West Africa Study Circle       

 

The stamps and postal history of Sierra Leone: Pre-stamp mail

Pre-stamp mail

First Stamp Issue

Later issues

Airmails

QE2 and early independence

Postmarks

Figure 1

Before the introduction of a postal service letters were carried by private arrangement with visiting ships.

The postal history of Sierra Leone begins on 2 June 1786 with the letter shown in Fig 1 from one Captain Makin in "Sierilone" to his mother, Mrs Mary Makin, in Liverpool, England, rated 3, 5, and 11, and showing unframed Deal Ship Letter in black (Robertson Type S2). Believed to be the earliest letter from Sierra Leone in private hands.