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Auction: 17025 - Bermuda, Crossroads of the Atlantic: A Postal History from 1617 to 1877 - The David Pitts Collection
Lot: 101

(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 7, July 1833-June 1840 by Cunard to Halifax
In July 1833 the Admiralty discontinued its Bermuda-Halifax service and contracted it to Samuel Cunard. The Cunard Line carried mail to and from Bermuda by one route or another until 1886. During this period Cunard used five sailing vessels to carry the mail from Bermuda to Halifax and return. From Halifax mail was carried by an Admiralty packet to Great Britain or the United States
1840 (20 July) double rate entire letter from Halifax "p Mail Boat" to Bermuda and carried on the Lady Ogle, showing fine despatch double-arc datestamp and rated "8"; a clean letter carried on the last trip of the Admiralty Packet which also carried mail from Great Britain by the last North American Admiralty Packet Express. Photo

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