0229 UNITED KINGDOM (Falkland Islands) - The Christ Church Cathedral in Port Stanley

The capital of the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, is Stanley (also known as Port Stanley), actually the only true city in the archipelago, with a population of 2,115. Founded in 1843 and named after Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies at the time, it was a major repair stop for boats travelling through the Straits of Magellan before the construction of the Panama Canal. Since the Falklands War, Stanley has developed greatly, with the building of many residential housing, being now (in 2012) more than a third bigger than it was in 1982.

In picture is the centre of Stanley, with Christ Church Cathedral, the southernmost Anglican cathedral in the world and also the parish church of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the British Antarctic Territory. Designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield in gothic revival style, it was built on the site of Holy Trinity Church (destroyed by a peat slip in 1886), and was consecrated in 1892. Interesting on this church is the collection of 55 hassocks (cushions used while the congregation kneels on while the prayer), knitted by locals and depicting a design or picture that has a connection with the islands.

In the front of the church stands Whalebone Arch, an original monument made from the jaws of two blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest mammals of the world. The bones were brought from South Shetland Islands in 1922, and the monument was erected in 1933 to commemorate the centenary of the British rule in Falkland Islands. On the postcard appears also the Falkland Islands coat of arms, granted in 1948. The ship represents the Desire, the vessel in which John Davis is reputed to have discovered the islands in 1592. The motto "Desire the Right" also refers to the ship's name. The Ram represents sheep-farming and the tussac grass shows the most notable native vegetation.

About the stamps
On the postcard 0229

The wonderful four stamps are the complete commemorative series named Islands, Stacks and Bluffs - Part 3, designed by Tony Chater and issued on April 11, 2011:
• Bird Island (0.03 GBP)
• Eddystone Rock (0.27 GBP)
• Round Island and Sail Rock (0.70 GBP)
• Direction Island 51°53’S 58°21’W (1.71 GBP)

As you probably noticed, on the postcard aren't my name and my address, because the sender sent it in an envelope, after she sticking the stamps and cancelled them.

On the envelope
The first stamp is part of the Petrels and Shearwaters commemorative series, designed by Tony Chater and issued on July 8, 2010:
• Sooty Shearwater / Puffinus griseus (0.27 GBP)
• White-chinned Petrel / Procellaria aequinoctialis (0.70 GBP)
• Southern Giant Petrel / Macronectes giganteus (0.95 GBP) - It's on the envelope for the postcard 0229
• Greater Shearwater / Puffinus gravis (1.15 GBP)

The following three stamps are part of the definitive series named Aircraft 2008, designed by Ross Watton and issued on August 1, 2008:
• Taylorcraft Auster MK 5 (0.01 GBP) - It's on the envelope for the postcard 0229
• Boeing 747 (0.02 GBP)
• De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter (0.05 GBP) - It's on the envelope for the postcard 0229
• De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver (0.27 GBP)
• Lockheed C-130 Hercules (0.10 GBP)
• Airbus A320 (0.55 GBP)
• Lockheed L-1011-385-3 Tristar C2 (0.65 GBP)
• Avro Vulcan B2 (0.90 GBP) - It's on the envelope for the postcard 0229
• Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander (1.00 GBP)
• Panavia Tornado F.3 (2.00 GBP)
• De Havilland Canada DHC-7-110 Dash 7 (3.00 GBP)
• Bae Sea Harrier (5.00 GBP)

The last one is part of the commemorative series named Islands, Stacks and Bluffs - Part 3, about wich I wrote above.

Sender: Vanessa (Falkland Island Philatelic Bureau)
Sent from Stanley (Falkland Island), on 07.05.2012
Photo: Nick Bonner