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Troubles and Transition - Ireland 1900 to 1930

Introduction

Postal aspects of the struggle for Irish independence and change from the British to an Irish postal administration.

  • Background to the Rising
  • The Easter Rising of 1916 and its Aftermath
  • The War of Independence
  • British Forces in Ireland
  • The Civil War
  • The Transitional Period and its Consequences
  • Postal Stationery
  • Official Mail
  • The Postal Strike of 1922
  • The Border
  • The Introduction of Irish
  • Postage Due Labels
  • Epilogue - Independence

A Home Rule Act for Ireland had been passed in May 1914, but was suspended for the duration of the Great War. The Easter Rising of 1916 changed the situation and helped cause the eclipse of the Irish Parliamentary Party by Sinn Fein at the 1918 General Election. Dail Eireann was formed by MPs who refused to sit at Westminster, it sat in secret and led a parallel administration. Concurrently a guerilla war of independence was fought against crown forces. The Treaty of 1921 established a Provisional Government of Ireland, but imposed partition and retained an oath of loyalty to the King. This acceptance of less than the full republic led to civil war, an inauspicious start to the new Irish Free State.

The effective transfer between the British and Irish postal authorities took place at midnight on 31 March, 1922. Overprinted British stamps had already been issued on 17 February, 1922. The first stamp of Irish design was issued on 6 December, 1922, the day the Irish Free State came into existence and the first anniversary of the Treaty.

Reference: Irelands Transition by Dr. C.I. Dulin,
published by MacDonnell Whyte Ltd., Dublin 1992 ISBN 09517095-1-8

(link)

Frame 1

  1. Introduction
BACKGROUND TO THE RISING
  1. The British Crown
  2. Sinn Fein Labels
  3. Anti-Home Rule Movement Labels
  4. Anti-Home Rule Movement Labels
  5. Anti-Home Rule Movement Labels
  6. First World War Censorship
  7. First World War - Prisoners in Ireland
  8. First World War - Prisoners of War in Ireland
  9. Impact of the First World War
  10. Irish Support to the Troops
  11. Ulster Volunteers Hospital in France
  12. Casement's Visit to Germany
  13. Casement's Visit to Germany
THE EASTER RISING
  1. British Forces "On Active Service"
  2. Local Censorship
(link)

Frame 2

THE EASTER RISING (cont)
  1. "Home Defence" Army Post Offices
  2. Temporary Cancellations
  3. Temporary Cancellations
  4. Temporary Cancellations
  5. Emergency Use of "Skeleton" Datestamps
  6. Emergency Use of "Skeleton" Datestamps
  7. Censored Mail From an Irish Prisoner
  8. Censored Mail To Prisoners
  9. Card From an Irish Prisoner Interned in Stafford Prison
  10. Censorship of Civilian Mail
  11. Censorship of Civilian Mail
  12. Censorship of Civilian Mail
  13. Sinn Fein and Nationalist "Local Posts" 1918-21
  14. Irish Convention - July 1917 to April 1918
  15. Special Military Area - County Clare, 1918
THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
  1. Raided Mail
(link)

Frame 3

THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE (cont)
  1. Raided Mail
  2. Raided Mail
  3. Raided Mail
  4. Raided Mail - Recovered by Military
  5. Undeliverable - Office Closed by Military Authorities
BRITISH FORCES IN IRELAND
  1. Army Post Offices
  2. Army Post Offices
  3. Army Post Offices
  4. Field Post Offices
  5. Field Post Offices
  6. Field Post Offices - Rubber and Steel Datestamps
  7. Royal Navy in the War of Independence
  8. Royal Navy in the War of Independence
  9. Military Airmail Service Operated by RAF
  10. Military Airmail Service Operated by RAF
THE CIVIL WAR
  1. Irish Free State Established 6 December 1922
(link)

Frame 4

THE CIVIL WAR (cont)
  1. Raided Mail
  2. Raided Mail
  3. Censorship
  4. "No Stamps Available"
  5. "No Stamps Available"
  6. "Salved from fire GPO Dublin" November 1922
  7. Emergency Use of Krag Machines
  8. Emergency Postmarks
  9. "Iris an Puist" First Issue
  10. Provisional Government of Ireland
  11. Provisional Government of Ireland - Official and Unofficial Overprints
THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
  1. Use of Overprinted Stamps (variety overprint inverted)
  2. Transitional Use of Un-Overprinted Stamps
  3. Transitional Use of Un-Overprinted Stamps
  4. Overprinted Stamps Used Outside Southern Ireland
  5. Overprinted Stamps Used Outside Southern Ireland
(link)

Frame 5

THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD AND ITS CONSEQUENCES (cont)
  1. Overprinted Stamps Used at Army Post Office in Southern Ireland
  2. Overprinted Stamps Used at Army Post Office in Southern Ireland
  3. Combination Franking
  4. Combination Franking
  5. Combination Franking
  6. First Day That Irish Overprints Only Were Valid
  7. Un-Overprinted Stamp Allowbale Beyond the Transition Period
  8. Invalid Use of Un-Overprinted Stamp to UK - Credit Not Given
  9. Invalid Use of Overprinted Stamp to Ireland - Credit Not Given
  10. Invalid Use of Un-Overprinted Stamp to UK - Credit Given
  11. Invalid Use of Overprinted Stamp to Ireland - Credit Given
  12. Invalid Use of Irish Stamps Accepted in the UK
  13. Invalid Use of British Stamps to the UK - Credit Given
  14. Invalid Use of British Stamps to the UK - Correct and Incorrect Treatment
  15. Invalid Use of Irish Stamps Accepted in the UK - at the Empire Exhibition
  16. Invalid Use of British Stamps in Ireland - Foreign Mail Rules Followed
(link)

Frame 6

THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD AND ITS CONSEQUENCES (cont)
  1. Invalid Use of Overprinted Stamps to Ireland - Credit Given
  2. Invalid Use of British Stamps Accepted in Ireland
  3. Incorrect Overprints Accepted in Ireland
  4. Invalid Use of Overprints Accepted in Northern Ireland (UK) to Ireland
  5. Acceptable Use of Un-Overprinted Stamps in the Free State Beyond the Transition Period
  6. Acceptable Use of Overprints Within UK Beyond the Transition Period
  7. Invalid Use of Overprinted Stamps Within the UK
POSTAL STATIONERY
  1. British Stationery
  2. British Stationery
  3. British Stationery
  4. British Stationery
  5. British Stationery
  6. British Stationery
  7. British Stationery
  8. British Stationery
  9. British Registered Envelopes
(link)

Frame 7

POSTAL STATIONERY (cont)
  1. British Registered Envelopes
  2. Late Use of British Postal Stationery
  3. Late Use of British Postal Stationery
  4. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  5. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  6. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  7. See sheet 102
  8. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  9. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  10. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  11. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  12. See sheet 107
  13. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  14. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  15. British Registered Envelopes (Printings for Ireland)
  16. Irish Stationery - Registered Envelopes
(link)

Frame 8

POSTAL STATIONERY (cont)
  1. Telegraph Form - Special Printing for Ireland
  2. Irish Stationery - Envelope and Lettercard
  3. Irish Stationery - Postcards
  4. Irish Stationery - Newspaper Wrappers
  5. Irish Stationery - Commercial Size Envelopes
  6. Irish Stationery - Stamped to Order
OFFICIAL MAIL
  1. Provisional Government
  2. "OHMS" Changed to "Provisional Government of Ireland"
  3. "Provisional Government of Ireland"
  4. "Provisional Government of Ireland" Amended to "Irish Free State"
  5. Provisional Government of Ireland - Rialtas Sealadach na hEireann
  6. "Irish Free State" on "OHMS" Previously Amended to 'Provisional Government of Ireland'
  7. "OHMS" Changed to "Irish Free State"
  8. Irish Free State - Saorstat Eireann
  9. Irish Free State
  10. Irish Free State - Saorstat Eireann
(link)

Frame 9

OFFICIAL MAIL (cont)
  1. "Provisional Government of Ireland" - 16 January to 5 December 1922
  2. Post Free - No Stamp Required
  3. Provisional Government of Ireland Official Stationery Used in the UK
  4. Crown Removed From Certifying Handstamp
  5. Correct Use of "On His Majesty's Service" in the Irish Free State
THE POSTAL STRIKE OF 1922
  1. Handbill Produced by the Strikers
  2. 10-29 September 1922
  3. Use of a Railway Letter to Overcome the Strike
  4. "Undelivered / Service Suspended" Handstamp
  5. Report of Commission of Inquiry into the Post Office
THE BORDER
  1. Bi-Territorial Handstamps
  2. Bi-Territorial Handstamps
  3. Bi-Territorial Handstamps
  4. Bi-Territorial Handstamps
  5. Cross-Border Operation
  6. Cross-Border Operation
(link)

Frame 10

THE INTRODUCTION OF IRISH
  1. Change of Name
  2. Change of Town Name - Queenstown to Cobh
  3. Change of name - Kingstown to Dun Laoghaire
  4. Experimental type of Cancellation
  5. Change of name - Dublin to Baile Atha Cliath - Bulk Posting
  6. "Official Paid" Circular Datestamps
  7. Registered - Deimhnithe
  8. Parcel Post - Post na mbeart
  9. Election Mail
  10. Telegraph Form
POSTAGE DUE LABELS
  1. Delivery Fee
  2. Continued Use of British Postage Due Labels - Irish Labels Not Yet Issued
  3. Continued Use of British Postage Due Labels - Irish Labels Not Yet Issued
  4. Continued Use of British Postage Due Labels - Irish Labels Not Yet Issued
  5. Introduction of Irish Postage Due Labels
  6. Introduction of Irish Postage Due Labels
(link)

Frame 11

POSTAGE DUE LABELS (cont)
  1. Postage Due Collected With Definitives
  2. Combinational Use
  3. Combinational Use
EPILOGUE - INDEPENDENCE
  1. The First Commemorative Issue - Centenary of Catholic Emancipation - Portrait of Daniel O'Connell (3 Values)