Taken from the October

In Vol.42, No.2 I allocated reference numbers to the new Trinidad & Tobago date cancels introduced by TTPost (the new postal authority). This article extends and updates that information.

I think it is fair to say that the first few years since privatization have been a transitional period and this is reflected in the wide variety of cancellation devises used. Initially TTPost kept the existing structure of post offices and postal agencies that it inherited. Old damaged cancellation devices were replaced, mainly by Type 17 cancels. These rubber devices were not hardy and in most cases quickly fell apart. They were replaced by Type 20 self inking cancels. These are also not suited to heavy work loads and have a tendency to fall apart, but TTPost seems committed to fixing these- unlike the Type 17 cancels. The implication of this is that the Type 17 cancels were used for a short period and so examples are somewhat scarce.

TTPost also changed its business structure during this period. Delivery services have been greatly expanded reducing the need for postal agents who acted as local agents, holding mail for residents. The contractual arrangements with postal agents have also changed; they became franchises, and fixed monthly payments were cut (this is supplemented by payments paid per letter and as a percentage of stamp revenue). The net effect of this was to discourage low volume agents from remaining open. Thus many agencies closed and others moved into the premises of small grocery shops in the area, (here the additional income is a bonus and the work an adjunct to other retail activities). In busy areas larger franchises offer a full range of postal services, for example registration, but in remote areas most only hold mail and sell stamps. In addition mail boxes held on the premises are emptied by TTPost delivery drivers. The implication of this is that cancellation devices are only used on incoming mail and not, under normal circumstances, on outgoing mail. The exception will be the limited number of franchises that offer services such as registration. Thus non-philatelic examples of these cancels will be very hard to find.

Post offices across Trinidad have undergone a similar transformation. Many were closed or converted to regional sorting or delivery centers with no retail facilities. This has left a core of 16 retail outlets in central busy locations.

The transition described above is reflected in the date stamps used. Cancellation devices were released in batches as new franchises were opened or the structure of TTPost altered. None are defined by an iron clad format and given their flimsy construction and the subsequent need for replacement, there are degrees of variance. This is true not only of the format of the cancel but also of the size and font type used and the placement. However there are obvious similarities and these are arranged into type and subtype groupings. Currently things have settled down and Type 20f seems to be the cancel of choice for franchises. Circular types (22, 23, 25, and 26) seem to be used by post offices and delivery centers.

The exceptions to this are National Mail Center at Piarco and the Business Center at Wrightson Road. The usage here has been ad hoc and partly driven by what was on hand (e.g. Type 28). Some new cancels have also been introduced which have not been seen elsewhere. This includes hammer cancels (the cancel is mounted on the end of a stick like a hammer), roller cancels, new machine cancels and various rubber cancels. Any information on these or any cancels not listed would be welcome (e.barrow@tradewinds-co.com).

Type 17

Barrackpore

Belmont Valley Road PA

Belle Eau Road PA

Blanchisseuse

Caratal

Carenage

Clarke Rochard

Clarke Road

Cocorite

Cumana PA

Eastern Quarry

Ecclesville

Embassy *

Fishing Pond

Granville

Hope PA (Tob.)

Indian Walk PA

Irois Forest PA

La Fillette

Las Cuevas PA

Longdenville PA

Maracas Bay PA

Maracas Road

Mason Hall (Tob.)

Matura PA

Mt. D’Or

Mt. St. George (Tob.)

National Mail Centre Piarco

Pelican Extension

Pembroke PA (Tob.)

St. Barbs Road PA

St. Francois Valley Road PA

San Fernando

San Souci PA

Sangre Grande Oropouche

Second Caledonia

Siparia Junction Road

St. John

Tragarete Road

Vance River

Wallerfield

Type 20f (23mm x 40mm)

Arima

Barrackpore

Basseterre

Belle Garden (Tob.)

Bethel (Tob.)

Black Rock (Tob.)

Bloody Bay (Tob.)

Blundell

Brothers Road

Caratal

Carnbee (Tob.)

Cedros

Coryal (small numbers)

Diego Martin

Caroni

Castara

Charlotteville (Tob.)

Couva

Cumuto

Des Vignes Road

Fishing Pond

Four Roads Tamana

Glamorgan (Tob.)

Golden Lane (Tob.)

Goodwood (Tob.)

Guaico Tamana

La Fillette

La Horquetta

L’anse Fourmi (Tob.)

L’anse Noire

Las Cuevas

Les Coteaux (Tob.)

Lopinot

Maracas Royal Road

Maraval (small numbers)

Mason Hall (Tob.)

Palmiste

Paramin

Parlatuvier (Tob.)

Pembroke (Tob.)

Point Fortin

Point Lisas

Princes Town

Roxborough (Tob.)

St. Ann’s

St. Mary’s

Talparo

Temporary *

Upper Cumuto

Wallerfield

Whim (Tob.)

Type 23 (diameter 38mm)

Arima

Arouca

Barrackpore Delivery

Bon Accord P.O. (Tob.)

Carenage Delivery

City Gate Post Office

Curepe Delivery

Debe Delivery Center

Gulf City Post Office

La Horquetta

La Romain Delivery Laventille PO (diff. font)

Maloney

Marabella

Maraval Delivery

Newtown Delivery

Penal Delivery Center

Port Mall Scarborough-(Tob.)

St. James Delivery

Sangre Grande Delivery

San Juan Delivery

San Juan Retail South Oropouche

Speyside Delivery (Tob.)

Tacarigua Delivery

Trincity Mall

Tunapuna Delivery

*4 identical cancels recorded, seen used in red for post paid, black on ordinary mail.

Roller 1, this has been seen used in red and black ink (recorded in the previous article).

Machine 2, is new machine cancel which is seen less frequently that the other wavy line one. It has been recorded used in black ink on bulk and permit post mail.