Guernsey
Bailiwick of Guernsey is part of the Channel Islands in the English Channel close to the Cotenin Peninsular. Capital: St Peter Port.Came to the British Crown in 1066 with the Norman invasion. Although it is within the British Isles it retains its own local administration and collects its own taxes. Guernsey also consists of Herm Island, Sark and smaller islands. Guernsey has an area of 78 sq km.and a population of 65,000.(2005). The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.
Postal History
There were no official postal services until late in the 18th century. All mail was carried by the trading vessels which plied from Weymouth or St Malo in France. A post office was opened on the 22nd March,1794.
When Great Britain first produced stamps, they were brought into use immediately in the Channel islands. Maltese Cross cancellations were issued and a distinctive cross, probably made locally,was used in Alderney, which had opened a Post Office in 1843. Numerals issued in 1844 were '324' for Guernsey and '965' for Alderney in 1848. From 1871-1914 British adhesives were continued to be used with standard British postmarks. Many high values can be found with postmarks of the main post office. These relate to the payment of tobacco tax on the island and are not,strictly,postal useage. Post offices had been established on Sark and in 1925 a post office was opened on Herm Island. These were both sub-offices of Guernsey. The Herm Island office was closed in 1938. Regular air services were inaugurated to Guernsey in 1939. They operated from Southampton and carried a GPO contract until the outbreak of war. After the fall of France, the invasion of the islands by the Germans and the unopposed occupation took place on 30th June,1940. British stamps were soon exhausted and replaced with local issues and bisects were also used. When the islands were liberated in 1945 the British Postal Office allowed full validity for the local issues for one year. Previously they had only been valid for local and inter-island postage. In 1948 a special issue was made to commemorate the third anniversary of the liberation of the Islands. These two values were available in the Channel islands and valid for postage throughout Britain. In 1969 Guernsey issued their own stamps as an independent postal administration.
Link to Comprehensive Price List of Guernsey Issues
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