52 APRIL 2016 http://www.stampandcoin.co.ukAlasdair MacEachen sees links
with the Scottish islandsBrian Hague shows connections with a
distinguished British naturalistScottish links A literary recipient
As an islander, born and living in the Outer Hebrides, I enjoy travelling
to other islands, those in the North and South Atlantic being particular
favourites. I am interested in the similarities between our cultures,
although we live far apart. Our historical links with the Faroes go
back to seafaring Celtic monks and the Vikings and to our Second
World War connections through Hebridean soldiers stationed in the
Faroes, serving in the Lovat Scouts. Today we are connected by fishing,
seafaring, small-scale agriculture and pretty wild winter weather.
A favourite stamp shows one of the many connections between
the Faroes and the Scottish islands. The 21KR stamp in the Animals
of the Viking Age issue (February 2012) shows the now-extinct
Dímun Sheep on the island of Stóra Dímun, with Lítla Dímun in
the background. Both the sheep and the topography have a striking
resemblance to those on my neighbouring island of St Kilda. The
image could be mistaken for three Soay sheep on Oiseval, looking
across to the island of Boreray in the St Kilda archipelago. Sadly the
story of the Dímun sheep has ended whereas the feral Soay sheep
thrive on St Kilda to this day.In philatelic respects this cover is undistinguished; two 5 øre Danish
definitives with a Thorshavn cancel dated 21 July, 1944. However, it
does illustrate that the postal services in the Faroes continued to operate,
as far as possible, as part of the Danish system despite the islands and
Denmark then being occupied by opposing forces.
The addressee is a member of the British forces in the Faroes, Sgt.
Kenneth Williamson. Serving in the Garrison Adjutant’s office in
Thorshavn, his duties included wielding the FPO 219 canceller used on
much of the troops’ mail home. Williamson also acted as literary editor for
the Faroe Islands Force’s magazine Fanfaroe. Like several British servicemen,
he found a wife whilst in the Faroes, marrying Esther Rein on 14 March,
1944 – this envelope is addressed to him at his father-in-law’s home.
After the war Williamson completed the manuscript of The Atlantic
Islands: The Faroe Life and Scene, published by Collins in 1948. He then
became director of the bird observatory newly established on Fair Isle and
twelve years later co-authored with J. Morton Boyd St Kilda Summer. So
a love of remote islands in the North Atlantic was very much a theme
running through Williamson’s life and achievements.David Quayle takes a voyage with a ship’s post office
Floating post o ce
When the small steamer Smiril entered
service in 1896 there were only three
mail routes radiating from Tórshavn.
These operated in connection with
the arrival of the mail steamers from
Copenhagen. Mail was carried overland
on foot and across stretches of sea by
rowing-boat. There were only two sub-
post offices outside of Tórshavn and
many villages had no postal service.
In June 1896 Smiril was given the
status of a Letter Collecting Office and
issued with its own ‘star type’ canceller.
Most of the islands were served by Smiril
but the service was infrequent. Whilst thesteamer sailed approximately weekly from
Tórshavn, villages received a service about
every three to four weeks. However,
weather conditions and the lack of proper
landing facilities meant that calls at
villages could be delayed or missed.
On 1 July, 1903 Letter Collecting
Offices were opened in eight of the
Faroes’ villages and more postal routes
were started. These provided a more
regular service and soon afterwards
the postal facilities on Smiril were
withdrawn, though bagged mail
continued to be carried.p49 Why collect - Faroe Islands.indd 52 01/03/2016 11:33