Ascension
Island
FIRST STAMPS ISSUED 2
November 1922.
CURRENCY
1922,
sterling.
1971, decimal currency.
Previously
administered by the British Admiralty as a naval base, the island became a
dependency of St Helena in November 1922. At present it is on lease to the USA
as a naval base and tracking station.
Postal History
A
datestamp was supplied February 1858. Before 1887 the datestamp was usually
applied to the cover rather than to the stamp. Regular surface mails were
carried by the Union Steamship Co. and its successors from 1863 until 1977.
Airmail services since1972 have been routed to London in sealed bags by US
military aircraft to Miami and thence by British Airways (earlier services were
flown via Trinidad in 1958-60 or via Antigua in 1967-72).
Used stamps of Britain from 3
March 1867 to 1922.
The Island was an important
staging point for the British Task Force in 1982. |
