Collector's Glassine Bags

The CILP will be releasing a very limited number of glassine bags containing complete sets of all our stamp issues from 2010-2016, from 18 November 2016.

The bags will include the scarce '1914 B.E.F.' stamp with the black 1916 overprint to commemorate the Battle of the Somme, and an overprinted Specimen of the currently unissued 'Emergency Mail' stamp. The majority of the Collector's Bags will be mainly available from our normal online outlet at Alpha Stamps and a few will be posted for auction on eBay.

In addition, a restricted number of Specimen 'Emergency Mail' stamps will be made available to existing CILP collectors online on eBid* from Alpha Stamps.

Unissued Emergency Mail stamp currently

 only available as an ovpt 'Specimen' 

* UPDATE 16 July 2017: All single Specimen Emergency Stamps have now been sold. 

'Old Contemptibles' 1914 - Maxi Card and Postcard

To accompany the issue of the 'Old Contemptibles' 1914 stamp on 22nd November, 2014, 100 postcards were produced as part of the CILP 'Heritage Series'. The "Old Contemptibles" postcard is the third in the series.

'Old Contemptibles' Maxi Card (front)

The postcard was used for the production of a Limited Edition of just 12 First Day Issue Maxi cards. Each Maxi card bears an "Old Contemptible" 1914 stamp on the front plus another stamp on the reverse which has been cancelled by a 'First Day of Issue' franking.

'Old Contemptibles' Maxi Card (reverse)

Canvey Island Local Post Stamps, First Day Covers, Maxi FDI Cards, and Postcards are all issued in limited editions. All CILP philatelic material is obtainable from Alpha Thematics on eBid (subject to availability).

Centenary of the 'Old Contemptibles' B.E.F. 1914

On 22 November, 2014, a single stamp was issued by the Canvey Island Local Post to commemorate the centenary of the British regular army or British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) in Belgium prior to November 22, 1914.

Nicknamed the "Old Contemptible" following a supposed comment about Britain's small army by the German Kaiser, the B.E.F. was almost destroyed trying to halt the German advance. The "Old Contemptible" who survived the war proudly named their post-war associations after the sobriquet.

Although this stamp pays specific tribute to the 1914 "Old Contemptible" of the original B.E.F., it also honours all soldiers who served in the British Army during the Great War.

The stamp features the designer's grandfather who was a regular soldier prior to 1910. He took part in the retreat from Mons and First Battle of Ypres in 1914. He served in the field for most of the Great War and was fortunate to return to England at the emd of the war.

"Old Comtemptible" Sgt W. Wilkinson B.E.F. 1914

Canvey Island Local Post Stamps, First Day Covers, Maxi FDI Cards, and Postcards are all issued in limited editions. All CILP philatelic material is obtainable from Alpha Thematics on eBid (subject to availability).