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Acknowledgements

Compilation of the information presented in this article would have been impossible without the generous
help of Frank Walton, FRPSL, and John Sacher, FRPSL, which I most gratefully acknowledge. I also
thank Philip Beale, FRPSL, for raising several interesting points, a number of which I have attempted to
address in this revised manuscript.

References

1. Beale, P.O. (1988) The Postal Service of Sierra Leone, Chapter 8: The Sixpence Stamp of 1859 to 1905,
pp.119-125, RPSL, London.
2. Walton, F.L. (1995) Sierra Leone First Sixpence - Marginal Inscription, Cameo Vol.5, No.1, pp.299-
300.
3. Carter, D.W. (1997) Comparison of Stanley Gibbons and Scott Classcations of the First Sierra Leone
Sixpence, Cameo Vol.5, No.6, pp.278-279.
4. Quirk, P.G. (2010) Perforations of the First Sierra Leone 6d: Line or Comb? The London Philatelist
Vol.119, No.1377, pp.213-216.
5. Stanley Gibbons (2009) Commonwealth Stamp Catalogue: West Africa, 1st edition, p.115.
6. Robson Lowe (1949) The Encyclopaedia of British Empire Postage Stamps: Vol. II The Empire in
Africa, 1st edition, pp.344-345.
7. Beale, Chapter 9: The First Victorian Keyplate Stamps of 1872 -1896, pp.127-133.
8. Easton, J. (1949) Postage Stamps in the Making, Chapter XIX: Perforating, pp.217-232, Faber &
Faber, London.
9. Stanley Gibbons (1970) Great Britain Specialised Stamp Catalogue, Volume 1, Queen Victoria, 3rd
edition, p.175.
10. Poole, B.W.H. (1911) Sierra Leone (W.E.P. Series of Philatelic Handbooks), D. Field, London.
11. Spink, British Africa Stamps and Covers from the Vestey Collection, 8 December 2010.
<http://www.spink.com/auctions/pdf/1028.pdf>, accessed 26 December, 2010.
12. Beale, Chapter 27: Stamps overprinted Specimen and Cancelled, pp.203-204.
13. Samuel, M. (1976) Specimen Stamps of the Crown Colonies, 1857-1948, pp.220-221, RPSL, London.
14. Samuel, p.38.
15. Beale, personal communication
16. Walton, personal communication
17. Walton, personal communication
18. Beale, p.147
19. Robson Lowe, Pattisson Sale, 10 November 1943.
20. H. R. Harmer, The "Hind" Collection: Fourth Sale, Africa, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, 11 June 1934.

Gambia T.P.O. postmark 201.10

Oliver Andrew

This postmark (Fig. 1) is recorded by Duncan & Andrew, The Postal Markings of The Gambia, WASC
2005 p75, in use between 31 March 1922 and 26 May 1922. It was in use on the "Vampire", the only
T.P.O. vessel in service at that time.

Recently I acquired a copy of this cancellation struck on the
Elephant-and-palm ½d green. This stamp was issued on 1 Sept
1922. The date is only partly legible but it seems clear that this
canceller was in use probably until the introduction of the second
T.P.O. vessel, the "Prince of Wales" in December 1922. Two
T.P.O.s meant two cancellers and, from December, circular date-
stamps are the only marks known. Presumably 201.01 was
withdrawn then. Difficulties may have been caused by its size (46 x
27mm); it would have needed a special ink-pad, and lots of ink,
which may be why it is so often faintly struck.