Isle of Man Post Office 50th Anniversary

Maxine Cannon, Stamps & Coins General Manager writes...

I have had the pleasure and honour of working in the Philatelic Bureau, and more recently Isle of Man Stamps & Coins, since 1st June 1981. Alongside colleagues past and present from all areas of the Post Office, we have worked together as a team to make our postage stamps come to fruition - to be used and enjoyed by many around the world. This issue is a snapshot of the stamp albums so many collectors cherish and enjoy.

In bringing this collection together I would like to thank all those who have contributed past and present, and to our collectors and enthusiasts worldwide, I would like to say thank you. On behalf of Isle of Man Post Office, we are all looking forward to the joy future postage stamp issues will bring us all.

Maxine

Richard West MBE writes…

Memories are made of stamps: for Maxine Cannon, General Manager Stamps and Coins, 40 years with the Isle of Man Post Office has brought a wealth of stamps and a mountain of memories. She shares some of those thoughts and memories, many evoked by the stamps reproduced on this set of six that marks the 50th anniversary of Isle of Man Post Office.

Where better to start than with the 15p ‘Inauguration’ stamp of 1973? The striking design showing a Viking landing on Mann, epitomising the strength and determination of the Manx people, attributes that have motivated Maxine over the 40 years.
Some stamp issues need special licences – and great determination to see the project to fruition. To mark the 1,000th anniversary of Tynwald in 1979, Odin’s Raven, a two-thirds scale replica of a 9th century Viking ship, sailed from Trondheim in Norway, arriving at Peel, Isle of Man, on 5th July, Tynwald Day. There was great excitement when the boat landed, demonstrating the strong bonds with the people of Norway. Covers were carried on board but quickly sold out: sadly Maxine missed out.

Many buildings in Douglas are beautiful, such as the Gaiety Theatre and Villa Marina highlighted on four stamps in 1987. The 1994 definitives had the theme of ships, one being the Royal Yacht Britannia, when the yacht visited Douglas with the now King Charles III on board. It was an honour for Maxine to present the stamps to the ship’s company.
The new millennium provided the opportunity for something different: a miniature sheet issued on 31st December 1999, and cancelled 23.59, 00.00 and 00.01. A party that night at the Regent Street Post Office in Douglas included a buffet, Bee Gees music, and postmen cancelling covers.

Some of those who fought in the First World War for our freedom featured on a set in 2000 titled Mann at War. It is through such stamps that future generations can learn of their bravery. One of those was George Kneale: a shrine at the family home includes a letter he wrote, much more poignant than an email or text will ever be.

Michael Noakes, artist and portrait painter, spent much of 1999 with HM Queen Elizabeth II, making sketches, paintings and drawings of her daily life. A selection was used on stamps for the Golden Jubilee in 2002. Noakes was a real character who Maxine visited at Buckingham Palace to view an album of his portraits.

The television programme Time to Remember inspired the set issued in 2005 for which Islanders were invited to a tea party, bringing memorabilia and sharing memories. However, one Islander with a wealth of memories, Hilary Guard, preferred not to come along. Then, to everyone’s surprise, attended the launch of the stamps, the first time he had taken part in anything for years.

Anniversaries of the first manned Moon landing in 1969 resulted in meeting with Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the Moon and one of the nicest people you could meet. Particularly exciting was to be able to launch the 2019 stamps at the Space Center Houston.

Nigel Parkinson, cartoonist for D. C. Thomson & Co Ltd, specially created a comic strip for A Beano Christmas set in 2018. The unique original artwork, telling of Dennis’s visit to the Island, adorns a wall in Maxine’s office.

However, it is that set from 2020, Carry Us Through, that carries the most powerful message: ‘Words will carry us through’. For Maxine letter writing is still key, giving great pleasure to both sender and receiver. Stamps can bring people closer together - that’s why Maxine and the team takes great pride and care in how the world sees the Isle of Man through stamps.

2023 Europa Stamp – ‘Peace - The Highest Value of Humanity’
The theme chosen for this year's EUROPA stamps is Peace, following a proposal by the Ukrainian post office.

The decision to choose this theme was taken by PostEurop to show solidarity with Ukraine and to promote the universal value for all humanity – peace.

The design by Linda Bos and Runa Egilsdottir was inspired by the Celtic Love Knot. It is a visual metaphor for a peacefully integrated, cooperative society in which people embrace each other’s culture. The hands holding each other conveys a message of mutual respect.

Through the postage stamp and this common design in our 50th anniversary year, our hopes are for a world where through the written word people of all nations, creeds and colours can come together and support one another in harmony and in peace.