Our guest speaker in February was Brian Sole who presented ‘Guernsey – Occupation to the Present.’
Brian showed us a variety of material from postcards/covers/maxicards/newspapers/stamps to the change of road signs under the Germans. We saw several printings of the first Guernsey stamp issued on 18 February 1941. The communications to the island were through the Red Cross and we saw a few of these on display. The first postage stamps printed for use in Guernsey were issued during the occupation of the island during World War II.
In the 1950s Guernsey used British regional stamps marked specifically for use in Guernsey but valid for postage throughout the United Kingdom. Guernsey then issued its own stamps with the creation of Guernsey Post on 1 October 1969.
The Bailiwick of Guernsey incorporates Alderney, Herm and Sark which all used the Guernsey issues from 1969. From 1983 Guernsey began issuing specific stamps designated Alderney for use in that island which are also valid throughout the Bailiwick of Guernsey. On display were some cycle tax discs from Sark. Cycles, including electric cycles, are permitted to be used on Sark roads and are taxed annually, as Tractors are the principle motor vehicle.