The ''Lady McLeod'' was a

paddle steamer A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses wer ...

and a private local post. The ship sailed regularly between

Port of Spain Port of Spain (Spanish: ''Puerto España''), officially the City of Port of Spain (also stylized Port-of-Spain), is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago and the third largest municipality, after Chaguanas and San Fernando. The city has a municip ...

and

San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...

, on

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...

island, now in

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

from the end of 1845 until 1854. The private local post ran during the same time with the use of postage stamps on its

mail The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letter (message), letters, and parcel (package), parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid ...

from April 1847.

History

Coming from the Napier

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, Mackay, James. "Her ladyship's ship". ''Stamp Magazine'' #73-10: October 2007, page 59. the ship was christened in hommage of the Governor Sir Henry McLeod's wife and began its Port of Spain–San Fernando route in November 1845.Courtney, Nicholas (2004). ''The Queen's Stamps'', page 49. The 60-ton, 40 hp, steamer was bought by Turnbull, Stewart & Co. In 1846, David Bryce bought it and let it some years later to a San Fernando consortium.Courtney, Nicholas (2004). ''The Queen's Stamps'', page 50. At the beginning of the 1850s, the postal

monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situati ...

ended and American and Netherlands ships entered the competition. After a last purchase, the ship foundered near San Fernando in 1854. The ''Lady McLeods bell was retrieved and has been regularly displayed by the Trinidad Philatelic Society.

Postage stamp

The private local post of the ''Lady McLeod'' began as soon as its service started in November 1845. There were two rates: a monthly subscription of one dollar, or ten cents per letter.Advertisements of November 1845 and 16 April 1847 published in the ''

Port of Spain Gazette The ''Port of Spain Gazette'' was a newspaper based in Port of Spain, Trinidad (and later, Trinidad and Tobago) between 1825 and 1959. The paper took a proslavery position in the 1830s, and later supported the rights of local elites against the ...

'', quoted in Courtney, Nicholas (2004). ''The Queen's Stamps'', page 49. In April 1847, Bryce decided to introduce

stamps Stamp or Stamps or Stamping may refer to: Official documents and related impressions * Postage stamp, used to indicate prepayment of fees for public mail * Ration stamp, indicating the right to rationed goods * Revenue stamp, used on documents to ...

that were sold individually for 5 cents, or for 4 cents if bought by the hundred. The ''Lady McLeod'' only transported letters bearing stamps, or pre-paid mail of the subscribers. The imperforate stamp's illustration was a white ship on a blue background, with the initials "LM^c L" printed underneath. Lithographically printed, the stamp was cancelled by a cross drawn by hand or by ripping up a corner. In 1851, the British colony issued its own stamps figuring a sitting

Britannia Britannia () is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used in classical antiquity, the Latin ''Britannia'' was the name variously applied to the British Isles, Great ...

.From a waterpainting by

Henry Corbould Henry Corbould (1787–1844) was an English artist. Life The third son of Richard Corbould, he was born in London. He studied painting with his father, and was at an early age admitted as a student of the Royal Academy, under Fuseli, where he ...

, reproduced in Courtney, Nicholas (2004). ''The Queen's Stamps'', page 100.

References

Bibliography

* Courtney, Nicholas (2004). ''The Queen's Stamps. The Authorised History of the

Royal Philatelic Collection The Royal Philatelic Collection is the postage stamp collection of the British royal family. It is the most comprehensive collection of items related to the philately of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth, with many unique pieces. ...

''. Methuen, , pages 48–50. The story inspired by a letter dated 2 June 1847, with a non cancelled ''Lady McLeod'' stamp, that the Duke of York, later

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

, acquired around the 1890s. * Mackay, James. "Her ladyship's ship". ''Stamp Magazine'' #73-10: October 2007, page 59. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lady McLeod Paddle steamers Victorian-era ships History of Trinidad and Tobago Postage stamps Ships built on the River Clyde Philately of Trinidad and Tobago

History

Postage stamp

See also

References

Bibliography