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Auction: 17025 - Bermuda, Crossroads of the Atlantic: A Postal History from 1617 to 1877 - The David Pitts Collection
Lot: 72

(x) Packet Letters
G.P.O./Admiralty Period, 1806-1840
The G.P.O. continued its Falmouth Packet service to North America, extending it to Bermuda in 1806 in response to military needs. At first the G.P.O. had a virtual monopoly on the North America route though by 1823 competition from American companies rendered the service unprofitable and the Admiralty assumed responsibility for it since military needs remained unchanged
The service went underwent a number of route changes before it was finally abandoned in 1840 and contracted to Cunard. There are seven different routes
Route 3, April 1815-October 1823
After the War of 1812 the G.P.O. resumed its pre-war summer/winter route. The Bermuda Post Office was closed from November 1814 until October 1817 and again from November 1821 until May 1830. There was no official internal carriage though overseas letters continued to be handled as before despite formal G.P.O. approval. After 6 April 1823 the Admiralty took sole responsibility for this route until 1833 when it contracted the Bermuda-Halifax portion to Cunard
1822 (10 Oct.) large part entire from Thomas Driver (artist) to London via the Summer Route to London, per H.M. Brig Doterel to Halifax and thence per packet Francis Freeling to Falmouth, rated "2/2" and "3/4" (currency) and showing a generally fine "bermuda" fleuron datestamp (PM1) in red, London datestamp (9.11) on reverse; two filing creases, one of which crosses the fleuron datestamp. Photo

Note: Bermuda currency varied during this period, gradually inflating against sterling until sterling was adopted locally

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