stock of these stamps were re-issued with overprints between

1939 and 1969.No new printings were made.

1939, November 1st – 10th Anniversary 1940, April/July – Red Cross Fundraiser1942, Janury 1st – War Propoganda1943, February 1st – 9th Anniv. of First

Airmail Service1943, September 1st – 40th Anniv. of

First Flight by Wright Bros.1950, November 8th – Airmail Service1953, June 2nd – Coronation of QE II

“Lundy Story” Sheetlets

1.) H.E. Harris & Co. – early 1950’s(sold at 50c each)

Large Format w/no marking on the front

Information on reverse side.

“Lundy Story” Sheetlets

2.) Littleton Stamp Co. – early 1950’s

(sold at 50c each)

Smaller Format with

Littleton Stamp Co. at bottom

& blank reverese side

“Lundy Story” Sheetlets

3.) Kenmore Stamp Co. – early 1950’s

(sold at 50c/25c each)

Smallest Format with

Kenmore Stamp Co. at bottom

& blank reverse side

This example is damaged – the Kenmore has been

trimmed off.

More Recent Lundy History

1969 – Death of Mr. Harmon, owner of the IslandLundy sold by auction to a British resident who donated

the Island to the National Trust.

1969 to date – Lundy maintained as a Nature Preserve and is administered by the Landmark Trust. It continues to issues local stamps to this day.