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ASCENSION ISLAND
Geopolitical 
Geography
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Just south of the equator.
35 sq miles (98 sq km)
Dependency of St. Helena.
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Capital
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Georgetown. Only settlement.
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Population
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unknown in 1935. Population transients from St. Helena.
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Currency
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sterling
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History 
Discovered by Potuguese in 1501. Uninhabited till 1815 when British took possession (to prevent rescue of Napoleon on St. Helena). Submarine cable landed 1899. Managed by Cable & Wireless Company 1922 to 1964.
Functions today as a satellite receiving and NASA tracking station.
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Stamps 
Silver Jubilee Printing Information 
Printer
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Waterlow & Sons Ltd
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1½d
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2d
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5d
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1/-
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Vignette
Plates used
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2B, 5, 9, ?10
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2B, 5, 9, ?10
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2A, 2B
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2B, 5, ?9, ?10
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Frame die numbers
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#14572
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#14569
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#14571
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#14570
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No's Printed
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50,340
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57,780
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32,700
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29,460
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Other
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Master die number of frame with name of colony but no value expressed = #14542; Roller die number = #9918; Proof number =#2998. Frames dies completed 17/11/34
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Postal History 
Date of 1st Stamp Issue
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Date stamp supplied 1858. Stamps of Great Britain used 1867 - 1922.
November 2, 1922: First separate stamp issued - was current St. Helena issue overprinted "Ascension"
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Date of 1935 SJ Issue
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May 6, 1935 to December 31, 1935
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Other
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Mail Service provided by Union Castle Steamship line. Mail usually cancelled date ship arrived in Ascension. Exception appears to have been special FDC orders.
Stamps for Ascension were also available at G.P.O. in St. Helena.
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Postal Rates
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UK & British Empire
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Foreign
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- Letter rate - 1st oz
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2d
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3d
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- addit oz
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1½d
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1½d
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- Postcards
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1d
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1½d
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- Registered Mail
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5d
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6d
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- Airmail
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No airmail service
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- Printed Matter/2 oz
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½d
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1d
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Additional Notes 
The three companies submitted designs for Silver Jubilee competition. Artist's design drawings from De la Rue were lettered "Ascension." Were bicoloured - 2d (black and blue), 5d (black and green), 2/- (black and brown). Drawings are held as part of The Royal Collection.
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Bibliography 
Cade, C. Handbook of British Colonial Stamps. His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1950
Fraser, C & Lowe, R. "The die proofs of Waterlow and Sons. Part 1: Great Britain and the Empire to 1960." Christies Robson Lowe. London. 1985
Hughes, B. Ascension and St. Helena. Flagstaff. vol 5 pp 6-10
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Known Type A & B Waterlow Varieties of Ascension Island 
* Common = varieties common to Plates 2A & 2B
*Ultra-5 = Ultramarine vignettes from Plate 5
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