This article by Gray Scrimgeour and Ian Kimmerley describes mailed items from an extensive correspondence (1937–1942) involving Henry Porter, a trans-Pacific cable repair worker based in Victoria, British Columbia. Most of the correspondence is between Porter while he was travelling and his family in Victoria. There also are some cable-work related covers. Most of Porter’s […]
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This presentation by Gray Scrimgeour focuses on the postal history of the James Bay area of Victoria, BC. As the earliest place of European settlement and the seat of the government in Vancouver Island, the colonial leaders lived here. Mail to and from many of these people is shown and the area’s history is described.
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This presentation by Gray Scrimgeour describes the development of the postal systems in British Columbia’s Nicola and Similkameen Valleys from the gold rush days to present times. Many examples of covers are shown, along with maps and photographs of the routes and methods.
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This presentation by Neil Donen explains the history of the Prisoner of War system of mails from Russian Siberia during World War One. Huge numbers of German and Austro-Hungarian prisoners were interned in Siberia and many examples of POW mail between the prisoner and his family are shown. The role of several Red Cross agencies
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This presentation by Gray Scrimgeour explains the history of the Mount Tolmie post office, which first opened in 1892 in what was then a rural area of Victoria. Using covers and illustrations, he explains the early postmasters and locations of the post office over time. Also shown are covers sent to and from other post
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During the Second World War, supplying Britain with new aircraft built in North America was a significant logistical challenge for the Allies. This presentation explains the development of the RAF Ferry Command which eventually flew these aircraft to where they were needed. Not long after its formation, a semi-formal system of using these ferried aircraft
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Islands of the Indian Ocean This exhibit shows examples of civil mail to and from several island countries in the Indian Ocean where mail contents were censored during World War II. It includes the censor devices from locations such as Madagascar, the Seychelles and Zanzibar.
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Stories From The Early Mail Service Of Victoria by Paul Parizeau Old Victoria We are going to venture back in time to old Victoria, to days of long ago that may be difficult to visualize now. The time is 1859, and we will have to allow our imagination to transport us beyond the days of
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Stories From The Early Mail Service Of Victoria by Paul Parizeau Larceny In Victoria’s Colonial Post Office The years from 1858 to 1861 had been especially trying for Governor Douglas. No sooner had gold been discovered on the Fraser River than a veritable horde of miners, drifters and opportunists from all parts of the world
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Stories From The Early Mail Service Of Victoria by Paul Parizeau Early Express Companies The sturdy little paddle-wheeler ‘Yale’ was slowly pushing its way against the early spring current on the Fraser River two miles above Hope. As it approached Union Bar on that quiet Sunday the peace was abruptly shattered as a violent explosion
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