Wilkinson, Warren S. (2005). British Columbia & Vancouver Island Postal History, Colonial Period 1858-1871.

Warren Wilkinson’s British Columbia & Vancouver Island Postal History, Colonial Period 1858-1871 exhibit is a treat for the eye. The focus is on mail carried by the express and transportation companies – Wells Fargo, Barnard’s British Colombia Express, the Upper Columbia Company and others – that contracted with the Colonial Government to carry mail to and from the island, the mainland and points beyond. Many of the unusual postal markings of the period are shown cancelling stamps of British Columbia & Vancouver Island, often on letters going overseas from the colony. A final section shows stamps of Canada used on mail after Confederation in 1871.After selling other collections, at CAPEX ’96 Warren Wilkinson extended a previous interest in the philately of Canada and British North America with the purchase of the Charles Firby collection of Canadian Pence covers. Developing the Pence collection caused him to expand into other BNA areas, including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, as well as British Columbia & Vancouver Island. He proceeded to win an unprecedented three consecutive Grand awards at the annual British North America Philatelic Society BNAPEX exhibition. His ‘Postal Rates of Canada 1851-1859’ won at Ottawa in 2001, while ‘Postal Rates of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia’ received the honours at Spokane in 2002. In 2003 Warren won again at London, Ontario with the exhibit that is the subject of this book, ‘British Columbia and Vancouver Island Postal History: 1850-1871’. In the same years these exhibits also won the Grand award at the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada exhibition. In 2004 his Prince Edward Island exhibit received Gold at BNAPEX in Baltimore, and Gold and the Grand Award at the RPSC exhibition in Halifax and BALPEX in Baltimore.