BECHUANALAND
Postal History, Postmarks
POSTAL HISTORY
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| AB4161 |
BECHUANALAND / Forerunner / Incoming Missionary Mail 1840 (12 September). Early Missionary mail from Kuruman. Wrapper addressed to ‘Rev W. Ellis Foreign Secretary / Mission House Blomfield St Finsbury / London’. Endorsed ‘Care of Revd D Philips / Church Square / Cape Town”. The letter was carried privately to Cape Town where Rev Philip arranged for it to enter the official mails and where it received a crowned oval GENERAL POST OFFICE / CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (3 Dec) datestamp. The postage of 2/4 (endorsed in red manuscript) was paid by Rev Philip. At this time neither Stellaland nor British Bechuanaland existed. The Rev Robert Moffat joined the London Missionary Society Mission in Kuruman in 1820 becoming one of the first Europeans to reside in the first European settlement in Bechuana territory. The side flap is endorsed “Kuruman, Sept 12, 1840 / Hamilton & Edwards”. Robert Hamilton and Roger Edwards (believed to be the writer) were artisans working under Robert Moffat who was in England at this time. They were in charge of the mission and also handled the mails. An endorsement shows the letter arrived on 17 March 1841 (transit time of 6 months and 5 days). Horizontal fold, otherwise a fine and very rare example of early Missionary mail. Ex Catterall (2001).
Note: Mail from Kuruman at this early date was sent by any available means to Cape Town and thenceforth via Dr. Philips, the representative of the London Missionary Society who would pay postage and arrange for onward transmission.
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| £2,750 |
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