“All-Up” Mails

Periodically, reference is made in ”The Aero Field” to “All–Up” mails and the term appears to have puzzled some new collectors for the publishers have had several requests for an explanation. As the few that have written are probably only a small proportion of those who have been mystified the following notes may be of use to many readers.

The term “All–Up” was first used in connection with the introduction of Stage 1 of the Empire Air Mail Scheme in June, 1937, and means that ordinary letter mails for the destination concerned were conveyed by air as the normal means of transport, and the sender had no option of an alternative method. Such letters therefore needed no air mail labels, the use of which was discouraged as more likely to cause delay than acceleration. When this scheme was introduced the letter rate from Britain to the countries participating was adjusted to 1½d. a half ounce unit instead of l½d, for one ounce formerly. Moreover weight in excess of the unit was chargeable at l½d. per half ounce instead of 1d. per ounce formerly: postcards remained at 1d. each.

POST OFFICE ZANZIBAR
EMPIRE AIRMAIL
(SOUTH BOUND)
FIRST FLIGHT COVER
3rd July, 1937.

Stage 1 of the Empire Air Mail Scheme came into effect in Great Britain with letters posted after June 25th, which were conveyed by the flying–boat “Centurion” from Southampton on June 29th to Kenya, the Rhodesias, Nyasalan South and South West Africa. Bechuanaland, Basutolan Swaziland, Sudan, Tanganyika, Uganda and Zanzibar. Mai were also accepted for Mauritius for flight to Durba Participating countries brought the scheme into effect approximately the same dale, though it should be noted that the rate from Southern Rhodesia was 2d. per half ounce until Feb. 1st, 1938 when it was reduced to l½ d . Although some cachets of private origin were applied to mails, the only o cachet to be used was in Zanzibar who applied the type illustrated to southbound mails and a similar one reading “North Bound” to the others.

As might be expected the public did not at once accustom itself to the new rates and considerable publicity was given by the Post Office, both in the press and by slogan postmark. During the Christmas season of 1937138 an original scheme was adopted which had propaganda value and was also a gesture to the public during the festive season. This was known as the “Christmas Concession” and consisted of afflxing a gummed label to an underfranked cover in the country of destination instead of charging post due. Different
types were issued in each of the following countries, viz.: Great Britain, Kenya, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, South Africa, Mauritius and Zanzibar. Very Few covers bearing these labels have been preserved but some labels in unused condition have–become available to collectors while others are practically non–existent.

Stage 2 of the Empire Air Mail Scheme was introduced in February, 1938, when mails were accepted on the same basis for Egypt, India and Malaya as well as several countries off the air route. The slogan postmark illustrated proves that the public had still not become accustomed to the new rates, but there were no more concessions by the postal departments. In July, 1938 the third and last stage was brought into operation when the “Al1–Up” scheme was extended to Australasia. New Zealand conformed to the rate of l½d. per half ounce, but Australia only reduced the rate from 1/6 to 5d. per half ounce.

The scheme was to have had a duration of fifteen years and was calculated to absorb a subsidy of £3,000,000, of which a total of not less than £185,000 was to be paid each year to each of the countries participating. The outbreak of war in 1939 however, automatically caused the “All–Up” arrangement to cease and air mail services were revived upon an air fee basis.

So much for “All–Up” mails as part of the Empire Air Mail Scheme, but no mention has yet been made of “ All–Up “ mails carried within Great Britain and Europe. Although the term had not then been coined, the first mails to be flown in Great Britain on the same basis were between Inverness and Kirkwall on May 29th, 1934, by Highland Airways. This company had been operating the air service for over .twelve months when the Postmaster General awarded them a contract for the carriage of all first class mails by air between these two points. No extra fee was charged, but to commemorate the event the company issued some adhesive vignettes at 2/– each as well as some souvenir covers. On Dec. 1st of the same year, mails were first carried to and from Wick, a point between Inverness and Kirkwall, and again a commemorative vignette was issued, I/– being charged on this occasion.

In August, 1934, Railway Air Services commenced operating three routes which covered thirteen towns in Great Britain, but although mails were accepted for flight to and from all these towns, it was not strictly speaking on an’ All–Up “ basis. For one thing, the public were instructed to affix an air mail label to a letter they wished to be flown, and secondly, although there was no extra charge for a 2 ounce letter, each subsequent ounce was charged at 1d. instead of the normal extra charge of ½d. for 2 ounces. It was not until the new contract was awarded to Hillman Airways on Dec. lst, 1934 that an “All–Up” system was brought into use, and by this time the three routes had been reduced to one, Glasgow, Belfast, Liverpool and London beingthe only towns to benefit. Under this contract Hillman Airways carried all first class mail (i.e. postcards, letters and packets prepaid at letter rate) the delivery of which would be accelerated by air transport and no air mail labels were necessary.

Other internal services which were inaugurated later on the same basis were the Blackpool and West Coast Air Services Ltd. who commenced a service between Liverpool and the Isle of Man on Feb. lst, 1935 Railway Air Services London–Glasgow route inaugurated on Dec. 2nd, 1935, Jersey Airways service between Jersey and Southampton which commenced operations on June lst, 1937, Allied Airways Aberdeen–Shetlands service of Nov. 23rd. 1937, North Eastern Airways Perth–London service of Oct. 3rd. 1938, Guernsey Airways Southampton–Guernsey service of May Xth, 1939, and their first return service a fortnight later and Scottish Airways’ two services inaugurated in 1939, Kirkwall–North Ronaldshay on July 31st.and Glasgow–Campbeltown on Oct. 2nd.

As regards “ All–Up “ services to Europe, the first was operated by British’ Airways on May 17th, 1936, when all first class mails addressed to Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland were carried by air at the ordinary rate for correspondence, viz.: letters at 2½d. for the first ounce, postcards l½d. A special envelope was issued to commemorate the first service and part of the mail was personally franked by the Assistant Postmaster Geyral with a special postmark applied in violet. The “All–Up” services to the continent were gradually extended, letters being accepted for Estonia on Jan. 7th, 1937 and on May 3rd, 1937 an experiment was commenced by which first class mails posted in London E.C. districts in time for the ordinary night mail despatch to Holland were flown without extra charge to Amsterdam. Three more extensions introduced in August and October brought within this arrangement the whole of Europe with the exception of
Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain.

As with the Empire services, the outbreak of war caused the suspension of all the “All–Up” services to the continent: in the case of the internal services, only a short suspension was necessary for some routes, the Scottish services being the first to resume. Jersey Airways also resumed in November. 1939, but this was only a short revival for the occupation by Germany of the Channel Islands followed in 1940.

Wartime “All–Up” services to overseas countries were confined to letters to the Forces in the various theatres of war and these did not commence until 1945. The first service was introduced on Feb. 5th, when letters not exceeding 1 ounce franked at the normal rate for Forces, viz. l½d., postcards 1d. were flown to Ceylon Command, India Command, South East Asia Command and to the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy in all parts of the world. Further extensions in March, April and May covered practically all Forces overseas. On July 1st. 1948 the first “ All–Up “ mail to Eire was operated and on the same date resumptions were made, after a lapse of nine years, to the whole of Europe (except Germany, Poland and Iceland). A year later Germany was brought within the scheme for both civilians and members of B.A.O.R., but an air mail fee is still charged for letters carried by air to Poland and Iceland. At the present time, the economic difficulties confronting the whole world appear to be an unsurmauntable barrier to any resumption of the Empire Air Mail Scheme.

Some Typical “ALL–UP” MAILS
The Empire Air Mail Scheme
1937 “Stage 1” 10A/l–First Britain–South Africa 51– (70c.).
10A/2–First South Africa–Britain 51– (70c.).

1938 “Stage 2” 1OA/3–First Britain–Malaya 51– 70c .
10A/4–Fkst Malaya–Britain 51–