Examples of International Rapid Machine Cancels
Circular Type
The Circular type of cancel may be found with up to three rings with differing diameters, printed
with dotted or solid lines.
Single ring types, containing the name of the city and province, or perhaps the name CANADA, were used mainly for advertisements and drop letters (letters meant to be delivered by the post office where they were delivered).
The town of Lucan, Ontario, used a unique circular cancel with an inside split ring.
Example of Circular Cancels
Squared Circle
Squared circles on Admirals are few in number. Approximately 20 examples are known to exist,
the most common being Ottawa.
Rings
Four different rings have been found on Admiral stamps: a single ring type, a double one
enclosing a large dot in the centre, and six and seven ring types. The single and seven ring type
are the rarest.
Split Rings
A few cities, especially in Quebec, cancelled stamps using split ring types.
Example of Split Ring Cancels
Bars
Bar cancels, so called because of their thick lines, resembling the bars of a jailhouse window, are
often found in conjunction with duplex and slogan cancels. Some may be found standing alone,
however. Besides the regular heavy bar types, there are two other unique types: a "button" cancel
from St. Jacobs, Ontario, and rectangular bars from West Milton, Ontario.
Example of Bar Cancels
Cork Cancel
Although cork cancels are usually associated with Canada's earlier issues, a few cancellations of
this type may be found on the Admirals.
Crown Cancel
Although scarce, the Ottawa crown cancel may be found on Admiral stamps.
Roller Cancel
The roller cancel was used extensively. A number of varieties exist, consisting of vertical bars
with the city and provincial names appearing within the bars, and sometimes a number between
the bars. They also exist showing street names, registration numbers, railways, stations and
postal terminals.
The Duplex Cancel
Duplex cancels were invented to enable envelope postmarks and stamp cancels to be applied in
a single action by postal clerks. There are duplex cancels that feature fancy designs, and others
that incorporate numbers and letters, with the city of Montreal having been the main user of this
type.
Cancels depicting the Montreal numbers are only found within thick bars. The ones with letters,
however, can be found both with thick bars and with thin wavy lines. Numbers 1 to 13 and
letters A to J were used.
Straight Line Cancel
This is only included for completeness as no example of this type of cancel is available at this
time for illustration. It is believed, however, that a few straight line cancels may have been used
for emergency purposes.
Railway Post Offices
There were many railway post offices during the Admiral era, and approximately 50 different
railway cancel designs are known to exist.
Registered
There are many kinds of Registered cancels, with a large R inside of an oval. Black ink was used
most of the time, although some were made in blue or violet.
Another type is the rectangular box cancel showing the large R on the left, with the name of the city at right on top, and with "Original No. at the bottom. Some other box varieties depict the large R, date and city.
Still other types have single rings with the city and large R at the bottom. Double rings also can be found.
Lastly, another interesting type depicts the word Registered in large, outline lettering.
Examples of Registered Cancels
Field Post Office
A Field Post Office is one used by the armed forces. Two special Field Post Office cancel types
are associated with the Admiral era: ones used at various camps where militia postmarks were
applied, and the rarer expeditionary force cancels.
The cancels originating from the field are identified by an alphanumeric code that appeared at
the bottom of a double ring. "3X", for example, would identify the cancellation as having
originated in 3 Brigade.
Censors
There are two general categories of censor cancels. One is found on First World War Prisoner of War mail. This cancel, which was usually
applied to the cover and not the stamp, depicted the date and name of the internment camp. The other is a censor mark that was applied to covers of letters sent from military theatres of operations. They were applied at the unit level before shipping to a Field Post Office for sorting and forwarding.
Example of Military Censor Cancels
Paquebot
These cancels were made on packet boats. Besides being associated with small parcels,
"packets" refer to mail dispatched to or received by packet-boats, which were mail-carrying
vessels that ran on prescribed schedules.
Revenue
Postage stamps, including Admirals, have often been used for revenue purposes, to pay for
administration charges, etc. When they were used in this way, they were cancelled with many
different designs.
Struck Through Cloth
Cancels that were made through a cloth or from a cloth covered inkpad show a blurred lettering
from the weave of the cloth.
Letter Carrier
This rare marking indicates cancellaton by a "Letter Carrier's Branch."
Departments
Extremely rare, a cancel exists showing "Department of Interior Ottawa" in an oval along side a
single ring Ottawa Canada cancel, all in blue.
Street Cancellations
As cities grew, they needed to establish sub-post offices to cope with the volume of mail. Many
cancels depict these locations by street name.
War Tax
When the war tax was imposed, some post offices were probably unprepared, and a number of
war tax related cancels were made reading "War Tax Stamp," "Returned for War Tax," etc.
Paid
These are revenue cancels in black, violet and blue.
Free
This cancel depicts the word FREE used in conjunction with other cancel types.
Way Letter
A way letter, or way bill, is a list of goods sent in the care of a common carrier, such as a
railroad. This cancel simply reads WAY LETTER inside a single ring.
Postage Due Cancels
Letters that did not have sufficient postage were cancelled with the amount of postage due to be
paid in large numbers.
Returned
There are many design types indicating reason for the return of a letter: Address Unknown,
Moved, Unclaimed, etc.
Parcel
Stamps used on parcels were marked with special cancels.
Slogans
Slogan cancels may be found with an almost endless number of designs, usually advertising
special events or reminding the public about various things.
Updated: 1 Nov 97