Page 492 - Jarvis & Wright: Jamaica Display to RPSL

Maritime Jamaica: The Imperial Direct West Indies Mail Service.

The Imperial Direct West Indies Mail Service Company (Elder Dempster Shipping Line).
The Elder Dempster Shipping Line set up the Company in 1901. Until 1911 they operated direct
sailings every two weeks carrying passengers, mail and bananas between Kingston and Bristol.

A series of envelopes showed scenes from Bristol and Jamaica to commemorate the service. The
one below, though, has been sent on a different shipping line, probably the RMSP, via New York.

Pictorial cover of
the Elder
Dempster
Shipping Line to
Great Britain,
1903.

Kingston
24 April 03.

Eltham
14 May 03.

Cover carried on the SS Port Kingston, the Imperial Direct West Indies service
of the Elder Dempster Shipping Line to Great Britain via Bristol, 1907.
The Port Kingston, 7,584 tons, 220 passengers, was built in 1904 and was in
service from 1904 to 1911.

Per S.S. Pt
Kingston.

Kingston
registered:
2 July 07.

Bristol:
16 July 07;
registration
label added.

Birmingham:
16 July 07.

Manchester:
16 July 07.