The distinctive obliterators known as “bootheel” cancellers were introduced to Barbados in 1863. They replaced earlier barred numeral obliterators. Like the original barred numeral obliterators, each of the eleven parishes was allocated a a Parish number. The Parish numbers were as follows:
- St. Michael (G.P.O. Bridgetown)
- Christ Church
- St. Philip
- St. George
- St. John
- St. Joseph
- St. James
- St. Thomas
- St. Andrew
- St. Peter
- St. Lucy

In 1886 new Parish datestamps were issued to replace the “bootheel” marks, whereupon these marks were returned to the G.P.O. in Bridgetown and the parish numbers removed. Known as “open bootheel” cancellations, they were used at the G.P.O. from 1887 to 1902.