It's been a couple of years since I last updated this site, which has now been around for 16 years. After 38 years of running a business as my day job, I've just recently become "semi-retired", meaning that I should finally have some more time to devote to updating this website.

Here's the first update, with hopefully more to come. This 1882 J.C. Wilson & Co. cover was used from Montreal on August 8, 1882 to Collingwood Ontario, with a Collingwood August 9 1882 cancel on the reverse.

This cover was mailed from the Boer War to Belgium on July 5, 1900. It appears to have been from the same prolific writer who mailed several other J.C. Wilson covers from O’Okiep, CGH during the war.

This copy of a WLS-P06 Type I Anglo-Saxon design postcard has an ad by J.C. Wilson for their four postcard designs available (at that time) for purchase. The card, not postally used, would presumably have been used as a mailing to stationers to promote their cards to resellers.

An 1878 example of a J.C. Wilson postal stationery card has been added.

Another example of a postcard from the elusive J.C. Wilson Sports & Pastimes series has been added—card no. 13 showing vignettes of The Saddle and Wheeling, not postally used.

A new example of a postcard from the elusive J.C. Wilson Sports & Pastimes series has been added—card no. 15 showing vignettes of Canoeing and Yachting, postally used December 28, 1898 to Belgium from Montreal.

An example of a WLS-P03 Type II postcard has been added showing business use by The London Daily News newspaper on June 2, 1898.

I’ve carried on with some additional navigation updates between pages on the site in order to make navigation easier.

In addition to updating the WLS-P04 “Old Glory” page, I’ve begun a site update to improve the site navigation, to allow you to click from page to next and previous pages based on the menu hierarchy, rather than needing to rely on returning to the menus. It’s something that has irked me for a long time, and I’m finally getting to improving it.

The page featuring WLS-E07 Type I has been updated to provide additional examples in the current site format.

This OHMS cover, postmarked October 11, 1901 at the Toronto Army Post Office, was on the occasion of the Royal Review at Exhibition Park Camp. It was addressed to L.H Irving, Esq., “Overbrook”, Mineral Springs, Ont. via T.H.&B. Ry.

The tour in 1901 by the Duke & Duchess of Cornwall and York included South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the Colony of Newfoundland. Its primary goal was to reward the dominions for their participation in the South African War of 1899–1902.

While in Canada, the Duke presented newly minted South African War medals to veterans of the Boer War in a Royal Review ceremony in Toronto on October 11, 1901. The Canadian leg of the tour started in Quebec on September 16th, and also included Halifax, before departing from Newfoundland.

A copy of the WLS-E11 Tattered Flag design has been added. This is a P-2 variety with song back 2, with the lyrics of “It’s Only a Bit of Bunting”. The envelope has been postally used May 15, 1900 to Northport, NS with a W-149 Souris & Regina (with E, & No. 2 markings) RPO cancel on a 2¢ QV Numeral stamp. This is the earliest date of use I have encountered on this cover.

A postally unused copy of a J.C. Wilson WLS-P05 Remember The Maine patriotic postcard has been added. The card was printed for by A.A. Palmer, Bookseller and Stationer, 1009 St. Catharine Street, Montreal for their business used. The WLS-P07 Type I and Type II pages have also been updated.

The page showing J.C. Wilson’s WLS-E09 Type II Soldiers of the Queen design has been updated to the current web site format, with additional examples provided.

The page showing J.C. Wilson’s WLS-E09 Type I Soldiers of the Queen design has been updated to the current web site format, with additional examples provided.

The page listing patriotic postcards used by business and other enterprises has been updated to the current web site style. It is a work in progress, with more content to be added.

The Varieties page has been updated to add a more detailed listing of cover song backs and printer’s inscriptions.

A copy of a cover has been added showing a “Remember the Maine” WLS-E05 design mailed from Toronto with a Flag C cancel to Gloucester, Mass, USA on February 22, 1899 and received on February 23rd. The WLS-E05 page has been updated to the current web site format.

I don’t often collect J.C. Wilson material used within the USA unless there is something more interesting. This card struck me as one of those cards—a WLS-P05 Remember The Maine design on the subject of the Spanish-American War sent to Spain—a very provocative use.

I’ve done an update of the WLS-P03 Type II page to the current format, adding some additional material.

I’ve done an update of the WLS-P03 Type I page to the current format, adding some additional material.

A cover has been added from J.O. Labrecque & Cie. The company specialized in the sale of “Diamant Noire” coal from their premises at 83 Rue Wolfe, Montreal. The image on the cover, by A.S. Brodeur, who had also illustrated the company’s 1898 ad in Le prix courant, Volume 22, Numéro 1, Page 10, shows a polar bear holding a black diamond over the heads of a gathering of South Africans & Boers with the caption ‘Les Boers en extose devant le “Diamant Noire” (célèbre charbon)’.

The cover was mailed December 16, 1901 with a Montreal Flag A postmark to M E.S. Parker, Bethlehem, P.A. US., with a Bethlehem receiving cancel on the reverse.

Another example of a cover contemporary to the J.C. Wilson series, a Sam Richey “Soldiers of the Queen Canadian Contingent” cover. This one has not been used by a soldier in the Boer War, but appears to be a locally released variation with the text added “Used by the Soldiers in South Africa As Supplied By The Canadian Government”. This copy is a colour printing, unlike the black & white printing posted from actual use in South Africa.

Another example of J.C. Wilson’s business stationery has been added, dating to 1894. The envelope illustrates the addition of another pulp and paper mill to J.C. Wilson’s stable of facilities since the time of their 1892 stationery.

A business use of the WLS-P08 Type I Maple Leaf For Ever patriotic postcard has been added. The card was mailed from Sackville, NB, with a Dec 15 1899 split ring cancel, to Moncton NB, by the Post Printing Co., acknowledging payment for a subscription to the Sackville Post until December 1900.