Welsh Airways started life as a single passenger air service, run by Harold Evanson, in 1921. As an ex RAF pilot he had realised the future lay in air transport. He built up a service that linked Wales north to south, with scheduled flights running from Caernarfon to Swansea, via Wrexham and Cardiff. He was an early operator of a business class air service, with comfortable seating and even a well stock bar on board.

He introduced an air letter service in 1937 with stamps featured the aeroplanes that had been used on his routes. All the stamps had a serial number added after printing as an overprint, and each transaction was meticulously recorded. Charges were 2d for a letter, 4d for signed-for delivery and 1/- for small parcels. In 1939 Harold was about to add a flying boat service so as to include Aberystwyth to the schedule and even had stamps printed. Sadly war broke out before the service properly started and the airfields used by Welsh Airways were commandeered for the war effort. Evanson did his bit, training new pilots, but that was the end of Welsh Airways and the air letter service.

Philatelists should keep an eye open for the fire damaged letters, stamped Damaged In Transit, caused by a rough take off and the spilling of a passenger’s flaming sambuca. They should also look out for the three known varieties that have been recorded