Page 16 - Delcampe Collections classiques EN-008

Stamps

Grenada Red Cross

vignettes (1914-1915)

By Alain Israël of the CTCR (Red Cross Theme Club)

The island of Grenada issued a vignette in 1914-1915. Its design and purpose are very
similar to those of the Trinidad vignette. It also features a large red cross framed in
red with the letters “RED CROSS/GRENADA/SOCIETY” with the sales price of “ONE
FRACTION”, or “ONE FARTHING” in later issues, and the years indicated at the edges
of the Cross.

A little history nicknamed “Spice Island” for its cinnamon,
Grenada is an island in the West Indies lo- cloves, turmeric and, especially, its nutmeg
cated fewer than 150 kilometres to the north mace.
of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. The The island was inhabited by the Kalinago
country has an area of 344 km and over and Arawak indians prior to Christopher
2
113,200 inhabitants. Its official language is Columbus’ arrival in 1492.
English and it uses the Caribbean dollar as They called the island Kamahuye.
its currency. The political system is a consti- Christopher Columbus renamed it Concep-
tutional monarchy. The capital, St. George’s, ción.
is the island’s largest city. The country is Grenada was colonised by the English in
the 17th century. It was purchased in 1650
by a company founded by French Cardinal
Richelieu. Grenada remained under French
domination until 1762. The island officially
became British in 1763 via the Treaty of Pa-
ris, which ended the Seven Years’ War. The
French retook the island in 1779, but the
British took it back again shortly afterwards.
Peace was re-established by the signature
of the Treaty of Versailles by the two parties
in 1783. Instigated by Victor Hugues, a pro-
French revolt broke out in 1795, but it was
put down by British troops which retained
sovereignty over the territory until its inde-
pendence.
From 1958 to 1962, Grenada was a province
of the Federation of the West Indies, which
quickly fell apart. The island became inde-

16 Delcampe Magazine