BECHUANALAND
Postal History, Postmarks
POSTAL HISTORY
AB3851
1893 (10th March), incoming envelope from England bearing QV ‘Jubilee’ 2½d purple on blue (SG 201) tied by a L-1 / Throgmorton Av (MR 10) duplex datestamp (believed to be a late fee paid). The printed address reads ‘The Kanya Exploration Company, Limited, / Kanya, / British Bechuanaland, / South Africa.’ and ‘Viâ Cape & Kimberley’. The envelope was apparently re-directed and the printed ‘KANYA’ was overwritten ‘Mafeking’ and a ‘2d’ tax charge was added at top, both in blue manuscript. There is also a large unframed ‘SURCHARGE’ handstamp struck in black, presumably at Kanye. Backstamped with Vryburg (AP 8) and Mafeking Bechuanaland (AP 10) transit / arrival datestamps. A very scarce example of Bechuanaland re-directed mail and a rare instructional marking.
 
Note: despite being addressed to ‘British Bechuanaland’, ‘Kanya’ (Kanye) is situated in Bechuanaland Protectorate. This envelope is correctly franked at the 2½d per half ounce rate introduced on the 1st July 1892 for letters from the United Kingdom to British Bechuanaland or Bechuanaland Protectorate. The 2d surcharge would therefore appear to be a re-direction fee rather than the previously applied 2d surcharge applied to mail addressed to the Protectorate.
£375