February 13, 2016

1081-1082, 2287-2288 UNITED KINGDOM (Bermuda) - Bermuda map and snapshots

1081 Bermuda map (1)

Posted on 20.05.2014, 13.02.2016
Bermuda is a group of low-forming islands (181, the largest being Main Island) located in the North Atlantic Ocean, at about 1,030km from Cape Hatteras (North Carolina), near the western edge of the Sargasso Sea. It is the northernmost point of the so-called Bermuda Triangle, a region of sea in which, according to legend, a number of aircraft and surface vessels have disappeared under supposedly unexplained or mysterious circumstances. The archipelago is formed by high points on the rim of the caldera of a submarine volcano.

1082 Bermuda map (2)

The top of the seamount has gone through periods of complete submergence, during which its limestone cap was formed by marine organisms, and during the Ice Ages the entire caldera was above sea level.  Bermuda has a humid subtropical climate, on the border of tropical climate, and is within the hurricane belt, the only source of fresh water being rainfall. Its economy is based on offshore insurance and reinsurance, and tourism. Bermuda's pink sand beaches and clear, cerulean blue ocean waters are popular with tourists.

2287 Bermuda snapshots (1)
 

Bermuda was discovered in 1503 by Spanish explorer Juan de Bermúdez, after whom the islands are named. He claimed the apparently uninhabited islands for the Spanish Empire. In 1609, the English Virginia Company, which had established Virginia and Jamestown on the North American continent two years earlier, established a settlement. The islands became a British colony following the 1707 unification of the parliaments of Scotland and England, which created the Kingdom of Great Britain.

2287 Bermuda snapshots (2)

Its first capital, St. George's (originally called New London), was established in 1612 and is the oldest continuously inhabited English town in the New World. At the begining of the American War of Independence, Bermuda supported the rebels, but the economic realities caused Bermudians to seize opportunities; they turned to privateering against the Americans. Following the war, with the buildup of Naval and military forces in Bermuda, the primary leg of the Bermudian economy became defence infrastructure. Even after tourism began later in the 19th century, it remained for London a base more than a colony.

Bermuda's culture is a mixture of the various sources of its population: Native American, Spanish-Caribbean, English, Irish, and Scots cultures were evident in the 17th century, and became part of the dominant British culture. English is the primary and official language. Due to 160 years of immigration from Portuguese Atlantic islands, a portion of the population also speaks Portuguese. There are strong British influences, together with Afro-Caribbean ones.

Bermuda's proximity to the United States, as well as its origin as part of Virginia, means that many aspects of US culture are reflected in, or incorporated into, Bermudian culture. Since 1815, the Colony's capital relocated from St. George's to Hamilton, now a major port and tourist destination. Its population of 1800 is one of the smallest of any capital city. Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.

About the stamps
On the postcard 1081
The first stamp is part of a series issued on February 9, 2012, to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, under the motto: Lifetime of service. The series of six stamps with diamond shape are adorned with official and informal photos of Queen Elizabeth II, one from each decade of her reign:
• Queen making a Christmas radio broadcast from Auckland, New Zealand, 1953 (0.10 BMD)
• Queen photographed by Christian Furr in Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace in 1995 (0.35 BMD)
• Queen (in a headscarf) laughing, at Windsor Polo Club in 1980 (0.70 BMD)
• Queen in pink outfit at service of Thanksgiving for her 80th birthday at Collegiate Church of St Mary in Stafford, in 2006 (0.85 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1081
• An official Coronation portrait, of Queen in blue outfit, by Cecil Beaton on June 2, 1953 (1.10 BMD)
• Queen at a State Banquet in grounds of the White House during official 'Bicentenary' tour of USA, July 7, 1976 (1.25 BMD)

The second stamp is part of a series issued on January 22, 2009, to commemorate 400 Years of Settlement:
• 0.35 BMD
• 0.70 BMD
• 0.85 BMD - It's on the postcard 1081
• 1.25 BMD


The following two stamps, depicting William Perot (0.25 BMD) and Mail carriage 1920s (0,70 BMD), are part of the series The 200th Anniversary of Bermuda Postal Service, designed by Jackie Aubrey and issued on April 19, 2012.
• William Perot (0.25 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1081
• Mail ferry 1800s (0,35 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1954
• Mail carriage 1920s (0,70 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1081
• Flying boat 1930s (0,95 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1082
• Mail van 1960s (1,10 BMD)
• R-Post 2000s (1,25 BMD)


The last one, depicting Slit Worm-Shell (0.05 BMD), belongs to the first part of the series Bermudan Shells:

10.09.2002 - Bermudan Shells I
Slit Worm-Shell (0.05 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1081
Netted Olive (0.10 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1224
Noble Wentletrap (0.35 BMD)
Zigzag Scallop (0.45 BMD)
Bermuda Cone (0.50 BMD)
Angular Triton (0.20 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1082
Atlantic Trumpet Triton (0.40 BMD) - It's on the envelope
Purple Sea Snail (0.80 BMD)
Flame Helmet (0.90 BMD) - It's on the postcard 1675
Bermuda's Slit Shell (3.00 BMD)
Reticulated Cowrie-helmet (4.00 BMD)

20.03.2003 - Bermudan Shells III
Frog Shell (0.25 BMD)
Colourful Atlantic Moon (0.30 BMD) - it's on the postcard 1222
Very Distorted Distorsio (0.75 BMD)
Scotch Bonnet (1.00 BMD)
Gold Mouth Triton (2.00 BMD)
Dennison's Morum (5.00 BMD)

On the envelope
The first stamp, depicting Atlantic Trumpet Triton (0.40 BMD), is part of the Bermudan Shells, about which I wrote above.


The second stamp is part of the series Piloting - Pioneers of Progress, issued on May 19, 2011:
• 0.35 BMD
• 0.70 BMD - It's on the envelope
• 0.85 BMD
• 1.10 BMD

The third stamp, depicting William Perot (0.25 BMD), is part of the series The 200th Anniversary of Bermuda Postal Service, about which I wrote above.

The stamp on the back of the envelope depict Gombey, perhaps the island’s most recognizable and vibrant cultural tradition. Masked dancers parade through the streets of Bermuda on holidays especially on Bermuda Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The troupes of Gombeys are accompanied by a band of musicians usually playing a bass drum, a military-style fife, two snare drums, a triangle, and a bottle. The word "Gombey" means "rustic drum" in the Bantu language, and the tradition is a unique blend of African, West Indian, Amerindian, and British influences.

On the postcard 1082
The first and the last stamp, depicting Angular Triton (0.20 BMD) and Slit Worm-Shell (0.05 BMD), are part of the Bermudan Shells, about which I wrote above. The second and the third, depicting Mail carriage 1920s (0,70 BMD) and Flying boat 1930s (0,95 BMD), are part of the series The 200th Anniversary of Bermuda Postal Service, about which I wrote also above.

On the postcard 2287
The first stamp is part of the series Bays and Inlets, about which I wrote here. The second is part of the series The 200th Anniversary of Bermuda Postal Service, about which I wrote above.

On the postcard 2288
The first stamp is part of the series Bays and Inlets, about which I wrote here. The last stamp is part of the series Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009, about which I wrote here.

References
Bermuda - Wikipedia

Sender 1081, 1082, 2287, 2288: Denise 
1081: Sent from Southampton (Bermuda / United Kingdom), on 01.05.2014
1082: Sent from Southampton (Bermuda / United Kingdom), on 01.05.2014
2287: Sent from Southampton (Bermuda / United Kingdom), on 24.04.2014
2288: Sent from Southampton (Bermuda / United Kingdom), on 24.04.2014

1 comment: