The Bickerdike Machine Papers

Newman, Geoffrey and McLean, L. Raymond
Released June 1986.
144 pages, 6 × 9, Perfect Bound.
[Published by: Unitrade Press]
B&W C$ 6.00 [ISBN 0-919801-51-X].

The Bickerdike Machine Papers is essentially a history book that describes what started out as a search for information about the 1902 Geary machine cancellations and turned into a study of the development and use of the Bickerdike machine for postal cancellations in Canada in the late 1890s. Among the discoveries during the research for the book was the personal notebook of one of the original owners of the Bickerdike patents, shedding much light on the previously obscure history of the Bickerdike machine.

After showing excerpts from the patent documents, leasing arrangements for the machines are discussed, followed by information on manufacturing and costs. Distribution of the 16 machines installed at Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton is covered, as are efforts to sell the machines in other Canadian cities. A large number of the machines were installed in the United States, and there were also sales to other countries, among them Bavaria, England, Queensland and South Africa.

Anyone interested in machine cancellations should read this book.