"I do not know the precise inclusive dates of the use of .the Crowned Circle mark of 1893 but I have the following in my collection:
FE 21 93, MR 8 93 &.R 15 93 all struck in conjunction with the normal c.d.s.
("BARBADOES" was an earlier spelling of the name of the island in use up to about 1850 and there fore the normal spelling at the time of the original use of the Crowned Circle mark.) The Crowned Circle mark was again in use in 1896 and I have FE 18 96 and MR 20 96 also o struck in conjunction with the normal c. d. s. I was under the impression. that the !93 use of this mark was during a temporary shortage of halfpenny stamps whilst the 196 use was during a shortage of penny stamps but I am not certain. I believe I based these conclusions on the following points: -
a. Each of the envelopes in the earlier group was unsealed and one definitely contained a printed card.
b. Both envelopes in the second group probably contained private letters addressed to F. Gregory Esq. who was the Secretary of the Barbados Philatelic Society.
I shall be grateful for any confirmation (or otherwise) or other facts regarding the above."
"I notice a comment from Mr. B.B. Benwell over which I might be able to be of some assistance. The third edition of "The Handstruck Postage Stamps of the Empire" refers to the "PAID AT BARBADOES" Crown Circle as being used provisionally in February and March 1893 for a halfpenny stamp. It was again used as a provisional in January 1896 during a shortage -of penny stamps and between January and May 1896 during a shortage of farthing stamps and of course in the latter case they are always struck on local circulars"