Guernsey Post’s philatelic bureau will issue a new set of four se-tenant stamps commemorating two extraordinary true stories from the Channel Islands’ postal history.
Celebrating the remarkable journeys of Harry Turner and Major ‘Peabod’ Palmer, the issue explores how two men, separated by more than three decades, each succeeded in travelling between the islands using little-known postal regulations.
The four stamps are presented as two se-tenant pairs. One pair recounts the story of Guernsey resident Harry Turner, whose unconventional journey to Sark in 1905 became one of the most light-hearted episodes in the history of the postal service. The second pair tells the story of Major Palmer, whose determination to return to his family in Alderney in February 1940 resulted in one of the most extraordinary journeys ever undertaken under postal supervision.
Inspired by an obscure provision within the Post Office’s Exceptional Express Service, Turner successfully persuaded officials to allow him to travel from Guernsey to Sark as a postal item. Accompanied by a Post Office telegraph messenger, he completed the crossing before fulfilling the formalities of his ‘delivery’. Although intended as a light-hearted experiment, the journey became one of the most memorable tales in Channel Islands’ postal history.
Major Palmer’s journey took place under very different circumstances. With travel between Guernsey and Alderney severely restricted as war spread across Europe, he was unable to secure passage to rejoin his family. After consulting the Post Office Guide, Palmer concluded there was no regulation preventing a person from being sent through the post.
Arrangements were made for him to travel under postal supervision to Alderney, where he was formally received through the island’s postal system before finally being delivered to his home. The regulations were later amended, making Palmer’s remarkable voyage the last of its kind.
Bridget Yabsley, head of philatelic at Guernsey Post, said: “Though separated by more than 30 years and shaped by different circumstances, the stories of Harry Turner and Major Palmer demonstrate how ingenuity, determination and an unconventional interpretation of postal regulations created two of the most enduring tales in the Channel Islands’ postal heritage.
“We are delighted to share these remarkable stories through these special joint issues.”
