Endangered Fauna & Flora: Insects

The Endangered Fauna & Flora: Insects issue was released on 21 August, 2017. It is the first in a  proposed series of fauna and flora stamp subjects, all relating to rare species found at a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on Canvey Island.

The Insects issue is a se-tenant stamp strip showing (left to right), the Brown Carder Bee (photo: Steven Falk); Shrill Carder Bee (photo: Ivar Leidus); Emerald Damselfly (photo: Charles J. Sharp); and the Five-banded Weevil Wasp (photo: BWARS).

© 2017 CILP

 © 2017 CILP

Stamps and covers (subject to availability) available from Alpha Thematics on eBid UK.

Postmaster
C.I.L.P.

Passchendaele 1917 Centenary Cover

The centenary of the First World War Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, is being commemorated today throughout Belgium, Great Britain, Canada and elsewhere in the Commonwealth. 

The Prince of Wales said in his memorial speech at Tyne Cot Cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, "We remember it not only for the rain that fell, the mud that weighed down the living and swallowed the dead, but also for the courage and bravery of the men who fought here.”

In this spirit of commemoration the CILP has released a very limited number of commemorative covers and commemorative postcards. Both feature our 1914 B.E.F. commemorative stamp with a special hand-struck cachet.

Both issues will be available from August 2nd for purchase through Alpha Thematics on eBid UK (subject to availability).

CLPCC2

© 2017 CILP

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© 2017 CILP

New Issues for 2017

Local Post stamp collectors will be pleased to hear of the imminent release of several new single stamps and multiple stamp sets for the second half of 2017.

Final designs have been submitted to our printers and release dates have now been set for August, September, October and November 2017. In total ten new stamps will be released in 2017 within our planned issue programme:


21st August: The first stamp set of 2017 is part of a four set series covering "Endangered Fauna and Flora of Canvey Island", starting with a four stamp featuring Insects to be issued on 21 August, 2017.  Future stamp sets will feature Rare Orchids, Birds and Wildlife.

4th September: Due to increasing interest in CILP stamps from overseas, a vintage postcard scene featuring seaplanes will be released as our first Air Mail 'Priority' stamp. Release date has been set for 4 September, 2017.

23rd October: A four stamp set featuring Famous Public Houses of Canvey Island which  have been been central to island community life, will be released on 14 October, 2017. (The original release date was 14th October but was re-scheduled for technical reasons).

27th November: To round off the postal year, we have secured an original Christmas drawing from cartoonist Paul Munro to adorn an Xmas 2017 reduced rate seasonal stamp. This will be available from 27 November, 2017.


Thank you for your support and please visit us again soon. Happy collecting!

Postmaster
Canvey Island Local Post

Collector's Glassine Bags

The CILP will be releasing a very limited number of glassine bags containing complete sets of all our stamp issues from 2010-2016, from 18 November 2016.

The bags will include the scarce '1914 B.E.F.' stamp with the black 1916 overprint to commemorate the Battle of the Somme, and an overprinted Specimen of the currently unissued 'Emergency Mail' stamp. The majority of the Collector's Bags will be mainly available from our normal online outlet at Alpha Stamps and a few will be posted for auction on eBay.

In addition, a restricted number of Specimen 'Emergency Mail' stamps will be made available to existing CILP collectors online on eBid* from Alpha Stamps.

Unissued Emergency Mail stamp currently

 only available as an ovpt 'Specimen' 

* UPDATE 16 July 2017: All single Specimen Emergency Stamps have now been sold. 

Recent Issues April - July 2016

Recent Stamp Issues April to July 2016

The CILP produced three new stamps and one commemorative card during the period April to July 2016. We are pleased to announce that two stamp issues and associated material is now available to collectors.

Due to technical issues the CILP has not released envelope style first day covers to accompany these stamps, only limited edition FDI postcards. We advise collectors not to delay in obtaining items to avoid disappointment due to our limited stock.

All stamps detailed here have been issued fully gummed and perforated. Actual sizes of stamps may differ to images shown.

23^rd April: Shakespeare’s Death 400^th Anniversary

                                        

The Shakespeare stamp commemorates the 400^th anniversary of the death of the bard, probably the greatest and most notable figure in the history of drama literature in the English speaking world. The stamp shows the bard himself against a ‘first folio’ of his collected works. A total of 75 stamps was issued and a limited edition of six ‘first day issue’ postcards.

17^th June: HM The Queen Elizabeth II 90^th Birthday

This stamp celebrates the official 90^th birthday of HM The Queen, Elizabeth II, the longest reigning English monarch ever. This is an attractive stamp showing a montage of Queen Elizabeth against an antique drawing of Windsor Castle, with “ER” monogram and interlaced dates of her year of birth (1926), age (90) and actual celebration year (2016). A total of 75 stamps was issued and a limited edition of six ‘first day issue’ postcards.

1^st July: Battle of the Somme 1916 Commemorative Card

This has been issued to commemorate the centenary of the Second Battle of the Somme, 1^st July 1916 (Battle of Albert). Undoubtedly, the bloodiest battle ever for the British Army, which tragically led to the deaths of 19,240 British and Commonwealth soldiers (from a total of 57,470 casualties) on the first day alone.

A limited edition of six commemorative cards was issued bearing three CILP ‘B.E.F’ stamps overprinted “1916” (two reverse and one obverse). The original stamp was first issued in 2014. A black circular cachet “Battle Somme 1916” and blue circular date stamp complete the cards.

A limited release of 34 ‘B.E.F.’ stamps overprinted “1916” have been produced for this commemoration. Sixteen mint copies are available for collectors with the other 18 being used on FDI cards.

Unissued: Emergency Mail Service Stamp

The CILP has made provision to expand its mail delivery service on Canvey Island and to the mainland in the event of disruption of normal mail services or for the duration of declared civil emergencies.

A stamp has been produced to cover this eventuality and will be issued as required. This stamp will not be available to collectors until an emergency arises and until then it remains locked away!

*All items obtainable online (subject to availability) from the 'Local Post' page within the  'Cinderella' section at Alpha Thematics 

B-17 "Heavenly Body II" Flying Fortress Issue

B-17 "Heavenly Body II" Stamp

The CILP is pleased to announce the release of a single stamp design on 19 June, 2015, entitled “Heavenly Body II”.

It is a direct tribute to the aircrews of two B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 379^th Bomb Group, 8^th USAAF which collided in mid-air approaching Canvey Island whilst returning from a mission to destroy V-1 sites in France on 19 June, 1944. Indirectly it honours all USAAF aircrews operating from England during WWII.

© 2015 CILP

The stamp issue is named after the nickname of one of the aircraft, B-17 42-97942. The other B-17 involved was the un-named 44-6133. Eleven men died in the incident and seven survived, some of whom came ashore on Canvey Island.

The stamp features a B-17 on an airfield in England, showing the 1^st Division, 8^th USAAF yellow triangle tail marking. The 379^th was an element of the 1^st Division but the aircraft in the image is actually from another 1^st Division element, the 525^th Bomb Group.

The CILP has produced a limited edition 270 horizontal stamps measuring 59x20mm. All stamps are perforated and gummed.

First Day Cover and FDI Postcard

An associated limited edition of 12 First Day Covers has also been produced. Each cover bears a pair of stamps with hand-struck FDI cancel.  The cover measures 162x114mm and features the 8th USAAF patch and has a detailed card insert describing the incident.

© 2015 CILP

Six 'First Day Issue' postcards were also produced using the Dutch Cottage Heritage Postcard #1. They bear a single stamp on the reverse with a hand-struck FDI cancellation.

Buy Canvey Local Post Stamps

Early purchase of this issue is recommended as it is anticipated it will be popular with aircraft and military collectors in addition to Cinderella fans, especially the FDCs and FDI postcards.

Collectors may obtain this and previous issues (subject to availability) from Alpha Thematics at http://alpha-thematics.ebid.net (under menu section ‘Cinderella’)