Belgian stamps with bandelettes (tabs)

  • dave43

    277 messages

    United Kingdom

    Every philatelist knows(?) that Belgian stamps issued between 1893 and 1914 with bandelettes (tabs) were supposed not to be delivered on Sundays but why? What prompted the Belgians alone to do this? During this time another mainly protestant country, Britain, was expecting some postmen to work even on Xmas day! I note that tabs were pre-printed on postal stationery during this time and senders were expected to strike them out if they didn't mind the item being delivered on Sunday. I have trawled at length thru Belgian covers and postcards on Delcampe but have been unable, almost, to find a cover or card with stamps with tabs with CLEAR departure and arrival postmarks that indicate posting on a Saturday and delayed delivery on the following Monday, am I missing something? Are they very dear? Surely somebody made some philatelic covers! Thanks
  • mainlypostcards

    3539 messages

    United Kingdom

    Every philatelist knows(?) that Belgian stamps issued between 1893 and 1914 with bandelettes (tabs) were supposed not to be delivered on Sundays but why? What prompted the Belgians alone to do this? During this time another mainly protestant country, Britain, was expecting some postmen to work even on Xmas day! I note that tabs were pre-printed on postal stationery during this time and senders were expected to strike them out if they didn't mind the item being delivered on Sunday. I have trawled at length thru Belgian covers and postcards on Delcampe but have been unable, almost, to find a cover or card with stamps with tabs with CLEAR departure and arrival postmarks that indicate posting on a Saturday and delayed delivery on the following Monday, am I missing something? Are they very dear? Surely somebody made some philatelic covers! Thanks
    • Created on May 24, 2018 at 4:59 PM
    • #864495
    I have a couple of postcards listed with the "not to be delivered on Sunday", but who knows which ones.

    I have never paid any real attention to that and they are listed as ordinary postcards without mention of the stamp/postmark.

    If I happen to come across them, I'll let you know.
  • quasar

    3764 messages

    Belgium

    I have a couple of postcards listed with the "not to be delivered on Sunday", but who knows which ones.

    I have never paid any real attention to that and they are listed as ordinary postcards without mention of the stamp/postmark.

    If I happen to come across them, I'll let you know.
    • Created on May 25, 2018 at 1:45 AM
    • #864531
    Hi,

    I'm not a philatelist, but here are some explanations (in French; mainly in the last post): Link (http)

    I would translate the post of August 6 2006 as follows:

    In 1893 a weekly rest day didn't exist, nor did payed holidays. Just as everybody else, the postman worked 7 days a week. As few people did write on sundays, the postman sometimes sent his children to deliver the post on that day.
    From 1893 tot 1910 stamps with bandelettes appeared. If the post was not urgent or if the sender wanted to respect the rest of the postman, he put the stamp as a whole. If the post had to be delivered on sundays, the bandelette was removed.
    After the First World War the system was abandoned.
    It is important to remember that at that time (mainly thanks to the railways) the national post often reached the receiver on the same day as it was sent.

    Hope this helps.

    Best regards,

    quasar
  • moonstone

    943 messages

    United Kingdom

    Mainly's description is correct, it was a matter of choice of the sender, although there was a religious connection, based on the make up of the country which differs from many.

    The French speaking Walloon population were predominantly Catholic, whilst the Dutch speaking Flemish population was predominantly Protestant, belonging to the Dutch Reformed Church, which was very strict on Sunday observance, and would not agreed with people having to work on a Sunday.
  • dave43

    277 messages

    United Kingdom

    Thanks everybody, I agree most cards and letters were received the same day they were posted, sometimes even to France or Holland.
    I had assumed that the PO that received the letter might hang on to it until Monday if it had a tab and give it an arrival postmark on Monday but perhaps it was the actual postman who held on to it and it was already postmarked ?
    I was using one of those handouts (was it at Stampex or in a Stamp Mag?) by Stamp Insurance Services which told you what day of the week a particular date was.
    I wonder how much genuine usage the tab stamps received?
    Of course anyone with sympathy with Sunday Observance would have left the tabs on, no matter what day it was posted.
    Thanks again!
  • quasar

    3764 messages

    Belgium

    Mainly's description is correct, it was a matter of choice of the sender, although there was a religious connection, based on the make up of the country which differs from many.

    The French speaking Walloon population were predominantly Catholic, whilst the Dutch speaking Flemish population was predominantly Protestant, belonging to the Dutch Reformed Church, which was very strict on Sunday observance, and would not agreed with people having to work on a Sunday.
    • Created on May 25, 2018 at 7:28 AM
    • #864729
    Hi,

    The Dutch speaking population of Belgium was also predominantly catholic.

    The protestants of the Dutch Reformed Church are in the Netherlands!

    Best regards,

    quasar

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