Cancels Can Be More Rare Than You Think.....example

To quote T.P.G. Shaw from "Canadian Transportation Postmarks":

"It would be physically impossible for one railway post office clerk to work for the whole distance of a long route, hence the route is divided into sections called runs. Each run has its own particular postmark. This consists of the name of the Railroad in some early cancels but more usually the termini of the section; and abbreviation R.P.O. or less commonly Ry.P.O. for Railroad Post Office, T.P.O. for Traveling Post Office or M.C. for Mail Car. The M.C. although still in use was being replaced by R.P.O. from about 1885. The information may be completed by a clerk's number symbol or name, or special information such as the Province or special type of train such as "Local" or "Express". The above information is fixed permanently to the hammer. Hand set indicia showing the train number, direction and date are set by the clerk who is responsible for the safety of the hammer."

Thus the No 2 is the number of the clerk who was responible for the hammer and not part of the route. It is separate at the bottom of the hammer, like the province name is usually separate at the bottom of a normal post office hammer.

Jan

Great info thanks.

wert hope you find the cancel interesting.

I believe the cancel may be "green Bay" which is a part of "Sault Ste.Marie"..Was part of Algoma..Just saying.

Robert

Robert:



Today this small community in Charlevoix, QC, is called "La Malbaie" but in the past was known as Murray Bay - sorry to be late in this interesting thread but I had to eat good Spanish food, being in Espana at the moment

Cheers !

René

wert. I know you love a challenge, thats why I threw it up here. You collect this area, so I hope you are finding this fun ?.

It's N.Bay-Sault Ste. Marie M.C. ...an RPO cancel. I can see if I have one and will post a scan of I do.

j2186. Great detective work and well spotted. I would never have figured out that was No 2 upside down.

wert. If this is one that will fit into your collection, drop me a line.

wert,

Here is an old SFL that is also addressed to the County of Megantic in Quebec. Thought it was an interesting match to your LAKE MEGANTIC postmark on Page 3. There is no Megantic receiver but there is a Quebec postmark on back.

That is a nice cover Jimjung for the County of Megantic in Quebec.

Send it to me...haha
Robert

Very nice, Jimjung !

And I have a book on BC Post Offices that list info on your MERRITT town cancel. Seems it was opened on Aug 15 1907.