(continued from Bulletin No. 7. p.93.)
It may be of interest to record that the external cover I referred to bore the 'ST. KITTS' c.d.s. (with month, day and year); I find this postmark appears infrequently as apart from what is generally known as the 'killer' type (of which more anon) the type more often met with is the 'ST. KITTS' c.d.s. with a single capital initial letter, and the duplex 'A12' mark of the upright oval type with the 'abbreviated letters' referred to by Mr. G. W. Groves (Bulletin No. 8, p.10) probably less frequently. (* Unfortunately, my examples of both these cancellations are on single stamps, so it is difficult to state with certainty if t they belong to the duplex or non duplex type )
Mr. Grove's reference to a later 'non-duplex' type is probably the type to which I have referred to as having a single capital initial letter, so far I only possess this cancellation with the initial 'A' (which would appear to be relatively common) and 'C'. Mr Groves records 'SP', but this would seem to be of later use, as confirmed by the note contributed by Mr. G. S. Manners on page 38 of this issue.
There are two types of the 'A12' duplex obliteration, the earliest being 24mm high and the later one 27mm. high. The- considered opinion of many specialists is that the 27mm type was only introduced after the general issue for Leeward Islands appeared in 1890 and possibly after the 5th June. 1894, the date on which the stamps of St. Christopher ceased to be available for postage. The fact that few adhesives are known with this larger 'A12' tends to confirm the recorded contention that those which have been seen are not postally used but have been cancelled par complaisance at a later date.
The killer type was evidently. employed towards the end of the CC perf. 12½ stamps and generally the end of the CC. perf. 12½ stamps and generally during the use of the CC perf. 14 issue as I possess, or have seen more copies of it on the 1875-76 issue than on the stamps of 1870, and is the one most commonly found. Assuming there is only one type, it nearly always appears as -a smudged
bar, but is in fact a line composed of four initial letters, although in its very worn stage it could be mistaken for a smudged bar. Many collectors have tried to decipher the actual letters but unless a clear example is viewed any guess has been as good as another, but I have always maintained, by the evidence of clear examples in my collection that the letters are "AWJY". Although it seems
reasonable to conclude that these were the initials of an official in St. Christopher, no one, so far as I can ascertain, has been able to state whose initials they are and alas, I can offer no clue. This 'mystery' cancellation may exist in two types, the one with the initial letters and also another with the
smudged bar, as it seems to me inconceivable that even with great wear the initial letters could wear down to such an extent that: they eventually, resembled a 'bar'. Although I have for a long time been quite convinced that the letters are "AWJY", I have seen recently an example where the second letter seems to be an 'M'. I now wonder in some cases, where the postmark shows as 'AWJY' whether the second letter might be an inverted 'M' as it is not outside the bounds of possibility that the four letters were composed of movable type in the obliterator: and the shape of the 'M' (or 'W') are not dissimilar in appearance.
So much for my own personal views on this subject. In an article by Mr. Robson Lowe in the 'Philatelist' (October 1948) he mentions that there were two types of this circular 'killer'' with a bar in the centre, a theory based on material in the collection of our Vice-resident Dr. R H. Urwick, and he
illustrated these notes by two copies of the 6d green used on covers in 1876 and 1878; in both cases the stamps being cancelled by a single circle with a very roughly shaped bar in the centre. Mr. Lowe goes on to say: 'It should be remembered that St. Christopher used British stamps from 1858 to 1860 and these were cancelled 'A12' in a transverse oval of bars at Basse-terre, but this 'killer' was probably mislaid when the British stamps went out of use in 1860, for handstruck stamps, were used until 1870 when the colonial adhesives appeared. It is a curious fact that, no further numeral `Killer' was issued until 1879, when the upright oval type bearing 'A12' in the centre came into use.
There are two types of the St. Christopher circular on the 4d stamps used on covers in 1881 and 1882, and again on a 6d cover used in 1879. P37
Again, quoting Mr. Lowe's article he states:
"In this case the central portion of the 'killer' appears to be made up of letters, and various theories have been advanced as to what these letters may mean. Judging by the second of the two fourpence the word may be 'ARMY', but I lean to the theory that it is probable that the apparent letters are really the butt end of reversed and movable type."
In a letter received by Mr. Lowe on this subject (The 'Philatelist' January 1949) a correspondent put forward the suggestion that as the circle of the c.d.s. postmark was of the same size as the 'killer' type (and he illustrated one of the c.d.s. with rather smudgy print), whether the normal c.d.s. might have been damaged, thus producing this 'bar' cancellation, Mr. Lowe's comment on his correspondent's example was that it looked like 'AMJY' (which bears out my findings so far. as to the possibility of the cancellation being either 'AWJY' or 'AMJY', though I remain convinced the letters are 'AWJY').
A further complication to this 'mystery' cancellation is that in 'The Philatelist' for March 1949 appears a copy of a letter received by another correspondent from the Postmaster of St. Kitts which was as follows: - "Dear Sir, In reply to your enquiry of October 24th, the postmark, you refer to seems to be one which was in use for obliterating stamps and which Mr. George King, a former Postmaster, tells me he used up to 1936. He says it was in frequent, though not constant use since only one was in the office. What looks like 'Army' to you is an 'A' followed by bars. Yours very truly, J. D. MALONEY (Postmaster). General Post Office, Basseterre. St. Kitts. February 2nd, 1949."
So now we have another statement, which does not materially clarify, the position! I have never seen the 'killer' type with one initial letter followed by bars and it would be most interesting to know if any other member of the Circle has seen one. The statement that this 'killer' type was infrequent, though not constant use, since only one was in the Office is also confusing because as I have already indicated in this article it is, in my experience, by far the most common of all St. Christopher cancellations, but the interesting point contained in this official's letter is that only one was in use, and tends to show that the original 'letters' cancellation had a considerable amount of wear which would account for so many of the adhesives bearing what looks like a smudged bar. Although this instalment of my article contains much which has been recorded by others I considered it might be useful to put down the facts which have come to light in recent years on this 'mystery'; obliteration. I regret my own comments add nothing really new in the way of solving the mystery but I hope that by logical application and without any real evidence (save the letter from Mr. Maloney, which does so-to speak, confuse the issue) it will be seen that there was a 'letters' obliteration which was composed of the letters 'AWJY' (or 'AMJY') which gradually became so worn as to resemble merely a smudged bar towards the end of its life. This conclusion is not satisfactory (to me at least)' so often it is easy to apply facts from evidence, but such evidence is not strong enough. I personally am reluctant to accept it but I am unable to arrive at any other conclusion. It may be said therefore, that the 'case' on this postmark, still remains 'unproven'. Should the actual obliterator still exist, then' all doubt would be removed."