The Bermuda “Perots”
Also known as the Bermuda Postmasters’ stamps, William Perot was Postmaster in Bermuda for more than 40 years at a time of great change in Post Office operations around the World. In Bermuda, it had been the case for some time that inland postage had to be prepaid; the Postmaster was entitled to keep inland postage moneys as part of his remuneration.
However, collection of postage moneys was sometime difficult, if, for example, the Post Office was closed; senders of mail were supposed to place their letters and money to cover postage in a box by the Post Office, but often there were more letters than money!
Mr Perot decided to introduce “stamps” which could be bought while the Post Office was open and were to be placed on letters before posting in the box. The “stamp” was in fact an impression of the circular canceller he had previously been supplied from London, which had the words “Hamilton Bermuda” around the outer edge, with the date in the centre.
Mr Perot removed the day and month “slugs” leaving just the year slug. On all the stamps he sold he wrote “one penny” and signed them as well.
It seems they were first introduced in 1848 and were in use until 1856, after when a different “paid” handstamp was in use until printed “proper” stamps were sent out from London and brought into use in 1865.
Only about 12 “Perots” are thought to have survived; indeed so few are known that it was not until over 40 years later that the collecting fraternity even learned of their existence.
The Royal Philatelic Collection has three examples, from 1848, 1853 and 1854, and these are shown in the frame.
百慕大“佩罗特邮票”
此票也称“百慕大邮政局长邮票”。威廉·佩罗特在百慕大担任了40多年的邮政局长，在此期间，世界各地邮政业务经历着重大的变革。在百慕大的一段时间里，内陆邮资是预付的，邮政局长有权把内陆邮资的现金留下来，作为他的部分酬劳。
但是，收取邮资现金有时是困难的。例如，在邮局下班后，寄邮件的人就在邮局的信箱里投放了他们的信件和相应邮资的现金。但通常是信箱里信件要比钱更多！
佩罗特先生决定引进“邮票”，使用户可以在邮局上班时买到并且贴在信封上投入信箱。事实上这种“邮票”是他用此前从伦敦发来的园型盖销日戳所盖印的。该邮戳的四周为“汉密尔顿·百慕大”（Hamilton Bermuda）字样，中间原为日期。佩罗特先生不用日和月，但留下了年份的字钉。在出售的所有“邮票”上，他都写上面值“1便士”并签上自己的名字。
这些“邮票”看来最早用于1848年，并一直用到1856年，此后使用另一式手盖的“邮资已付”戳。到1865年，“正规”印刷的邮票从伦敦发到并投入使用。
大约只有12枚“佩罗特邮票”被保存下来。事实上，因为数量太少，直到40年以后集邮界才认识到它们的存在。
在此展示的是英国王室邮集中所拥有1848年、1853年和1854年三枚“佩罗特邮票”。
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