Ascension stamps and postal history

Ascension Island, in the South Atlantic Ocean, lies between latitude 7° 55' and 8° (XX south, longitude 14° 25' and 14° 20' west. It is 696 miles north west of St. Helena and has an area of about thirty-five square miles.

This remote island was first sighted by a Portuguese Captain, Juan de Nova, in 1501 and named in English, “The Island of Our Lady of the Conception”. Two years later another Portugese Captain, Alfonzo d’Albuquerque, actually landed on the island and named it Ascension Island in honour of the day he arrived.

Having no attractions to compare with St. Helena, Ascension remained uninhabited until 5.30 p.m. on 22 October 1815 when the sloops HMS Peruvian and HMS Zenobia took possession and Ascension became a British possession. The object of annexing Ascension was to ensure that the island could not be used as a base to effect the escape of Napoleon Bonaparte who had been banished to St. Helena in 1815.

From 1815 to 1922 the island was a Naval Establishment and was named HMS Ascension. The principle use made of the island by the Royal Navy was as a coaling station. On 20 October 1922 Ascension Island became by LETTERS PATENT a Dependency of St. Helena under the administration of the Governor of the Island of St. Helena.

Recent Articles:

Ascension 1938 KGVI 6d. Stamps - Details of the Printing Records

Ascension 1938 KGVI 6d. Stamps in corner Block of Four

In this article I have used the information contained in the written records and other material held in the Crown Agents Philatelic and Security Printing Archive, and the Universal Postal Union Collection. These records provide the story of the printings and despatches of this stamp over a period of some eight years.

The Crown Agents written records referred to include the Requisition Books which show details of orders, quantities and despatches, the Plate Issue Books, which note the issue and return of printing plates, the Paper Issue Books, which record the issue of paper to the printers, and the Register of Dies, Plates, etc. A number of gaps occur in the records, and these are noted accordingly. The Register of Dies, Plates, etc. does not contain any references to Ascension for this period.

Ascension 1938 KGVI 1/2d. Stamps - Details of the Printing Records

Ascension 1938 KGVI 1/2d block of four stamps

This article, through the written records and other material in the Crown Agents Philatelic and Security Printing Archive, and the Universal Postal Union Collection, will trace the history of the printings of this stamp over a period of some 17 years.

The Crown Agents written records consist of several types, the Requisition Books, which contain details of the orders and shipments, the Plate Issue Books, which list the issue and return of the printing plates, the Paper Issue Books, which record the issue of security paper to the printers, and the Registers of Dies, Plates etc. Unfortunately there are several gaps in the records, and these are noted where they occur. There are no records for Ascension in the Registers of Dies, Plates etc.

Ascension Stamps: 1924-1933 Badge Issue

Ascension stamps: 1924-33 Badge Issue Die Proof Frame master

As is to be expected, the 1922-24 Ascension Provisional Issue had a comparatively short life before the advent of the first true definitive issue of Ascension in 1924. However, again recourse was made to a design of St. Helena, namely the badge of St. Helena issued in 1922 but issued for Ascension in those face values considered at the time to be best suited to the actual postal needs.

Notwithstanding the above, and presumably based on experience of actual requirements, the 4d and 6d values were withdrawn in July 1927 and replaced by a 5d value the following month.

Ascension Stamps: 1934 King George V Pictorial Issue

Ascension stamps: Die Proofs of the 1½d value in blue and black with the vignette misplaced downwards

Nearly twelve years after the island of Ascension became a Dependency of St. Helena, the 1934 definitive set of stamps was issued which concentrated on the island of Ascension, incorporating a map of the island and various pictorial views. However, even then some confusion as to the actual geographic location of the island seemed to exist, in that the Die Proofs of the 1d, 8d and 2/6 values at an early stage of the vignette design showed the top line of latitude as 8° 55'S instead of 7° 55'S.