Montgomery, Malcolm (2013). Trans-Atlantic Mail between Canada and the United Kingdom 1759 – 1851.

In the period from 1970 through 2000 many BNA philatelists, notably the late Jack Arnell, the late Allan Steinhart and Malcolm Montgomery, studied the varied aspects of nineteenth century mail to and from British North America and England. This latest BNAPS handbook, “Trans-Atlantic Mail between Canada and the United Kingdom 1759 – 1851”, the second of a trilogy of books, features Malcolm’s exhibit, “Transatlantic Mail between the United Kingdom and British North America 1759-1851,” which was awarded an International Gold at the London 2010 exhibition, followed by Gold and the Allan Steinhart Reserve Grand Award at BNAPEX 2010 in Victoria, BC. The third volume, an update of Jack Arnell’s 1987 “Handbook on Transatlantic Mail”, will include the large amount of information that has been gathered since publication of the original and especially since he and Allan Steinhart passed away close to fifteen years ago. “Trans-Atlantic Mail between Canada and the United Kingdom 1759 – 1851” has been prepared in the same format as Malcolm Montgomery’s 2012 book, “Fines on Trans-Atlantic Mail between Canada and the United Kingdom 1859 – 1899”. A chapter on postal events of the period and United Kingdom inland and coastal rates is followed by a chapter on Ship Letters and a chapter on Packet letters. The 250 plates then show covers from Malcolm’s exhibit with full explanations. Annexes on Monarchs, Rulers, Postal Regulations, Treaties and Related Notes and United Kingdom Mileage charts and a Bibliography round out the book. In his Foreword the author writes, “This book, originally intended as a contribution to the BNAPS ‘Exhibits’ series has changed somewhat in scope during its preparation and now forms part of a series of BNAPS publications covering British North American trans-Atlantic mail covering the period 1759-1899. I have enjoyed reading books that explain the history of the development of the mails and have found books illustrating other collectors’ studies very helpful, but I have often been frustrated, despite being given the references for sources unfortunately often in far-distant archives or centuries old books, in not being able to read for myself the Acts, Warrants and Regulations that determined the handling of the letters in my collection. Recognising that the majority of the readers of this book will themselves be trying to gather and describe collections of trans-Atlantic letters, often with a view to entertain or impress other postal historians, sometimes judges, I have attempted to provide quotations from as many sources contemporary to the letters as space will allow.” Malcolm Montgomery is a retired British Army officer who served in the Middlesex Regiment, with tours of duty during his latter years in the Army at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and the Ministry of Defence, identifying users’ requirements for computer support in command and control. For his Army service to his country he was made a member of the Order of the British Empire. While a schoolboy in Austria, where he lived when his father was stationed there, Malcolm formed a collection of stamps, first Austrian, and then Canadian. Later in life the stamps of Canada took over as his main interest until he realized that, on an Army Officer’s salary, he would never complete the collection. Instead he began to study postal history, mainly the postal history of the trans-Atlantic services between the United Kingdom and British North America. His interest led to his becoming the Editor of the newsletter of the TransAtlantic Mail Study Group of BNAPS during the 1900s.