The island of
Ascension lies in the South Atlantic. It was discovered by the Portuguese
seafarer Joao da Nova Castelia in 1501 and "found again" two years
later on Ascension Day by Alphonse d'Albuquerque, who gave the island its name.
Being dry and barren it was of little use to the East Indies fleets.
So it remained
uninhabited until Emperor Napoleon I was incarcerated on Saint Helena in 1815
when a small British naval garrison was stationed on Ascension to deny it to
the French. In 1823 the island was taken over by the Royal Marines. It remained
under the supervision of the British Board of Admiralty until 1922, when it was
made a Dependency of Saint Helena.
From 1922 until 1964
the island was managed by the Eastern Telegraph Company (renamed Cable and
Wireless in 1934). In 1964, in view of plans to establish BBC and Composite
Signal Organisation (CSO) stations, an Administrator was appointed.
During the Second
World War the United States Government built an airstrip "Wideawake
Field". From 1943 to 1945 over 25.000 US planes transited Ascension
Island. In 1957 a US presence was re-established and the airhead was enlarged.
In 1967 a NASA tracking station was built but has since closed down.
In 1982 the island
was re-garrisoned by British Forces to support operations in the Falkland
Islands. Ascension remains the intermediate stop for UK military flights
between the United Kingdom and the Falklands. As such it is one of the main
gateways to the outside world for Saint Helenians who travel to and from St
Helena on the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) "Saint Helena".
The provision of public
services on Ascension has undergone major reorganisations in recent years.
Ascension Island Services (which was set up in 1984) was replaced in 2000 by
the Ascension Island Government and a statutory body, the Ascension Island
Works & Services Agency. The Ascension Island Council came into existence
following the first general election on Ascension on 1st November 2002. In
April 2004 the Works & Services Agency was closed down and a Public Works
and Commercial Services Department was established within the administrative
arm of government.
Capital: Georgetown
Government: British Overseas Territory, dependency of Saint Helena
Area: 91
km²
Population: 1.000 (2006)
Currency: Saint Helena Pound (20 shilling, 1 shilling = 12
pence); from 1971: Saint Helena Pound (100 pence)
Internet TLD: .ac
Dialling code: +247
Links
Ascension in Wikipedia.
Flag of Ascension in Flags of the World.
The website of the Philatelic Service.
Country description from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Country description of Saint Helena from the CIA.
Official website of the government of
Ascension.
Stamp catalogue
date: 10
October 1949
designer: -
printer: Waterlow & Sons, London (1 and 4), Bradbury,
Wilkinson & Co., New Malden (2 and 3)
perforated: 13½:14 (1 and 4), 11:11½ (2 and 3)
1 3 d Hermes,
globe, letter, airplane, boat, train, text "UNIVERSAL / POSTAL UNION /
1874 1949"
red
(cat. Michel 57/SG
52/Yvert 58)
2 4 d hemispheres,
airplane, steamer, text "1874 / UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION / 1949"
blue
(cat. Michel 58/SG 53/Yvert 59)
3 6 d Hermes
scattering letters over globe, text "UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION / 1874 /
1949"
olive
(cat. Michel 59/SG 54/Yvert 60)
4 1/- UPU
monument, Berne, text "UNIVERSAL / POSTAL / UNION / 1874 / 1949" and
"UNION
POSTALE
UNIVERSELLE"
black
(cat. Michel 60/SG 55/Yvert 61)
Freedom from Hunger Campaign
date: 4
June 1963
designer: Michael Goaman
printer: Harrison & Sons, London
perforated: 14¼:14½
5 1/6 collection
of 'protein foods', text "FREEDOM FROM HUNGER"
red
(cat. Michel 89/SG 84/Yvert 90)
date: 17
May 1965
designer: Michael Goaman
printer: Johan Enschede en Zonen, Haarlem
perforated: 11:11½
6 3 d globe
and flash, text on telex tape "INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION /
+ CENTENARY + 1865 +
1965"
mauve, violet
(cat. Michel 92/SG 87/Yvert 93)
7 6 d globe
and flash, text on telex tape "INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION /
+ CENTENARY + 1865 +
1965"
turquoise, brown
(cat. Michel 93/SG 88/Yvert 94)
International Co-operation Year
date: 25
October 1965
designer: Victor Whiteley
printer: Harrison & Sons, London
perforated: 14½
8 1 d ICY
emblem, text "1965 / INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION YEAR"
reddish purple,
turquoise green
(cat. Michel 94/SG
89/Yvert 95)
9 6 d ICY
emblem, text "1965 / INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION YEAR"
deep bluish green,
lavender
(cat. Michel 95/SG 90/Yvert 96)
Inauguration of WHO
Headquarters, Geneva
date: 20 September 1966
designer: Michael Goaman
printer: Harrison & Sons, London
perforated: 14¼
10 3 D WHO
emblem, building, text "New Headquarters Building / 1966 / WHO"
black, yellow-green,
light blue
(cat. Michel 102/SG
97/Yvert 103)
11 1/6 WHO
emblem, building, text "New Headquarters Building / 1966 / WHO"
black, light purple,
yellow-brown
(cat. Michel 103/SG
98/Yvert 104)
date: 3
January 1967
designer: Jennifer Toombs
printer: Harrison & Sons, London
perforated: 14¼
12 3 d UNESCO
emblem, pen and blocks, text "20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNESCO / EDUCATION"
state-violet, red,
yellow, orange
(cat. Michel 112/SG
107/Yvert 113)
13 6 d UNESCO
emblem, retort and ears of wheat, text "20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNESCO /
SCIENCE"
orange-yellow, violet,
deep olive
(cat. Michel 113/SG
108/Yvert 114)
14 1/6 UNESCO
emblem, harp and temple, text "20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNESCO / CULTURE"
black, bright purple,
orange
(cat. Michel 114/SG
119/Yvert 115)
International Year for
Human Rights
date: 8
July 1968
designer: Harrison & Sons, London
printer: Harrison & Sons, London
perforated: 14¾:14
15 6 d IHRY
emblem, chain links, text "INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS YEAR 1968"
orange, red, black
(cat. Michel 115/SG 110/Yvert
116)
16 1/6 IHRY
emblem, chain links, text "INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS YEAR 1968"
blue, red, black
(cat. Michel 116/SG
111/Yvert 117)
17 2/6 IHRY
emblem, chain links, text "INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS YEAR 1968"
green, red, black
(cat. Michel 117/SG
112/Yvert 118)
date: 27
March 1974
designer: PAD Studio
printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London
perforated: 14½
18 2 p UPU
Headquarters, Berne, UPU emblem, letter with text "1874 1974 / CENTENARY /
OF THE / U.P.U."
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 179/SG
180/Yvert 180)
19 9 p Hermes
sitting on a cloud, UPU emblem, text "CENTENARY of the U.P.U. / 1874 /
1974"
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 180/SG
181/Yvert 181)
United Nations
Headquarters, New York
date: 30
November 1974
designer: John Waddington Security Print, Leeds
printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London
perforated: 14½
remark: part
of a series of two stamps issued to commemorate the birth centenary of Sir
Winston Churchill
20 25 p portrait
of Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), UN Headquarters, New York, oak tree, text
"CENTENARY
OF THE BIRTH OF SIR
WINSTON CHURCHILL", "1874 / 1974" and "THE STATESMAN / and
United Nations
/ Headquarters"
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 182/SG
183/Yvert 183)
21 souvenir sheet with two
stamps, coat of arms, decorations, roses, text "1874 SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL
1974"
5 p portrait
of Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) as a young man, Blenheim Palace, acorn,
text "CENTENARY
OF THE BIRTH OF SIR WINSTON
CHURCHILL", "1874 / 1974" and "THE BOY / and his birthplace
/
Blenheim Palace"
25 p portrait
of Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), UN Headquarters, New York, oak tree, text
"CENTENARY
OF THE BIRTH OF SIR
WINSTON CHURCHILL", "1874 / 1974" and "THE STATESMAN / and
United Nations
/ Headquarters"
red and white, stamps
multicoloured
(cat. Michel block
7/SG MS 184/Yvert BF 7)
date: 4
October 1985
designer: Nick Shewring
printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London
perforated: 14½:14¼
remark: stamps
commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Girl Guides
22 12 p flag
with emblem before cloudy sky, IYY and Guides jubilee emblems, text
"Guides Flag"
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 386/SG
385/Yvert 382)
23 15 p girl
guides practicing first aid, IYY and Guides jubilee emblems, text "First
Aid"
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 387/SG
386/Yvert 383)
24 20 p girl
guide hammering in a tent stake, IYY and Guides jubilee emblems, text
"Camping"
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 388/SG
387/Yvert 384)
25 70 p portrait
of Olave St Clair Baden-Powell (1889-1977) in uniform, IYY and Guides jubilee
emblems,
text "Lady
Baden-Powell"
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 389/SG
388/Yvert 385)
20th UPU Congress,
Washington DC/World Stamp Expo 89, Washington DC
date: 7
July 1989
designer: Derek Miller
printer: Walsall Security Printers, Walsall
perforated: 14:13¾
size souv. sh.: 104 x 86 mm
remark: also issued for the Philexfrance
89 stamp exhibition
26 souvenir sheet, exhibition
emblems, stamps of France, Ascension Island and United States
75 p UPU
stamp of Ascension Island nr. 4,
exhibition emblems
multicoloured
(cat. Michel block
19/SG MS 492/Yvert BF 20)
20th UPU Congress, Washington
DC/World Stamp Expo 89, Washington DC
date: 21
August 1989
designer: Derek Miller
printer: Walsall Security Printers, Walsall
perforated: 14:13¾
size souv. sh.: 124 x 124 mm
remark: also issued for the Philexfrance
89 stamp exhibition; stamps commemorate the centenary of the
Statue of Liberty, New
York (1986)
27 small sheet, exhibition
emblems
15 p aircraft
carrier USS John F. Kennedy and ocean liner RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 in New York
harbour
15 p cleaning
the face of the Statue
15 p Statue
of Liberty by night
15 p torch
and crown of the Statue by night
15 p marine
vessels and skyline of New York
15 p French
frigate FS Jean de Vienne, World Trade Center and other buildings
multicoloured
(cat. Michel block
21/SG 498-503/Yvert BF 21)
20th UPU Congress,
Washington DC/World Stamp Expo 89, Washington DC
date: 17
November 1989
designer: Gordon Drummond, adapted by N. Harvey (stamps)
printer: Walsall Security Printers, Walsall
perforated: 14, one side imperforated
booklet size: 54 x 41 mm
28 £ 1 booklet
with six stamps, turtle, map of Ascension Island, overprint exhibition emblem
18 p donkeys
(Equus asinus asinus)
blackish olive, deep
brown, stamps multicoloured
(cat. Michel -/SG SB
7/Yvert C 496 (II))
29 £ 1 booklet
with four stamps, turtle, map of Ascension Island, overprint exhibition emblem
25 p sea
turtle (Chelonia mydas)
blackish olive, deep
brown, stamps multicoloured
(cat. Michel -/SG SB
8/Yvert C 497 (II))
date: 23
September 1996
designer: B. Dare
printer: Walsall Security Printers, Walsall
perforated: 14¼:14½
remark: stamps
issued to commemorate Christmas
30 12 p Santa
Claus with mobile phone on dish arial, house UNICEF jubilee emblem
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 711/SG
699/Yvert 677)
31 20 p Santa
Claus playing golf, sleigh, array, UNICEF jubilee emblem
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 712/SG
700/Yvert 678)
32 25 p Santa
Claus in deck chair, electricity masts, UNICEF jubilee emblem
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 713/SG
701/Yvert 679)
33 30 p Santa
Claus on top of aircraft, UNICEF jubilee emblem
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 714/SG
702/Yvert 680)
34 65 p Santa
Claus on funnel of RMS Saint Helena, UNICEF jubilee emblem
multicoloured
(cat. Michel 715/SG
703/Yvert 681)
