Bermuda Stamps

How a Cancelling Machine works

Machine Cancellations

Cancelling by machine

Cancelling machines were first introduced in January 1913 at the Hamilton Post Office. The other Bermuda post offices had them introduced later shown in the list below.

Cancelling machine introduction in Bermuda

  • 1913 – Hamilton
  • 1934 – St. Georges
  • 1965 – Paget
  • 1982 – Mangrove Bay
  • 1986 – Devonshire and Warwick
  • 1988 – Southampton
  • 1992 – Flatts, Harrington Sound and Somerset Bridge
  • 2001 – Crawl

How a cancelling machine works

How a Cancelling Machine works

Illustration: www.postalhistorycanada.net

Machine cancellations comprise of two elements: a datestamp and a slogan. Some machine cancellations were continuous and others used a single impression.

Hamilton machine cancellations

MH1 – Five wavy lines – 4th January 1913 to 6th August 1926

1914 First World War Censor Cover

MH2 – BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION 1924 – 30th July 1923 to 25th October 1924

MH3 – COME TO BERMUDA THE ISLES OF REST – single line frame 46mm x 22mm – 7th September 1926 to 19th November 1932

MH4 – COME TO BERMUDA THE ISLES OF REST – single line frame 55mm x 20mm – 7th October 1931 to 14th November 1934

MH5 – COME TO BERMUDA THE ISLES OF REST – double wavy line frame 50mm x 19mm – 15th November 1934 to 21st June 1939 – resused September 1947 to February 1964

1937 Imperial Airways Bermuda to Baltimore First Official Air Mail FF

BOAC First Speedbird Constellation Flight Bermuda to New York

MH6 – BERMUDA AQUARIUM ONE OF THE WORLD’S FINEST – single line frame 49mm x 23mm – 22nd June 1939 to 23rd December 1957

1941 King George VI 3d Pictorial FDC

MH7 – FOR BRITAIN, JUSTICE AND FREEDOM – BUY SAVINGS CERTIFICATES – no frame – 1st August 1941 to 15th August 1941 – reused 16th September 1941 to 1st October 1941

MH8 – LEND FOR LIBERTY – BUY SAVINGS CERTIFICATES – no frame – 16th August 1941 to 31st August 1941 – reused 2nd October 1941 to 31st October 1941

MH9 – SERVE BY LENDING – BUY SAVINGS CERTIFICATES – no frame – 1st September 1941 to 15th September 1941 – reused 1st November 1941 to 15th November 1941

MH10 – BERMUDA AFTER THE WAR THE SAME ENCHANTED ISLANDS – no frame – One collection in late 1946 – no examples seem to have survived.

MH11 – I.A.T.A TRAFFIC CONFERENCE BERMUDA 1948 – single line frame 48mm x 22mm – 8th November 1948 to 20th November 1948

MH12 – POST EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS – no frame – 1st December to 23rd December 1948 then annually except for 1959 when the 350th Anniversary slogan was used.

MH13 – COME TO BERMUDA THE ISLES OF REST – no frame – 4th January 49 to 31st December 1959

MH14 – BERMUDA 350th ANNIVERSARY 1959 – single line frame 55mm x 23mm – 1st April 1959 to 31st December 1959

MH15 – COME TO BERMUDA THE ISLES OF BEAUTY – double wavy line frame 1mm between lines 50mm x 19mm – 7th December 1965 to 28th June 1967