The Cape Colony joined the Universal Postal Union in 1895. As a member was bound to observe the regulations applicable to members. These included the provision that all members would forward mail, even if such mail was not prepaid or underpaid. The postal authorities of the country receiving the mail would deliver it free of…
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Maritime Mail Contracts of the Cape of Good Hope
The First Maritime Contract 1851 The first contract for the carriage of mail between the United Kingdom and the Cape was awarded to the General Screw Steam Shipping Company and, on 27 January 1851, the Bosphorus became the company’s pioneer vessel, carrying the first contract mail to the Cape.
The No Name Travelling Post Offices
The first T.P.O to operate was started in 1882 and originally operated between Cape Town and Beaufort West. This was later extended to Victoria West Road (later named Hutchinson) and subsequently to De Aar and beyond. These first marks had no special identification marks and they were simply denoted ‘T.P.O. UP’, ‘T.P.O.DOWN’ , ‘TRAVELLING PO…
Griqualand West History
Griqualand West owes its origin to Adam Kok, a slave whose strong sense of duty earned him his freedom. He was intially allowed to settle on a farm near St.Helena Bay. He became the patriarchal head of state of the Grigrigua tribe as well as some Namaquas and a group known as ‘Basters’, the progeny…
The Cape of Good Hope Rectangular Stamps The First Definitive issue 1864
The First Rectangular Stamps (First Definitive Issue 1864-1877) The first rectangular stamps of the Cape of Good Hope were issued in four denominations. The, one pence red, four pence blue, six pence violet and the one Shilling green. These were issued over a period of time as the stocks of the triangular stamps were being…
Literature
Philatelic Works Related to the Cape of Good Hope A. A.Jurgens, The Handstruck Letter Stamps of the Cape of Good Hope from 1792 to 1853 and Postmarks from 1853 to 1910. Hard to find book. Good decriptions of earlier sources and material. Goldblatt Robert, Postmarks of the Cape of Good Hope, Reijger Publishers (Pty) Ltd,…
Markings of the Ancillary Services
De La Rue Printing It is recorded in official records that at the end of January 1862 the dies, plates, watermark paper moulds, e.t.c. were handed over to the Crown Agents by Messrs. Perkins Bacon & Co.. These were transferred to the new Contractors-Messrs De La Rue & Co.- in May 1862. This offered an…
The Woodblock Stamps of the Cape of Good Hope
From approximately 1883, three postmarks (PS 4 to 6) sometimes called Argus Wheels, were in use on circulars as well as newspapers of the Cape of Good Hope. Another postmark (PS 7) is, in the main, seen stamped on wrappers.
Perkins Bacon Issue 1853
The first issue of the triangular stamps of the Cape of Good Hope were engraved and printed by Messrs. Perkins, Bacon & Co. The stamps were despatched to the Cape on the 11th may, 1853. They arrived a month later and the consignement was lodged at the Treasury Offices of the Cape. The Perkins Bacon…
Pen and Fiscal Cancellations
Pen Cancellations for Postage A number of the early Cape of Good Hope stamps were legitimately cancelled by pen on post office instructions as no cancellers were provided. These ‘pen cancellations’ or defacement of stamps was intended by the postal authorites to prevent their re-use and form an interesting branch of Cape of Good Hope…
The Mier Camel Post
Mierland (which translates literally from the Afrikaans as Antland) is partly Kalahari sanveld and partly low gravelly hillocks, interspersed with waterless pans. Geographically this is now part of Botswana and is bound to the west by Namibia (South West Africa) and to the east by the Molopo river. The nearest twon is Upington in the…
General Post Office and Head Office Postmarks of the Cape of Good Hope
The first datestamps specifically designating the Cape Town General Post Office were circular (GPO 1 to 4) and were in use from about 1881. They measured from 22 to 25 mm in diameter, with the letters G.P.O. at the top of the circle and “Cape Town” underneath. The letters vary in height from 3 to…