2nd Cover of the day 17 May 2020 - POW HMT Lake Manitoba

[Peter Harvey]

I meant to post this early, a busy day went to a stamp fair.

Picture shows a sadly damaged cover, but you can not have it all, extremely rare. Cover addressed to a Prisoner of War on board the S.S. Lake Manitoba at Portsmouth sent New Years Eve December 1914 from New Cross with GOSPORT to reverse and the sam day the cachet PRISONER OF WAR PORTSMOUTH HANTS 1 JAN 1915 H.M.T. "Lake Manitoba", a few pencil and crayon annotations, 995 (Prisoners number) "Letter Only" and red III, the letter is addressed to Section Orlop III and Orlop refers to the lower deck of the wooden sailing ship.

I googled HMT Manitoba and Mr Google took me to Martin Lynes Display on the society website with another copy of the same cachet.

The British 'leased', or hired 9 ships at the outbreak of war and converted them to prison ships, there was a great deal of controversy around this, with the ships costing the tax payer £1000 - £1500 a month, the commentary of the day has this openly discussed in the House of Commons. In the main they held internees and naval crew/ merchant navy crew from seized vessels.  Only a few months later the number was down to six, the Ascania, the Scotian, Lake Manitoba, Saxonia, Invernia and the Royal Edward.

[Michael Dobbs]

A STAMP FAIR - what stamp fair was on to-day??

All those in Kent have been cancelled - including the June dates.  York in July is also cancelled.

Were you able to carry out social distancing?

Mike  :D

[Peter Harvey]

Sorry Mike, it was just to see who would be first to comment... prize to you !!

Well, it was sort of a Stamp Fair. I had this massive box of covers arrive about there weeks ago, unopened (to many house jobs and work) so today i have a stamp fair at home, on the dining room table, safe and sound and Jill stayed away, so social distancing was fine.

:) :) :) :)

[Michael Dobbs]

[font=comic sans ms]Ha Ha Ha  ;D ;D ;D - I wonder what my prize will be ??[/font]

[Alan Baker]

You get to stay as Hon Sec for another 20 years!