Sap June 2021

JUNE
The South African

2021
Philatelist All about stamps

T H E J O U R N A L O F T H E P H I L AT E L I C F E D E R AT I O N O F S O U T H A F R I CA S I N C E 19 3 2
v o l u m e 9 7 : 3 . 9 6 6 www.stampssa.africa
OHMS a 1901 ‘Natal Carbineers’ cover Pietermaritzburg 29 AP 1901 to the Cape.
Onderstepoort cancellation is
inscribed PARCELS at the base, but
Unique entire from Cape Town addressed to the Treasurer General, Natal was applied on a postcard to the USA.
franked with 4d Cape triangular.
ISSN 0038-2566
The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .
J U N E 2021 Vo l 9 7 Nu m b e r 3 Wh o l e No 9 66
The South African Philatelist
Contents The Journal of the Philatelic Federation of South Africa

w w w. s t a m p s s a . a f r i c a
Aw a r d s :
REGULARS • Large Silver Hafnia 1994,

• S i l v e r B r o n z e Pa c i f i c 1 9 9 7 ,
71 Closing dates for future issues • Ve r m e i l A P S S t a m p s h o w 1 9 9 9 ,
73 Letters to the Editorial Board • Large Silver Egoli 2001,
• Fe d e r a t i o n P l a q u e 2 0 0 4 ,
74 Phun with Postmarks • S i l v e r E s p a ñ a ‘ 0 6 , L i t e r a t u r e Aw a r d 2 0 0 6 ,
78 New Stamp issue • Large Silver NZ Literature Exhibition 2007,
98 Society news • L a r g e S i l v e r J A K A R TA 2 0 0 8 ,
99 Errors on Stamps • L a r g e Ve r m e i l I P H L A 2 0 1 2 .
FEATURES
72 PFSA Update - Federation News
by C.O.O. André du Plessis
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
72 NOTE changes to the event in Bloemfontein: now postponed the A ndré du Plessis RDPSA : a n d r e d u p f s @gm a i l .c o m
83rd PFSA Congress, Vrijstaat 2021 National Philatelic Exhibition Peter van der Molen RDPSA, FRPSL : [email protected]
& Junass. The Savpex 2021 Virtual Exhibition results in July
David Wigston: s p e e d b i r d [email protected]
by Joof van der Merwe
Robin Messenger: [email protected]
75 Obituary: Pierre Erasmus Janice Botes Production Editor: [email protected]
75 New International Exhibition Dates: Cape Town and London Alan Rose: [email protected]
76 Protea Definitive Series: Reversed Perforations on the 4c Stamp
by Dr Vic Sorour
E D I TO R I A L C O N S U LTA N TS
77 Tapling Medal of the Royal Philatelic PS of J Newsletter
Alex Visser RDPSA : [email protected]
77 South African exhibitors at CANPEX 2021 Virtual One Frame Exhibition Michael Wigmore RDPSA : [email protected]
80 Official Mail Sent by or Received in Natal from ‘Overseas Countries’ Chris Mobsby RDPSA, FRPSL : [email protected]
by Roger Porter RDPSA Gerhard Kamffer RDPSA : [email protected]
85 Collectors Save St Helena Archives Press release ABPS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER of the PFSA
86 Suid Afrikaanse Poskantoor Interne Takposgeleibrief André du Plessis RDPSA : [email protected]
(Branch Post Office Waybill) deur Johan Joubert Tel: +27 (0) 83 399 1755
88 House Numbering with thanks to ‘The Archive Team at The Postal Museum, London P R O D U C T I O N & L AYO U T
89 In Memoriam: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke Of Edinburgh Janice Botes: [email protected]
Tel: +27 (0) 11 454 5940
90 The Functioning of the Postal System - Part 3: Airmail postal services A l l S o u t h A f r i c a n s ta m ps
and postal rates applicable over the period 1961 - 1971 a r e r e p r o d u c e d w i th the
p e r m i s s i o n o f S A PO
by Dr Gerhard Kamffer RDPSA
94 Stopped by Censor by Andrew Briscoe
96 Error Corrected Material from the files of the late Jan Bakker RDPSA
97 The King is dead, long live the Queen by Sean Burke
ADVERTISERS
70 Filat AG
77 John & Mark Taylor
79 Johnson Philatelic
89 Doreen Royan & Associates
100 Spink
To avoid late delivery, please note; Publication closing dates for FINAL submission of
Advertising Material for The SA Philatelist. ARTICLES should be submitted in the month prior:
• AUGUST 2021 - Volume. 97: 4. 967. 9 July 2021 • OCTOBER 2021 - Volume. 97 : 3. 966. 9 Sept 2021
The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 71

F E D E R AT I O N N E W S DISCLAIMER
from the Chief Operating Officer of the PFSA The views expressed in this publication
André du Plessis 083 399 1755. https://www.stampssa.africa do not necessarily represent those of the
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ Philatelic Federation of South Africa. While
every effort is made to ensure accuracy
Following the Management Meeting of 29 April 2021, the following points of interest and honesty in the editorial columns of
were noted: this magazine, the publisher and editor
• Treasury: The handover between the previous and current Treasurer of PFSA accounts cannot be held responsible for inaccurate
has not been finalised as yet. The matter is being attended to by the current Treasurer. information supplied and consequently
published. Publication of articles is subject
• Website: Woo-commerce software was installed and launched. All PFSA members
to availability of space and cannot be
can now access information on the ‘resources’ tab after signing on. guaranteed in each edition. Copyright
• Newsletter: The bi-monthly newsletter, STAMPS SOUTH AFRICA, has been well received for material published in this magazine
and will continue. is strictly reserved. Illustrations are not
• Honorary Life Vice-President: There are two vacant positions. To date, two citations necessarily actual size because of space
have been received as well as an enquiry for another nomination. constraints.
• Exhibitions: Cape Town International and VRIJSTAAT 2021 have been postponed to EDITORIAL POLICY
November 2022 and October 2021, respectively. Please see the notices in this issue. The Editorial Board reserves the right to
The Virtual SAVPEX 2021 has received good response - results will be uploaded accept or decline any articles, letters or any
to the PFSA website by 25 July 2021. other material submitted for publication,
• Expert Committee: A slight increase in assignments have been received. and reserves the right to effect minor
changes of spelling, punctuation, grammar
• International Exhibitions: The Philanippon Stamp Exhibition, scheduled for August
and word choice without requesting prior
2021 in Japan: It has been decided to withdraw entries/support for this event. permission from the author(s). For more
• The SA Philatelist: Despite the low number of advertisers, the 2021 issues are being substantial revisions, such as shortening or
released on time. The University of Pretoria is in the process of scanning back copies. restructuring, either the Board will request
• General: Although COVID 19 restrictions have been been partially lifted, not much the author(s) to effect such changes or will
face-to-face activity has occured. However, more Societies are starting to move propose amendments to the author prior to
publication - if no agreement can be reached
in this direction.
then publication will be declined.
Trending news in South Africa is the court matter regarding PostNet, supported by
the South African Express Parcel Association (SAEPA). Now challenging the ruling P U B L I CAT I O N :
by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in 2019, The South African Philatelist, a bi-monthly
which holds that PostNet has contravened the Postal Services Act by transporting and stamp magazine, is published by the
delivering packages under 1kg. PostNet has secured an interdict which has allowed Philatelic Federation of South Africa
them to continue to deliver these packages until the full challenge is heard in the (PFSA). This is one of the oldest running
stamp magazines in the world and was
Gauteng High Court. This ruling prohibits Postnet (and other courier companies)
founded in 1920.
from delivering such items. According to the regulations, only a licensed postal Annual Subscription:
services operator may render services defined as “reserved postal services.” As the Electronic copy:
only operator of this kind in South Africa, the Post Office has exclusivity to provide •RSA and Worldwide - R70.00
delivery services for all letters, postcards, printed matter, small parcels, and other Printed copy:
postal articles up to and including 1kg. •South Africa - R300.00
(Including local postage)
SAEPA represents SA Courier companies such as FedEx, DHL, UPS, CourierIT, RAM, •SADC countries - R750.00
and Globeflight etc. (Include International postage via airmail)
The HAWID company in Berlin will cease business operations on 30 June 2021 and •Foreign countries - R1,100.00
(Include International postage via airmail)
the supply of HAWID products will be discontinued from that date. The reason given
by the current owner, Mrs Widmaier, is that the number of collectors is reducing PLEASE NOTE:
Subscription for a printed copy is for
and as she is now 80 years old she wants to retire. Following this announcement six issues per year and automatically
both Prinz Verlag and Lindner in Germany offer collectors reassurance of include access to an electronic copy.
continuation thereof in their product ranges. Please contact your stamp The 2021 rates are also available on the
dealer for more information on such products from other companies. PFSA official website
under ‘CONTACT/JOIN ’:
Please note - the SAVPEX 2021 one-frame Virtual Exhibtion www.stampssa.africa
results will be uploaded to the Federation website by 25 July 2021.
Enquiries regarding
subscriptions and PFSA membership
can be addressed to the C.O.O. André

NEW dates: South African National Exhibitions du Plessis at [email protected]
This includes the 83rd PFSA Congress Tel: +27 (0)83 399 1755
The NATIONAL and
JUNASS 2021 exhibitions will take place in Bloemfontein Contributions and letters for the
the new dates are 21-23 OCTOBER 2021. publication must be forwarded to the
For more information: (IREX) and entry forms, Editorial Board of The SA Philatelist,
PO Box 131600, Benoryn, 1504.
contact: Joof van der Merwe South Africa or email: [email protected]
<[email protected]> Advertising Rates available from the
or visit the Federation website C.O.O. André du Plessis, PO Box
https://www.stampssa.africa 53100, Wierda Park, 0149 or email the
Entries close on 1 September 2021 Production Editor: [email protected]
72 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

Dear Readers,
as part of fund raising for the planned Cape Town International Exhibition, (now in 2022) a set of ten postcards
depicting original artworks by Mrs. Julia Birkhead (wife of the late Harry Birkhead RDPSA) have been produced
R S TO THE E for sale to collectors. These official Postal Stationery cards issued by the Post Office, and are the fourth
T TE DI
T
LE O in the series, will be sold in a packet of 10 designs, depicting indigenous birds.
Orders may be placed with Emil Minnaar. Tel. 063 803 3536
R
or by email: [email protected] The selling price will be
IA
US $17 plus Postage and Packaging of US $8.
LB
(Local is R230 plus pp R20). Payment may be made by
Correspondence to THE SA
OA
EFT to the account of: Philatelica 2021NPC
SA PHILATELIST should ABSA Wealth Account. Branch Code: 632 005
RD
be addressed to the Account Number: 40 9528 4108
Editorial Board. Material or to PAYPAL account: [email protected]
received is most welcome Please support our endeavour.
and will be reviewed.
Articles, letters and
items of interest may be
published and stand the
chance of being rewarded
with a writing gift.
T H E A P R I L I S SUE
Poor Mar y
O Mary found a little stamp,
What a tour de force the April issue is. But what about putting the
A rarity, conceded.
e-mail address next to the name of each author, so a reader may
In fact ’twas just the very one
correspond directly with him/her? David Mordant.
Ed comment: We will request permission from the authors to do just that.
Her dear old daddy needed.
It also chanced, this wondrous stamp,
The Covid effect continues... That Mary did discover a
Rare Patriotic Cover
Now, Mary knowing that her dad
Liked stamps found in a garret,
Made haste to yank from envelope
Said stamp, as well as tear it.
And thus she brought it to her dad
In ecstasy to show him,
But, from his look of seething rage,
She found she didn’t know him.
A fortune he had won and lost
Through his beloved daughter,
Because to leave old stamp intact
He ne’er before had taught her.
And thou, O stamps - collecting sire,
Take this advice from me:
While in their youth, and ere too late,
Teach kids Philately.
As per the request in The SA Philatelist, (p55 of the April 2021 issue) please - G. M. McCracken, “Poor Mary,”
see the above postal item returned to me due to there not being any flights Originally appeared in the
available. Mervyn Elliott (29.3.21) Washington Post 1933
T h e C a p e To w n I n t e r n a t i o n a l S tamp Ex hibition Organising Committee have

s ec u r e d n e w d a t e s w i th FIP from 8 to 12 November 2022.
INTERNATIONAL STAMP EXHIBITION - CAPE TOWN
8-12 November 2022
Website: www. capetown 2021.org

M A R C O P H I LY
by Alex Visser RDPSA, Pretoria Philatelic Society Email: [email protected]
What is a beautiful date stamp or cancellation?

Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Traditionally, collectors
wanted nice partial strikes on a stamp to be considered fine
used. Other collectors prefer the Socked-on-the-Nose (SON)
where a clear impression is centrally placed on the stamp.
But this would still be a circular date stamp. I only realised
the importance of circular date stamps when the post office
introduced rectangular date stamps and collectors started 1.d
moaning.
Most collectors seek a clear and light impression. The problem
with most parcel cancellations is that they are heavy and
often smudged, and stamps on parcels are often damaged
in transit, so most get discarded; they are also usually large
and undated, which makes them harder to study. Fortunately
there is a group of collectors who study parcel cancellations,
and a completely new world opens up. My correspondent
Bas Payne has suggested that most parcel cancellations can
be classified into the following groups (examples are mainly
out of Bas’ collection):
• Dated steel cancellations (including dated hand roller
cancellations) (Fig.1a and b);
• Cork cancellations (Fig.1c);
• Undated hand roller cancellations (Fig.1d); 1.f
• Undated circular cancellations (Fig.1e); Because of the size of parcel cancellers it is a challenge to find
• Undated barred cancellations (Fig.1f). complete impressions. Fig.2a shows the only recorded complete
It was found that steel date stamps damaged the packing Cape Town registered cancellation, presumed for parcels.
material of parcels, whereas cork or rubber was softer and Durban had large registered cancellers with No. 1 (not shown)
did not cause damage (Goldblatt). However cork or rubber and No. 2 (Fig.2b); only one example of each has been reported.
degrades fairly rapidly, so a large number of different cancellers These items have intrigued collectors, and correspondence
of this type were used at the larger post offices. Parcel cancellers during 1993 between Putzel and Slater-Kinghorn indicated that
were sometimes used on letters and postcards, presumably neither had seen the Durban impressions, and they concluded
because they came to hand: the Onderstepoort cancellation that it must have been used for bulk registration. Information to
in Fig,1a is inscribed PARCELS at the base, but was applied on clarify the use would be welcomed.
a postcard to the USA.
1.b
2.a 2.b
Fig.2: Large registration marks from Cape Town and Durban.
1.a 1.c The 58 mm registration mark from Durban complete on piece
is clearly an item of beauty. How long will we enjoy the
pleasure of such postmarks? In a recent weekly Newsletter
by an Australian dealer it was reported that the German post
office started issuing stamps that you can track, even on
normal letter mail. Every stamp is sold with a printed unique
Matrix Code. All German mail centres and post offices have
moved to pale blue ink cancellations from 4 February 2021
1.e (Fig.3), so that the code can be machine-read. Interestingly
Fig.1(a-f): Examples of broad classification of different parcel cancellations.
the machine cancel is in light blue, but the weak hand stamp
impression at the bottom of the stamp is still in black ink.
Does this spell the end of postmarks as we have known them, even the
beautiful parcel cancellers?
OBITUARY
R.I.P. Pierre Erasmus 1952 - 2021
On 16 April 2021, Oilfilat (Sasolburg Philatelic

Society) and philately in general, lost a
dedicated and well-loved 69 year old stalwart
and long serving Committee member, Pierre
Fig.3: New blue machine cancellation used in Germany at top Erasmus. Pierre acted as both Secretary and
the slogan reads ’United Against Corona’. Treasurer for the last eight years and served
The Pietersburg plot thickens his club with honour. He leaves behind his
In the December 2020 column in The SA Philatelist, I reported that Polokwane wife, Meisie, his son Lourens, and his daughter
unexpectedly introduced Pietersburg (the old name) self-inking date stamps. Sarina. Pierre died of renal failure after an
To date counters 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11 and 14 have been recorded. Intriguingly a extended period of illness.
RLS (Registered Letter Section) date stamp of the same style, shown in Fig.4, Pierre regularly exhibited at local and inter-
recently appeared. Note that the name is scrambled. If any club level and specialised inter alia in the
readers can add information as to what is happening postal history and stamps of South Africa’s
in Polokwane/Pietersburg,I would be very happy. Homeland countries. He acted as main contact
Fig.4: New Pietersburg RLS self-inking person between the Philatelic Federation
date stamp used at Polokwane. of South Africa and various other Philatelic
Societies in the country. All members of Oilfilat
Is dit moontlik dat pakketpos stempels mooi kan wees? were regularly provided with news from other
Dit word toegegee dat sommige stempels doeltreffend is maar hoegenaamd societies and informed about stamp auctions.
nie as mooi beskou kan word nie. Daar is egter uitsonderings soos wat getoon As a club, we mourn the death of Pierre. His
word in die rubriek. Hoe lank sal stempels nog leesbaar wees, soos deur dedication and enthusiasm with Meisie at his
die verwikkelinge by die Duitse poskantoor getoon? En dan het ons die side, were much appreciated and he will be
interessanthede in Pieterburg/Polokwane. Daar is geen beheerstelsel wat die sincerely missed.
kwaliteit van ‘n datumstempel instrument evalueer nie, en om die rede vind RIP Pierre
ons ‘n verskeidenheid spellings, en nie slegs in Pietersburg nie! Johan van Wyk (Sasolburg Oilfilat)
The Cape Town 2021 International Exhibition has been postponed and now
scheduled to be held from the 8-12 November 2022.
– Organising Committee of the Cape Town International Exhibition.
Website: www. capetown 2021.org
The new IREX has been finalised and approved by the FIP. A Social Media presence on both Facebook and
Twitter has been created. The latest London 2022 newsletter is now available at www.london2022.co/news.
19 to 26 February 2022 Frank Walton RDP FRPSL
Chairman, London 2022 Organising Committee

TRA D IT IO N A L P H I L AT E LY STAMP SHAPES
PROTEA DEFINITIVE SERIES: by David Wigston,
East Rand PS
Reversed Perforations on the 4c stamp
by Dr Vic Sorour, Witwatersrand Philatelic Society
email < [email protected]>
Le Philatéliste
The Protea Definitive Series is the Republic of South Africa’s third definitive series, While art and artists are a common
issued in 1977. Nine values were printed by photogravure and eight values by
lithography. Two values, the 3c and the 20c, initially printed by photogravure were theme found on stamps, paintings
subsequently printed by lithography. featuring philatelists or philately are
not easy to find.
Stamps printed by photogravure were initially perforated by the internal rotary
perforator of the De La Rue Giori printing machine. The side margins were perforated Google Image suggests that paintings
through and there was a single extra perforation at the end of each vertical row of philatelists (a somewhat specialised
of perforations. However, perforation was slow and delayed the production of the genre, admittedly) are mostly chocolate-
stamps. In an attempt to speed up production the Walter Kroll and Grover perforators box academic renditions of eccentric old
were used. The stamps were still produced by the De La Rue printer on a continuous geezers squinting through magnifying
roll of paper. This was guillotined into sheets of two panes (the B and A panes) of 200 glasses. (Not that there isn’t an undeniable
stamps. These sheets were then fed into the perforator with the left margin of the B element of truth there, as anyone will
pane first. This resulted in an imperforate left margin of the B pane, the other three
know who has ever visited a stamp fair
vertical margins were perforated through.
and studied the demography.)*
It follows that stamps printed by photogravure
always have the right margin of the A pane An exception has featured on a 4€
perforated through. stamp issued by Spain, 2 October
2020, to honour the hobby of stamp
I recently came across pieces of the 4c Protea
stamp, Pane A, Issue 2 with an imperforate collecting.
right margin (Fig.1). There are also two nibble
perforations at the extreme right edge of the
sheet in line with each horizontal row of
perforations.
Fig.1: 4c: Pane A, Issue 2 with imperforate
right margin = Reversed Perforation.
The only way to explain this, is if the guillotined
sheets were reversed prior to being fed into the
perforator. This would result in the right margin
Fig.1
of the A pane being fed into the perforator and
thus be imperforate. Figure 2 shows the normal top left corner
of pane B with an imperforate margin and
some nibble perforations.
This is perhaps better explained by referring
to Figure 3, where the piece shown in
Figure 1 has been rotated through 180
degrees and now is an exact replica of the
perforations in Figure 2.
Special odd-shaped stamp printed on

cardstock with a plastic magnifying
glass attached. (One needs to asks if
this can be placed on a letter?)
The stamp shows Le Philatéliste,
painted by François Barraud in
1929. It’s a self-portrait with his
Fig.2: Normal top left corner of Pane B. Issue 2
wife Marie. During 1922 Barraud
Imperforate left margin and nibble perforations.
moved from Switzerland to Reims
This is the first example of this variety that I have in France where he married Marie,
seen in the Protea Definitive Series. Perhaps a French woman, in 1924. He died
there are many more lying unnoticed in other of tuberculosis in Geneva in 1934 at
collections. Please look at your material and let the age of 34.
me know if you find any. * Richard Warren The artist as philatelist.
Fig.3: Pane A, rotated 180º. Perfs exactly match Fig.2. www.richardwarren.wordpress.com

SOC IE T Y N E WS
Tapling Medal of the Royal Philatelic
Society of London
Congratulations to Keith Klugman who was recently awarded Keith joined the Philatelic
the 100th anniversary Tapling Medal of the Royal Philatelic Society of Johannesburg in
Society, London for 2020, for his articles on embossed Natal September 1973, while he
stamps published last year in the London Philatelist. This medal was still in matric. He has
has been awarded annually since 1920 for the best article. remained a member ever
since even though he left South Africa to reside in the
U.S.A. over 20 years ago.
Today knowledge of the philately of early Colonial Natal
has grown exponentially, which is partly due to Keith’s
substantial contribution of numerous articles published in
lead journals, presentations at prestigious stamp events,
and his stamp displays at international exhibitions. Keith’s
Victorian Natal stamp exhibit, since it won the Grand Prix
National at Joburg in 2010, has won 3 Large Gold Awards
at International FIP exhibitions and will be the first Natal
The three ‘faces’ of the prestigious Tapling Medal in solid silver with the deep
exhibit ever to be shown in the Championship Class when
bas-relief, and personalised engraving around the edge of the medal. it is shown at London 2022.
‘Thank you for supporting the first Canadian Virtual exhibition’

The 65 competitive exhibits came from 16 countries and five continents, with
27 exhibits in the postal history class and another 15 in traditional philately.
South African exhibitors did very well at CANPEX 2021 Virtual One Frame Exhibition:
• Jan Hofmeyr won the Reserve Grand Award and the Philatelic Society of Canada Research Award for
his exhibit “The Philatelic Inventions of Henry Loewenberg” 93 Large Gold
• Jan van Beukering, “Early Union of South Africa Roll Stamp Production” 91 Large Gold
• Joof Van Der Merwe, “A Study of the ½d Warthog of the Union of South Africa” 84 Large Vermeil
• Emil Minnaar, “Israel - 1949 Flag Issue” 83 Large Vermeil
JOHN & MARK TAYLOR

SCHWEIZER-RENEKE
An important collection of
autograph letters, documents
and more, from the records of
Leopold Stern, relating to the
siege.
For further details please contact us

email address: [email protected]
Address: P.O. Box 37324, London N1 - 2YQ.
Tel: 020 7226 1503 Fax: 020 7359 7456

NEW IS S U E S
NEW SOUTH AFRICAN STAMP ISSUE - 2021 - part 1

by Robin Messenger, Witwatersrand Philatelic Society
NOTE: The following stamp issue became available from Philatelic Services 20 April 2021.
The issue date shown below is that appearing on the sheet margin and on the canceller.
10 September 2020 – SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE 2020

Denominations: 10 x Standard Postage Rate (R5.34)
Designer: Thea Clemons, from

photographs supplied by the
South African Air Force Museum,
Swartkops
Printer: Cartor Security Print,
France
Process: Offset lithography
Stamp size: 41 x 24mm
Sheetlet size: 138 x 200mm,
comprising the ten different
designs in five rows of two
Quantity: 250,000 sheetlets
Cylinder numbers: 8709 (cyan),
8710 (magenta), 8711 (yellow) and
8712 (black)
Paper: 247gsm self-adhesive stamp
paper
Gum: Self-adhesive
Perforation: Simulated serpentine
kiss-cut. Stamps are separated by
8mm gutters in the centre of which
are roulettes to aid separation of
the individual stamps.
These roulettes extend through the
sheetlet margins and also through
the backing paper.
Phosphor: Yellow-green in 3 mm
wide frame around each stamp
Printing sheet size: Not yet seen
First Day Covers: Nos. 8.134 and
8.135 of standard size (190 x
101mm) each of which 1,000 will
be produced
Canceller: No. 8.129 – ‘THABA
TSHWANE’ / ’10.9.2020’
Acknowledgement:
The above information was collated
from SAPO’s Philatelic e-mailed newsletter
WHAT’S NEWS, dated April 2021 and personal
observation.

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .
79
POSTAL HISTORY
O F FI C I AL MAIL, SENT BY OR R EC EI VED I N ,
N ATA L FR OM ‘OVER SEAS C OU N T R I ES ’
by Roger Porter RDPSA, Cape and Natal Study Circle
The infant Colony of Natal was annexed as a District of the Official ‘OHMS’ correspondence
Cape of Good Hope on 31 May 1844. The Cape laws and was carried by vessels between
ordinances therefore were applied to Natal ‘to meet the Port Natal, Cape Town, and
peace, order and good government of the district’. The England. Whether postage was
absence of a means of regular communication between Natal required to be paid on outward
and Cape Town led to considerable frustration in Natal at the Fig.1: Crest and cachet of the
Agent General for Natal used OHMS mail depended on the
lack of independent legislative power. Following protracted on official stationery. conditions contained in the
negotiations, ‘Letters Patent’ and instructions were received many and different seamail contracts entered into over the
in July 1848. The effect was to create a legislative council years by the UK, Cape, or Natal authorities with a succession
for the purpose of promulgating legislation locally. Natal of various shipping companies. The complexity of postage
continued to be a District of the CGH but the responsibility of charges for sending and receiving OHMS mail during the
the Cape Governor for Natal had not been diminished; this to Natal colonial period was directly related to the country
the dissatisfaction of the residents of Natal. In 1874 a formal
that paid the seamail contract fees to the shipping company.
request was made for responsible government to be granted
Therefore, if Natal, Cape or UK postal authorities were paying
to Natal. The matter was delayed for political reasons that
the agreed contract fee then their Official Mail was conveyed
arose both locally and externally. Sir John Robinson, leader
free of postage to its destination. On the other hand if Natal,
of the ‘Forward Party’, with a small majority in the Legislative
Cape or Britain were not contributing financially to the
Council, successfully got the Responsible Government Bill
shipping company in terms of the seamail contract, postage
passed. Royal assent was received in September 1893.
had to be prepaid on all such Official Mail.
The Legislative Council dealt with the matters of establishing
Postage paid on the earliest official mail sent overseas
the functions of a government and the roll-out of an
administration that gave effect to the laws and regulations The article ‘Official Mail of the Colony of Natal’ (The SA
for trade, defence, policing, finance, land allocation, postal, Philatelist February 2021) covered the OHMS mail sent
commercial development, etc. Therefore much official within Natal by authorised government officials. The matter
correspondence would have flowed from and to Natal from of OHMS mail sent by Natal or received in Natal from places
the Cape and England during these early times. beyond the seas was not included, other than the item
Generally Official ‘OHMS’ mail is scarce as it rarely came illustrated as Fig.2 (ex Klugman 2011). This item from Natal
into private hands, if it did it was usually discarded. It was to Cape Town was endorsed ‘Official / MH’ (MH = initials of
also less attractive to collectors as it bore no stamps and M Hine, Colonial Secretary) and with the seal of that office,
therefore was rarely collected. Official Mail that has survived addressed to Cape Town. Postage of 7d was however prepaid
is relatively more frequently found as local or inland mail. on this wrapper from the 1852 - 1857 period. As there was
However, Natal Official Mail to or from overseas countries no special provision in law made for official government
is amongst the most difficult to source and few items are to mail, it was treated as ordinary mail receiving the PREPAID
be found. For these reasons the postal history of OHMS mail mark in red and the red ink ‘7’ mark being the inland postage
has been a neglected field and little studied. Such Official from Pietermaritzburg (3d) + sea mail cost (4d) to Cape
Mail is of considerable philatelic importance in gaining an Town. This was in accordance with the Natal Government
understanding of how the Natal government was able to instructions dated 30 January 1852 (issued to facilitate the
engage with other government officials stationed overseas in coming into effect of Post Office Ordinance No. 4 of 1851)
Cape Town and London. which required that postmasters charge ‘all letters transmitted
Official Mail To or From The Cape Colony and United beyond the seas’ at the letter rate of 4d, plus the additional
Kingdom Conveyed By Ship postage on an inland letter of 3d. This item was conveyed
Natal government officials needed to correspond
frequently with their overseas counterparts in the Cape
of Good Hope and the United Kingdom on government
matters. Official communiqués, authorisations and
or approvals on various legal, policy, political, or
procedural matters also had to be obtained from the
British Government or the Crown Agents in London
before any action or implementation could be
undertaken. Procurement of goods from suppliers in the
UK by the Natal Government was through corresponding
with Sir Walter Peace, the Natal Agent General in London
(Fig.1). Such communication with overseas countries was
significantly constrained by the infrequent arrival of ships at
Port Natal resulting in long delays, often of several months, Fig.2: OHMS entire from Natal Colonial Secretary to Cape Town sent during
before replies were received. This significantly hampered the period 1852-1857 with PREPAID cachet and red ink ‘7’ being the postage
development of the Colony. from Pietermaritzburg (3d) plus the sea mail charge (4d) to Cape Town.

Fig.4: Unique entire from Cape Town addressed to the Treasurer
General, Natal with 4d stamp and backstamped Cape Town AU
10 1855. Taken by the ‘Therese’ which arrived at Port Natal
on 5 SP 1855 where it was endorsed ‘FREE’ and signed by WM
Collins (Natal PMG) thereby authorising its official status and free
transmission from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.
company that would provide a mail service from Port Natal
to Cape Town and return until J.T. Rennie engaged with the
Natal government. The Cape also had no contract mail service
with UK; the last packet ship had sailed from Table Bay on
26 July 1854. In August 1856 the Lindsay Line established a
very unsatisfactory seamail service that soon failed. Mail was
conveyed by private vessels at the ship letter rate of 8d per ½ oz.
Fig.3: 1856 Entire cancelled POST OFFICE P M BURG to Post Master The Natal Colonial Government (represented by the Colonial
General, Cape Town from Post Office, PM Burg, Natal with red seal
Secretary) entered into a contract with J.T. Rennie on 31
POST OFFICE NATAL (only recorded example). No postal charges
were applied either in Natal or at the Cape. Taken by the ship ‘Admiral’ January 1857. Natal was to pay £1500 per annum in quarterly
and backstamped Cape Town 17 MY 1856.
in terms of a seamail contract
between the General Screw Steam
Ship Company (GSSS Co) and the
British Admiralty dated 10 August
1852 which required that the
seamail service between Cape Town
and D’Urban was to commence on
1 October 1852. The 1852 postage
rate was reduced by Governor
Pine in Government Notice dated
30 November 1853 for “letters
posted for transmission to ports
beyond the seas or received from
such ports” to be charged 3d per
Fig.5: 1862 Official entire cancelled Pietermaritzburg MAY 26 1862
half ounce plus the inland charge of 3d. The contract with
addressed to ‘The Postmaster at the Post Office at Cape Town sent
the GSSS Co came to an end in May 1855. However vessels from Elandsvalley, via Greytown, Natal; taken by the Rennie vessel
of the GSSS Co continued to provide a service between Waldensian which sailed on 3 June 1862 arriving at Cape Town on 11
Cape Town and Natal in a private capacity for a further eight June. There are no postage charge markings indicating that the item was
months, thereafter Natal was without a contract mail service carried free of postage.
from 3 January 1855 (Dickson 1999). instalments for the monthly conveyance of the mails from
Official Mail from Natal sent free of postage to Cape Town Port Natal to Cape Town and return to Natal with the
From January 1855 to January 1857 the small vessels Rosebud English and Cape mails. This was followed by the signing
and Gitana provided a seamail service between Port Natal of a Memorandum of Agreement on 21 September 1857
and Cape Town (but some other vessels also made occasional (Dickson J. 2000). Clause 6 of the agreement stated that
trips). The Masters of these ships were paid a gratuity by the all mails dispatched upon the service of the Government
Natal Government, and therefore Official Mail from Natal (i.e. Official Mail) “shall be received and delivered free of
addressed to Cape Town was sent free of postage charges charge at Natal”. Delivery was to be to the officer authorised
(Fig.3). However Official Mail from Cape Colony to Natal was to receive the same at the place of delivery, and that the
subject to the Cape Town port charge of 4d (Fig.4). Government was to pay £50 to the agents (acting on behalf
of Rennie) for each monthly voyage to and from Cape Town
Official Mail conveyed free of postage to the Cape Colony and Natal (Clause 8). In effect there would be no payment of
With no seamail, contract Natal struggled to find a shipping postage on official mail sent from Natal to the Cape (Fig.5).
Postage paid on Official Mail conveyed by the Union Steam were inaugurated in September 1857. The postage rate on
Ship Company letters to Britain was reduced from 1s per ½oz to 6d per ½oz.
The Union Steam Ship Company had been providing a This arrangement ended in February and was followed in
monthly seamail service between Devonport and Cape Town March 1863 by a new contract between the General Post
since 1857. Commissioners of the British Treasury, by way Office, London and the Union Company; this was the second
of a Treasury Warrant dated 19 May 1857, directed that Union Packet Service. The service commenced on 6 March
every letter transmitted by post between Britain and Natal 1863 and came to an end in June 1868. The service was
be charged at the British postage rate of 6d per ½ oz (Fig.6). extended from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth in March 1863
All mail delivered by a packet ship at a UK port was to be (Dickson 2002).
charged 6d per ½ oz. Postage paid on official mail conveyed from
Cape Town to Port Natal
From January 1863 and at the expense of the Natal
government, the Union Company provided a
monthly coastal service between Cape Town and
Natal that connected with their Atlantic service to
Britain at Cape Town. The Treasury Warrant of 16
March 1863 required that postage had to be paid
on all letters to and from the UK to Cape and
Natal destinations. The postage rate on letters was
increased to 1s per ½ oz from 1 April 1863. For
letters from Natal to Britain the 10d accrued to
the GPO London. The accountancy fee on letters
to Natal was 2d (Fig.7). (Dickson 2002).
Fig.6: 1861 Cover without stamps (i.e. Official) cancelled

Manchester JY 5 61 addressed to the Post Office, Durban with
endorsement ‘Paid’ and ‘6’ (Manchester Paid Letter mark). Taken
by the Union ship ‘Celt’ to Cape Town sailed 6 July, then the
Rennie vessel ‘Waldensian’ to Durban arriving 50 days later on 24
August. Backstamped Devonport JY 6 61.
The seamail service provided by J.T. Rennie came to an
abrupt end following the loss of his two ships. The first
was the Madagascar which was wrecked on 3 December
1858 followed by the Waldensian which was wrecked
on 13 October 1862. Arrangements were made for
replacement vessels to convey the seamails until January
1863, allowing time for a contract for the conveyance Fig.8: 1866 Official wrapper cancelled Pietermaritzburg NOV 6
of the mails between Port Natal and Cape Town to 1866, addressed to Postmaster, Cape Town transmitted free of postage
be negotiated with the Union Steam Ship Company. charges (ex Johnson).
The Union Steam Ship Company had obtained a five year Mail from Natal to Cape Town was transmitted free of postage
contract with the Cape (Cape Packet Service) and sailings charges (Fig.5). Official Mail associated with the Union
Company’s Mauritius service via Cape Town that also
called at Natal on the out- and inward voyages from
England from October 1864 (Dickson 2005), or their
Mauritius - Galle (Ceylon) service June 1866 to May
1868, has not been seen.
Official Mail conveyed free of postage by the
Union Steam Ship Company
The matter of Official Mail sent to or received from
Britain by the Cape or Natal had not been addressed
in the 3rd 1868 - 1876 Contract between the Union
Company and the GPO, London dated 24 June
1868. The Contract came into effect in July 1868.
The matter was addressed in the ‘Articles of 19th
October 1869, regarding official correspondence’.
The arrangement was for a subsidy that would cover
the conveyance of official mail which would be paid
Fig.7: OHMS entire from the Inland Revenue Office, London to Natal cancelled to the Union Company by the GPO.
Official Paid London NO 8 64 with authorizing cachet signature, backstamped
Devonport No 9 64. A manuscript red ‘2’ applied being an accountancy fee of 2d that This was backdated to 1 July 1868. A cover from
accrued to Natal. This portion of the postage was intended to compensate Natal for the London and a cover from Pietermaritzburg to the Cape
costs of the coastal service that were paid by the Colony (Dickson 2001). are official items without adhesive stamps that also

have no postage markings which indicates that no postage negotiated separate contracts with the Union and Castle
was paid (Figs.8 & 9). Companies.
From October 1876 there were alternate weekly
sailings to Cape Town from Southampton by the
Union and the Castle companies. The contracts
were in operation from October 1876 to September
1883. The contracts also forbade the two companies
amalgamating. The postage rate was reduced to 6d
per ½oz. This letter rate continued to be applied
during the next contracts (1883-1888) and into the
following contracts (1888-1893) until January 1891
when the postage rate to the UK was reduced to 2½d
per ½ oz. Natal joined the UPU in July 1892 and
the postage rate to UPU countries was set at 2½d
per ½oz. The postage rate to British Empire countries
was reduced to 1d per ½oz in December 1898.
The competition was fierce and marketing was
Fig.9: ‘On Her Majesty’s Service’ General Post Office wrapper addressed aggressive between the Union and the Castle lines as the
to the Postmaster General, Natal with facsimile signature ‘N Parkhurst’. century drew to a close. The companies were forbidden
Backstamped with baggage mark ‘D’ 6 8 68 [applied in London] and Cape
to amalgamate except with the approval of the Cape
Packet Devonport AU 7 1868. Taken by the Norseman that sailed on 11
Government.
August, arriving at Port Elizabeth on 16 September 1868.
Each successive contract had produced improved service
Postage paid on Official Mail from Britain to Natal and facilities, and given that a new contract was due in
conveyed by the Union Steam Ship Company, and Official 1900, the Cape Government announced that it would not
from Natal conveyed free of
postage by ship
The General Post Office, London,
offered the Union Line an eight
year seamail contract to convey
the mails to and from the Cape and
Natal in 1872. The offer became a
source of dispute and controversy
due to a challenge by Sir Donald
Currie and the Castle Line. The
British House of Commons refused
to ratify the proposed contract,
therefore leaving the 1868 - 1876
Fig.11: 1900 Official cover to Edinburgh cancelled P O A 83

(Washbank) with boxed LADYSMITH NATAL / OFFICIAL
cachet, endorsed ‘Free’ and signed by Major Bethune’s
Mounted Infantry. Back stamped Ladysmith JU 21 00,
London PAID 14 JY 00, Sorting Tender Edinburgh JY 16 00.
Fig.12: 1901 O H M S ‘Natal Carbineers’ cover Pietermaritzburg

29 AP 1901 to Cape with facsimile signature and back
stamped Durban AP 30 1901. Conveyed free of postage.
Fig.10: 1871 Cover marked ‘Service’ and signed by D Erskine,

Col Sec. cancelled G.P.O. 3 10 1871 addressed to the Colonial
Secretary, Cape Town and cancelled on arrival OC 12 71.
seamail contract with the Union Company to run
its course. Currie competed against the Union
Company from March 1875 to September 1876
and undercut the packet postage rate of 1s per
½oz given the application of seamail postage
rate of 4d per ½oz (Dickson 2009 & 2010).
With the contract coming to an end, the Cape
Colonial Government took the initiative and

be divided between the two ccompanies but would be put “To indicate that the article did not require payment of postage,
up to public tender. No company submitted a tender to the various hand stamps were used. The first that naturally falls to
Cape Postmaster General; the Union and Castle companies mind is one which must have been a forerunner of the O.H.M.S.
simply did not want to compete against one another. type cover and is a strike of OFFICIAL PAID. Dated in 1886 at
The Cape Government fell back on these two companies Durban, it is struck in red in a single circle of 29mm diameter.
and an agreement was reached that opened up the
The wording is in two lines between three straight lines”.
possibility of them amalgamating. Sir Donald Currie took
Unfortunately this text is confusing, speculative and
the initiative and made proposals to the directors of the
inaccurate; there is no indication where the date ‘1886 at
Union Company. In February 1900 shareholders gave their
Durban’ originated. The part of the description beginning
approval, amalgamation was achieved and on 8 March
with the words “The wording is in two lines…”conforms to
1900 the new company, Union Castle Mail Steamship
the mark on Figure 14 below, and was probably taken from
Company was registered (Harris & Ingpen 1994).
a cover in the Hurst collection held at the Killie Campbell
Official Mail from Natal to the Cape Colony and the UK Library, Durban.
was sent free of postage (Figs.10,11) whereas postage was The Type T.1 mark has not been seen on
paid on Official Mail from the UK to the Cape Colony and either local or official mail addressed
Natal (Figs.12,13). to the UK.
Indeed the mark is very scarce and
has to date been found on only three
items; an 1889 official cover to Austria
(Fig.16), and an 1896 returned letter
addressed to the USA (Fig.17), and on a
1902 cover to Italy (Fig.18).
Fig.15.
Acknowledgements
Professor K Klugman and Mr. R Johnson are thanked for the
illustrations used in Figures 2 and 9, respectively.
References
• Dickson J. 1999. Natal Sea Mails during 1855 and
1856. N&ZP 3(3) 70- 99.
Fig.13: 1900 postage paid OHMS entire with cachet WAR OFFICE • Dickson J. 2000. Rennie’s Steamer Service between
from London to Pietermaritzburg cancelled London E.C. Official Paid Cape Town & Natal, 1857 to 1862. N&ZP 4(4) 130-141.
DE 17 00.
Official mail to foreign countries
and the unique Type t.1 Mark
Hart et al. (1977) illustrate as
Type T.1 (Fig.15), a circular mark
OFFICIAL PAID G.P.O. NATAL.
This illustration was taken from a
cancellation on a Queen Victoria
1d stamp (late Dr. Mark Chutter,
personal communication), and has
been seen on three postal items
(Figs.16, 17 & 18). However the
text under the heading ‘TYPE T.1.’
on page 42 of Hart’s article is of
a very different mark. He writes:
Fig.16: 1889 Registered OHMS cover Pietermaritzburg 10 7
89 to Austria (Graz 2 [8] 89. Marked ‘On Postal Service’, signed by
P M G with dated manuscript OFFICIAL PAID G.P.O. NATAL.
Transit cancellation; Registered London 6 AU 89.
• Dickson J. 2001. The Union Steam Ship

Company’s packet service to the Cape; the first
contract, 1857-1862, and its extension into 1863.
N&ZP 5(2): 41-54.
• Dickson J. 2002. The Union Steam Ship
Company’s packet service to the Cape;
the second contract 1863-1868. N&ZP 6 (4): 107-119.
• Dickson J. 2003. The Union Union Steam Ship
Company’s packet service to the Cape; the second
Fig.14: 1904 Cover from U K to Mooi River with Official / Paid cachet
contract, 1863-1868. N&ZP 6(4): 107-119.
cancelled Durban SP 12 C4 and Mooi River SP 13 1904. • Dickson J. 2004. The sea-borne mails of Natal, 1863

to 1868; Part 2. N&ZP 8(3):
81-104.
• Dickson J. 2009. The Union
Company’s Atlantic Service
1872-1876. Parts 1 to 3. C&NPJ
13(2-4).
• Dickson J. 2010. The Union
Company’s Atlantic Service
1872-1876. Parts 4 to 6. C&NPJ
14(1-3)
• Harris CJ & BD Ingpen. 1994.
Mail ships of the Union Castle
Fig.17: 1896 On Her Majesty’s Service Government House cover with mark OFFICIAL PAID G.P.O. Line. Fernwood Press, South
NATAL and crested seal of Governor’s Office, Natal (on reverse). Addressed to the U S A, cancelled Africa.
GPO 17 My 96, London AU 8 96, New York AUG 15 96, Salt Lake City AUG 19. Also UNCLAIMED • Hart WR, BA Kantey & A Leslie
cachet, Dead Letter Office OCT 5 96 and Returned Letter Office Natal 30 11 96, cancellations. Leon. 1977. The Postal Markings
of Natal. Creda Press Ltd.
• Klugman K. 2011. Classic
Victorian Natal (1836-1899).
David Feldman SA, Geneva.
* N&ZP - Natal and Zululand
Philatelic Journal
* C&NPJ - Cape and Natal Philatelic
Journal
Fig.18: 1902 OHMS cover

Pietermaritzburg 1 FE 1902 to Italy
with red mark OFFICIAL PAID G.P.O.
NATAL. A GB 2½d stamp added
and cancelled London FE 22 02, blue
manuscript ‘6’ and postage due stamp of
France cancelled 23…02 (covering the
Natal T.1 mark in red).
PRESS RELEASE
Collectors Save St Helena Archives

Acknowledgement to both https://
www.allaboutstamps.co.uk/news In 2013, after hearing that the St
and The Sentinel (Newspaper), Helena Government was planning
South Atlantic Services Ltd. (SAMS) to remove and destroy the files,
Barry and Bernard and two fellow
For the first time in its history philatelists travelled to St Helena
the ABPS Congress Medal
and spent five weeks sorting
in 2021 has been awarded
the paperwork and ledgers and
jointly to two collectors who
putting them into archive boxes.
worked as a team. Barry Burns
and Bernard Mabbett visited Due to the size of the task, Barry
St Helena on two occasions and Bernard returned to the
to preserve the philatelic island to complete the job, and to
records and stamps of the island. write up the Government stamp
Barry Burns and Bernard Mabbett visited St Helena to collection consisting of Ascension, St Helena and Tristan
research the island's postal history and stamps but after da Cunha stamps. The collection had been kept in very
three weeks had found very little new information on the poor conditions on old non-acid-free card but by the
stamps or workings of the St Helena Post Office. end of four and a half weeks 996 album pages had been
written up and mounted. There is now a permanent
Before they left the island, they were shown a cellar
philatelic display in the museum which is changed on a
containing a large selection of boxes and folders of
regular basis.
paperwork that was in need of being properly archived.
With no resources on the island to do this work, Barry and
Bernard agreed to return and create the archive themselves.

POSGESKIEDENIS
Suid Afrikaanse Poskantoor Interne Takposgeleibrief
(Branch Post Office Waybill) P13/122
deur Johan Joubert, Afrikaanse Filatelievereniging van Pretoria - epos <[email protected]>
The electronic track and trace system, currently utilized by the post office, was done by hand before 1994.
All documents were to be completed by hand, making it a tiresome process. A handwritten Internal Branch
Post Office Waybill (P 13/122) from the 1970’s illustrates the procedure followed.
Die vervoer van pos het deur die jare baie aandag geniet en is alles in “1114. Die Poswet maak voorsiening vir strawwe
die stryd gewerp om die aflewering daarvan te beveilig en te beskerm. in gevalle waar persone hulle met die vervoer van
Hierdie nougesetheid het aanleing gegee tot ‘n handstelsel om die pos inmeng of dit belemmer en wanneer n drywer
aflewering van posstukke te volg en na te speur. Die Poskantoor se of enigeen wat vir ‘n posbesending verantwoordelik
interne vorm P13/122 is spesifiek vir hierdie doel ontwerp. is, beskonke is of onnodig sloer. Daar word van elke
Die alombekende elektroniese skanderings metode van ‘Trek en amptenaar van die Departement vereis om sulke
Volg’ (Track and Trace), wat in 1994 deur die Poskantoor in gebruik gevalle wat onder sy aandag kom, spesiaal aan sy
geneem is, is gegrond op die ondervinding wat opgedoen is met die senior beampte te rapporteer.”
handstelsel. ‘n Takposgeleibrief moet deur die Poskantoor van
Hoewel dit beslis meer tyd in beslag geneem het, word die vertrek voorberei word waarin die hoeveelheid
doelteffendheid daarvan aan die hand van ‘n Takposgeleibrief uit possakke en hul bestemmings aangedui word.
die 1970s geïllustreer. Die geleibrief is op die roete vanaf Mamre na Die tyd en vertrek moet op die Takposgeleibrief
Milnerton en terug na Mamre gebruik (Figs.1 en 2). aangebring word met die bestemmings Poskantoor
Wikipedia beskryf ‘n Geleibrief (Waybill) as ‘n “dokument wat se datumstempel asook die handtekening van
uitgereik is deur die kontrakinstansie wat besonderhede uitreik en die posbeampte. Dit volg dat die possakke
voorskrif instruksies gee vir die vervoer van die besending van goedere. dienooreenkomstig genommer is.
‘n Geleibrief is soortgelyk aan n koerier se gedetaileerde bewys van Possakke bestem vir Poskantore op die terugreis is by
die versender, die ontvanger, punt van vertrek en aankoms by die die possentrum, in hierdie geval Milnerton, opgelaai.
eindbestemming”. Besonderhede daarvan is op die voorgeskrewe wyse
Posregulasies rakende die Takposgeleibrief P13/122 en motorpos op die keersy van die takposgeleibrief aangebring.
vervoerstelsel Met beide die heen en terugreis is daar slegs by
Die volgende regulasies is as riglyn in die poskantoorgids vervat: Poskantore aangedoen waar possakke afgelewer
“1110. Possakke wat per poskar of motorvoertuig moes word. (Fig.3)
vervoer word, moet op so wyse opgepak word dat die HEEN TERUG
Aan Aan
inhoud veilig is en die sakke nie kan afval nie. As hulle Poskantoor komstyd Tyd Km Poskantoor komstyd Tyd Km
aan die kante van of bo-op ‘n rytuig, of op die agterskot, Mamre 07:15 Milnerton 9:00
wat aan alle poskarre moet wees, gepak word, moet Katzenberg 07:30 15minute 8.4 Melkbosstrand 09:30 30minute 27
bokseile oor die possakke getrek en aan die voertuig Philadelphia 07:55 25minute 25 Philadelphia 10:10 40minute 19
vasgemaak word. Drywers moet die sakke voortdurend Melkbosstrand 08:05 15minute 19 Katzenberg 10:50 20minute 25
nagaan om seker te maak dat hulle nie kan verloor of Bloubergstrand 08:40 45minute 12 Mamre 11:05 15minute 8.4
dat daar nie aan gepeuter kan word nie. Sakke moet nie Milnerton 09:00 20minute 11
van die voertuig afgegooi word nie en daar mag nie op Fig.4: Beide Mamre en Katzenberg is Morawiese sendingstasies, elk met sy eie
poskantoor
hulle getrap of gesit word nie.”
“1111. Daar word van ‘n Posmeester verwag om dikwels op te Die bostaande tabel toon die aankoms-
let hoedat posstukke op n voertuig gelaai word ten einde seker te en vertrektye asook die afstand tussen die
maak dat die sakke versigtig gehanteer en behoorlik gepak word; verskillende Poskantore op die roete aan:
nogtans moet hy hom hoegenaamd nie bemoei met possakke wat (Fig.4)
in die sorg van ‘n kontrakteur is nie, tensy dit in belang van Die reis is gedoen met ‘n posbakkie wat deur
hulle veiligheid is, of as instruksies ontvang is dat die sakke van die SA Poskantoor gekontrakteer is. Die rit
die voertuig afgelaai en die pos opnuut opgemaak moet word.” vanaf Mamre na Milnerton en weer terug na
“1112. Daar moet gesorg word dat die juiste tyd van aankoms by en Mamre, ‘n totaal van 154,8km, het 4 uur en 10
vertrektyd van elke Poskantoor deur die Posmeester op die posgeleibrief minute geneem om te voltooi.
ingeskryf word. Tydsverlies moet op die posgeleibrief aangeteken
Alles dui daarop dat die handstelsel, met
word en die oorsaak daarvan verduidelik word. As n poskontrakteur
slaafse nakoming van voorgeskrewe reëls,
meer as 15 minute laat by sy bestemming aankom, moet die geval
baie effektief en doeltreffend toegepas is en
deur die posmeester, wat vir die nagaan en liaseer van die geleibrief
verantwoordelik is, aan die streeksbeheerbeampte gerapporteer word. kompeteer dit baie goed met die hedendaagse
Die posgeleibrief moet saam met die rapport aangestuur word.” elektroniese stelsel.
“1113. As ‘n posbesending nie ‘n poskar haal nie, moet die Poskantoor Die afdruk in Fig.5 is gemanipuleer en verbeter
van bestemming per dienstetelegram daarvan verwittig word as so n om die datumstempels beter aan te toon.
kantoor ‘n telegraafkantoor is.”
Fig.1: SA Poskantoor Pospapier Takposgeleibrief P13/122. Begin Fig.3: Keersy van die takposgeleibrief (P13/122). Let op
van posroete afwaarts, vanaf Mamre tot in Milnerton en weer dat Milnerton nie hul datumstempel aangebring het nie.
terug. Begintyd 07:05 met elke Poskantoor se vertrektyd. Bloubergstrand se datumstempel verskyn ook nie bloot
omdat daar geen possakke vir die Poskantoor bestem was nie.
Darling
Mamreweg
Modderrivier
Fig.5: Al die datumstempels bevat die
Mamre Katzenberg syfer ‘A’ voor die jaartal wat beteken
Pellz dat die transaksie in die oggend (A-
Advance Midday) plaasgevind het
Philadelphia Bronne:
1.
Melkbosstrand
wikipedia.org › wiki › Waybill 2021-
03-24.
Robben Island
Bloubergstrand 2.
Tableview Poskantoor Handboek, Deel II, Voorskrif
CAPE TOWN aan Posmeesters met opgedatteerde
Milnerton
regulasies tot 1984, Staatsdrukker 1952.
Bellville
Houtbaai
Kommetjie
Fish Hoek Fig.2: Kaart met die Poskantore wat
Simonstown bedien is op die roete van Mamre na
FALSE BAY
Milnerton.

MAIL HISTORY
House Numbering
with thanks to ‘The Archive Team at The Postal Museum, London’
© The Postal Museum

A house number is essential to deliver mail but it the power to control and
wasn't easy for the posties of the past. Explore the regulate the naming and
history of house numbering in the UK. numbering of streets and
In the Archive, we often get asked, ‘I’m researching the history of houses were set out in law
my house. I know the house number changed in the past, can you tell and given to the new Board
me more?’. of Works. Under pressure
The short answer is, the Post Office was never in charge of house from the Post Office, the Oxford – Postman on delivery’
numbering. Local authorities are responsible for house numbering, Board started work in photograph, 1936
so a local archive might be able to help. However, the Post Office 1857 on the simplification (POST 118/552)
has always had a great interest in house numbers because it makes of house numbering and
the job of delivering letters and parcels so much easier. So, here is street names by working through a hit list of the most confusing
the longer answer to this question of house numbers. streets given to the Board by the Post Office. In the same year,
London was split into ten districts giving each a code, for example,
Before house numbers, businesses used illustrated signs to show EC (Eastern Central), WC (Western Central). This was the very early
people where they were, for example, a dragon for an apothecary beginnings of what became the postcode. However, postcodes, as
(the equivalent of a pharmacy today). However, when sending post we know them, were not introduced until the 1960s-1970s.
people had to rely on describing the address as best they could.
Over time, the need for house numbers became increasingly There was some public resistance to changing street names and
clear. In London, one of the first recorded instances of a street numbers but, by 1871, 4,800 street names had been changed and
being numbered is Prescot Street in Goodman’s Fields in 1708. By 100,000 houses renumbered in London. Even so, it took some
the end of the century, the numbering of houses had become well time for the use of house numbers to become established with the
established and seems to have been done on the consecutive, public. Postal reformer, Rowland Hill, wrote that:
rather than the odd and even principle which we know now. ‘On arriving at a house in the middle of a street, I observed a brass
number 95 on the door, the houses on each side being numbered
respectively 14 and 16. A woman came to the door, when I requested
to be informed why 95 should appear between 14 and 16; she said it
was the number of a house she formerly lived at in another street, and it
(meaning the brass plate) being a very good one, she thought it would
do for her present residence ’
The mammoth task of renumbering and renaming streets continued
into the 20th century. Although house numbering is still decided
by local authorities across the UK, there is a booklet here in the
archive called ‘GPO Notes on Street Naming and Numbering of
Premises’ (January 1966, POST 17/159), which says: ‘The Post
Office has no power to insist upon the use of house numbers and street
names in postal addresses but once Local Authorities, in fulfilling their
statutory authority, complete the task of naming of streets, numbering
of premises and insisting upon the exhibition of numbers, a great deal
can be done by the Post Office in persuading users of the post to help.’
Cover showing address with no house number, 21 February 1848 The Post Office certainly lived up to this aim, running numerous
(2019-0043/1) © The Postal Museum. publicity campaigns over the years, persuading people to address
None of this was regulated and numbering systems varied even their post correctly. The archive contains many posters and leaflets
in the same street. For example, about 1780, Craven Street in the on this subject .
Strand had three sets of numbers. Street names were also confusing, House numbers have
in 1853 London had 25 Albert and 25 Victoria Streets, 35 King transformed the job
and 27 Queen Streets, 22 Princess and 17 Dukes Streets. There of delivering our post,
were irregularities everywhere, and the naming of streets and especially with all the
parts of streets was left to the idiosyncrasy or whim of the owner. online shopping we do
Just imagine the difficulties for the postmen trying to deliver letters! now. Just imagine being a
It didn’t help that there was also no standard way of addressing a postie these days without
letter, so posties would also have to deal with addresses like this: house numbers!
‘To my sister Jean Up the Canongate, Down a Close, Edinburgh. She If you’d like to find out
has a wooden leg’.
more about the work
Postman’s work rules included the instruction to make every effort of a postie have a look
to find the correct address by asking people on their route. When at this blog. Or if you’re
delivery was not possible, letters were returned to the so-called
curious about the story of
‘Dead Letter Office’, where staff would try to decipher the letters
and find the correct address. This still happens today, in a huge postcodes, have a read here
warehouse in Belfast (the office now goes by a different name!). www.postalmuseum.org
There was no regulation of house numbers until 1855 with the – The Archive Team at The
passing of the Metropolitan Management Act. For the first time, Postal Museum
© The Postal Museum.

IN MEMORIAM
HRH THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH
Royal Mail reveal images of four new portrait stamps in The Duke of Edinburgh dedicated himself to the service of
memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. The this country, the Commonwealth and to the many causes he
stamps are on sale from 24 June 2021. was involved with. His passing is a key moment in our history
The four black and white images of The Duke are presented which we mark with this set of commemorative stamps.
in a miniature sheet. Born on 10 June, 1921, The Duke of Born in Corfu, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was the
Edinburgh died on 9 April, 2021, aged 99. only son and youngest child of Prince Andrew of Greece and
Princess Alice of Battenburg. Like HM The Queen,
he was also a great-great-grandchild of Queen
Victoria, descended from her second daughter,
Princess Alice. Following the abdication of his
uncle, King Constantine I, during a turbulent
period in Greece’s history, his family fled the
country to exile in France when the Prince was
18 months old.
After education at Cheam Preparatory School
and Gordonstoun, in 1939 the 18-year-old Prince
The black and white images feature Prince Philip through the years: joined the Royal Navy as a ‘Special Entry’ Cadet, where
• 2nd Class stamp: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh he excelled in his training. In July 1947 the engagement of
taken by the photographer Baron. Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten to Princess Elizabeth was
• 1st Class: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh attending announced, and four months later their wedding at Westminster
the passing out parade of Prince Andrew at Dartmouth Naval Abbey was the first great State Occasion since the end of World
College, Devon. War II. In addition to supporting HM The Queen, Prince Philip
• £1.70: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal became patron or president of some 800 organisations
Windsor Horse Show. The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-
• £2.55: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh taken by the order from www.royalmail.com/dukeofedinburgh.
photographer Terry O’Neill.
Doreen Royan & Associates (Pty) Ltd

Fine Postage Stamps (Established 1982)
If you’re looking to buy or sell exclusive Southern Africa material

we specialise in South Africa; Boer War; Basutoland; Rhodesia;
Southern Rhodesia; South West Africa; Bechuanaland; Swaziland;
Nyasaland; Northern Rhodesia; Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika.
Historic Map : Lindblad Pictorial Map of Africa, 1955, Vintage Wall Art <p>Lindblad Pictorial Map of Africa, 1955
www.doreenroyan.com
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S P E C I A L I S T I N R A R I T I E S , E R R O R S A N D VA R I E T I E S
DOREEN ROYAN/STAMPEX.indd 4 2021/05/24 1:47 PM

POSTAL HISTORY
THE FUNCTIONING OF THE POSTAL SYSTEM IN THE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA SINCE 1961
by Dr Gerhard Kamffer RDPSA Pretoria Philatelic Society
Part 3: Air mail postal services and postal rates applicable
over the period 1961 - 1971
Introduction Fig.2: (below) Posted from Johannesburg to Rhodesia on 15 February 1967
A characteristic of the postal rates of the Republic illustrating the 3c air mail rate to that country.
of South Africa, is the fact that the rates stayed the
same from 14 February 1961 to 01 April 1971. The
reason for the change was the fact that the Post Office
changed over to the metric system on 01 April 1971,
and with the entry into force of a new Universal Postal
Union Convention on 01 July 1972.
The focus in this article will be on the air mail services
provided by the Post Office in the Republic of South
Africa over the period 1961 to 1971 in terms of inland
and African Postal Union as well as international air
mail services.
Letters, letter packets, postcards, aerogrammes and
other classes of mail were transmissible by air. The
conditions of acceptance were the same as those
governing ordinary inland and foreign mail, except that
articles weighing more than eight ounces, other than
bona fide letters and commercial papers, could not be
sent at the air mail letter rate of postage to destinations
in the Republic of South Africa and South West Africa or
by airmail to other countries of the African Postal Union.
It was also indicated that a blue air mail label must be
affixed to each air mail item immediately above and to
the left of the address alternatively the indication ‘BY AIR
MAIL’ and additionally ‘PAR AVION’ in the case of mail
for abroad.
Air mail correspondence could also be registered subject
to the usual charge of the service. The express delivery
service was confined to certain countries (Fig.1).
Fig.3: Posted by air mail from Johannesburg on 31
September 1965 to the Congo and franked with 12½ cover
the postage. The Leopoldville backstamp has an illegible
date. The air mail letter rate to Congo was 3c for the first
oz and 1½c for each additional oz. The 12½c pays for an
8oz letter.
Inland and African Postal Union Air Mail Services:

Postal Rates
The Air mail rates of postage to destinations
within the Republic of South Africa and to African
Postal Union countries viz Angola, Basutoland,
Bechuanaland Protectorate, Burundi, Cameroon,
Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of
Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Leopoldville),
Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique,
Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Rwanda, Southern
Fig.1: Registered cover posted by air mail from Paulpietersburg in South Rhodesia, Swaziland, Tanganyika and Uganda:
Africa to Germany on 20 December 1966. At that stage, the air mail Letters or letter packets: 3c for the first oz. and 1½c
rate to Germany was 15c per ½oz. therefore the 95c fee pays for: 6 x 15c for each additional oz (Figs.2 & 3)
for a 3oz letter = 90c plus the 5c registration fee. All three values of the Aerogrammes: 2½c each
Verwoerd commemorative stamps are used to make up the postage fee. Postcards: 2c each

Post Aero- Second-
Letters
Country of Destination Cards gramme Class Mail
Airport Mail: per ½oz
each each per ½ oz
Late fee letters were also accepted at airports Africa: Excluding the
(Fig.4) under the following conditions: Republic of South Africa,
• The facility is limited to conveyance by Basutoland, Bechuanaland
aircraft of South African Airways operating Protectorate, South West 10c 5c 5c 4c
Africa, Swaziland and other
within the Republic of South Africa and South
countries of the African
West Africa. Postal Union
• Letters must bear postage at the prescribed
Europe: United Kingdom,
rates plus additional stamps to the value of 5c.
Northern Island and the 12½c 7c 5c 5c
They must not exceed 2oz. in weight.
Republic of Ireland (Fig.5).
• Letters must be handed in at airports to
accredited representatives of South African All other countries including
the Soviet Russia and the
Airways at least twenty minutes prior to the
islands in the Mediterranean 15c 7½c 5c 6c
scheduled departure of the aircraft by which Sea except Cyprus and
it is intended the letters should be conveyed. Malta (Fig.6).
• Letters will be conveyed by air within the
Cyprus and Malta (Fig.7). 12½c 5c 5c 5c
Republic of South Africa and South West
Africa to the place from which delivery or Near East
onward transmission can be effected most Bahrain, Dubai, Iran, Iraq,
12½c 7c 5c 5c
expeditiously. Israel, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia
Air mail Services: Foreign Rates
America
One of the most exciting facets of the postal
Canada, USA, Central and 22½c 12c 10c 10c
history of the Republic of South Africa to collect South America (Fig.8).
is the Air Mail Services to foreign countries.
Letters posted to the United Kingdom, Europe India
and the United States are not difficult to find Afghanistan, Burma, Ceylon, 17½c 9c 5c 7½c
but covers posted to Africa, South America, the India, Pakistan
Middle East, Far East, Japan and Australasia are Far East
difficult to come by. Brunei, China, Cocos Islands,
It was indicated in the Post Office Bulletin that Formosa, Hong Kong,
22½c 12c 10c 10c
Indonesia, Korea, Macao,
letters, letter packets, postcards, aerogrammes
Malaya, Manchuria, North
and other classes of mail are transmissible by air. Borneo, Philippines (Fig.9).
Parcels may be sent by air only to places in the
Republic of South Africa, South West Africa and Japan 25c 12½c 10c 10c
the United Kingdom. Australasia Australia, New
25c 12½c 10c 10c
A selection of foreign air mail postal rates are Zealand (Fig.10).
indicated in the table at right:
Fig.4: (below) Cover posted at George Airport on 15 February

1968 with an additional 5c airport fee plus the normal air
mail rate of 3c making up the total postage fee of 8c.
Fig.5: Registered cover posted from Mobile Post Office No.

9 in Johannesburg on 23 September 1963. The 17½c pays:
5c registration fee plus 12½c air mail fee to the United
Kingdom.

Fig.9: Letter posted from Potchefstroom (17 May 1966) to
Hong Kong with postage stamps to the value of 32½c. The
32½c pays for: 22½c per ½oz air mail rate to Hong Kong
introduced on 14 February 1961 plus the 10c express fee.
(5c express fee + 5c for street delivery).
Fig.6: Cover posted by Air Mail from Johannesburg on (Collection: Gawie van der Walt RDPSA , Potchefstroom).
04 April 1964 to Germany and franked with the 15c
rate that was introduced on 14 February 1961. Note the
Hotel Rose Wiesbaden label applied over the address to
re-route the cover to the next destination of the guest
that stayed in the hotel.
Fig.10: Cover posted to New Zealand from Queenstown on

28 February and franked by only 12½c which was the air
mail rate to the UK instead of 25c to Australasia. Cover re-
routed by surface mail which was 5c for the first oz. Cachet
Fig.7: Registered cover posted from Sunnyside in Pretoria to Valetta in Malta applied to indicate that the cover was insufficiently franked
on 26 June 1963. The 17½c pays the 12½c letter fee per ½oz since 14 February for air mail to New Zealand.
1961 plus the 5c registration fee. It is interesting to note that the postage fee to
Cyprus and Malta differed from the fee to the rest of Europe.
A Second-Class Mail service was also
introduced
The nature of the contents of such items namely
Printed Paper, Commercial Paper or Sample
should be indicated in the upper left-hand
corner of the cover. Second-Class Mail may
not contain anything in the nature of a letter or
personal correspondence and must be made up
in a manner that permits ease of examination of
the contents (Fig.11).
Insufficiently prepaid articles
The post office regulations stipulated that articles
on which at least 75 per cent of the appropriate
air mail postage rate is prepaid will be taxed
double the deficiency and forwarded by air mail.
Fig.8: Cover posted from Johannesburg on 11 June 1968 to Canada illustrating Other articles will be forwarded by surface mail
the 22½c air mail rate applicable to countries in North America. (Figs.12 & 13).

Aerogrammes
The Post Office Guide indicated that specially designed light-weight forms termed
‘Aerogrammes’ were available at all post offices at the face value of 2½c and 5c.
A ‘greetings’ aerogramme impressed with a 5c postage stamp and depicting South
African motifs was also available at 6c. These forms could be sent to any destination in
the world at the postage rates indicated in the Post Office Guides (Fig.14).
Conclusion
The postal history of the Republic of South Africa,
including the air mail postal service as a field of
collecting, provides collectors with a wide variety of
items to collect.
Sources:
• Post Office Bulletin, No. 29, July 1966.
• Post Office Guide, Number 1, Dec. 1963.
• RSA Stamp Study Group, 25th Anniversary Issue,
Dec. 2007.
• Stamps of South Africa, Handbook Catalogue,
2nd Revised Edition, Philatelic Federation of
Southern Africa, Bergvliet, 1979.
Fig.13: Cover posted from Johannesburg to Zambia on 18

December 1966 and taxed because the African Postal Union
(APU) rate no longer applied for mail to Zambia in December
1966. The background to this is that many African countries
withdrew from the APU for political reasons in the 1960s
in favour of the Pan African Postal Union after which the
APU rates ceased to apply. This is a very rare and interesting
example of this change in status.
Fig.11: Cover posted from South Africa to Germany according to

the 2nd Class airmail rate of 6c introduced on 14 February 1961.
Fig.14: A 5c aerogramme posted on 16 June 1961 and up-rated

with a 5c stamp to make up the correct rate to the USA of 10c.
Fig.12: Posted air mail from the RSA to England on 13 December 1963 but routed
via surface mail as underpaid. The air mail letter rate to the UK was 12½c per
½ oz and the 2nd Class airmail rate was 5c per ½ oz (both from 14 Feb 1961); the
surface mail letter rate was 5c per oz (from 1 April 1962, following SA’s departure
from the Commonwealth). This has been taxed double the deficiency of 2c (whether
the PO regarded this as a 2nd Class air mail item or an ordinary letter), the 4c The author would like to thank Hugh Amoore RDPSA
penalty was converted at the prevailing SA exchange rate to 16 centimes, which from Cape Town for his assistance with this article.
the UK taxing office converted to a fine of 4d.

T RA D IT IO N A L
S TO P P E D B Y C E N S O R
by Andrew Briscoe, Witwatersrand Philatelic Society
During the Anglo-Boer War, Britain introduced extensive

censorship measures through the application of martial
law. In this article, we focus upon the censorship of private
correspondence. Perhaps surprisingly, it was not until May
1901 (some 19 months after the outbreak of hostilities)
that a comprehensive set of ‘Rules for the Guidance
of Press Censors in South Africa’ was published. These
rules contained important provisions to guide both press
censorship and the censorship of civilian mail.
Following the invasion by Boer forces of Natal and the north
western Cape Colony on 11 October 1899, martial law was
proclaimed over the invaded territories and bordering areas
on 16 October, and throughout Natal soon thereafter. The
censorship methods for handling private mail distinguished
three categories of correspondence: letters addressed
within British controlled South Africa, those addressed to
the Orange Free State, Transvaal and Lourenço Marques, Fig.2: DELAYED BY / CENSOR, applied at Paarl.
and those addressed to other foreign countries. Initially, The only known example of this handstamp.
censoring was effected by opening sealed letters and then exempted as a general rule ………..”
sealing the envelope by the use of a censor seal or label. Rule 20 recognised that “The proportion of letters that can
As a general rule, letters deemed inappropriate were be opened depends on the strength of the Staff at an office.
stamped or otherwise marked for return to sender, but The larger the proportion, the less the chance of obnoxious
were in practice generally not so returned. Figure 1 is an and dangerous matter getting through ….” This rule implies
example of mail which was so stamped but which bears that although an envelope may bear a censor’s cachet or
no indication of having been returned to sender. It shows handstamp, the contents were not necessarily scrutinised,
a cover addressed to Lourenço Marques bearing the boxed as confirmed by Rule 23: “every letter passing through a
STOPPED BY CENSOR / RETURN TO SENDER applied in Censor’s Office, whether opened or not, should bear a mark
Durban, together with the censor’s explanation ‘Enclosures or stamp to show it had passed”.
for the Z.A.R.’ Although letters were frequently delayed because of
The Rules for the Guidance of Press Censors insufficient available censors, there is only one known cover
These Rules were issued on 29 May 1901 by Major J.M. that bears an indicative handstamp, which is illustrated as
Walter, Acting Censor, Army Headquarters, under the Fig.2.
authority of the Director of Military Intelligence, Pretoria.
The general principle was that all letters were liable to
censorship. However, by Rule 19, “Letters addressed to
Officers, Soldiers, Army Nurses, recognised Government
Officials, and Foreign Consuls are for the present
Fig.3: The handstamp PASSED BY / CENSOR, applied at Paarl

Rule 21 required censors to obtain from local military and
civil authorities confidential lists of all persons living in
their area who were suspected of being hostile, unfriendly,
or dangerous. “Letters addressed to, or as far as possible
coming from, such persons should be specifically attended
to.” Given the volumes of mail that were handled, this rule
was invariably difficult to implement.
Fig.1: STOPPED BY CENSOR / RETURN TO SENDER. Rule 28 provided that letters containing undesirable matter

or information likely to be useful to the enemy, should Nothing regarding or indicating the movements of troops,
be sent, with a note, to the local Intelligence Officer or important orders issued, state of Transport or Supply, future
Provost Marshall, as the case may require, as soon as events, nor any matters likely to be of use to or encourage the
possible. Figure 4 illustrates an envelope which the censor enemy should be allowed to pass.
stopped and wrote at the left side “File for notification to The publication of sensational matter or anything likely to excite
Authorities”. political feeling is generally undesirable. Casualties must not be
given by name without Official confirmation.”
Censors were instructed on no account to add to the text
of a letter. But occasionally a message to the recipient was A letter written in a language other than Afrikaans or
endorsed on the cover. Few such covers have survived English was liable to be stopped. Letters written in code or
but an example is illustrated in Figure 5. Here, the censor shorthand would also not pass the censor. Figure 6 illustrates
decided that the letter almost breached the rules, and wrote a postal stationery card that was stopped by the censor. The
on the cover: – “If your correspondent is not more careful, message itself appears unobjectionable, but each sentence
he will get into serious trouble”. Under Martial Law, the is presented in separate quotation marks, and the suspicious
writer of an unacceptable letter was liable to be charged censor probably thought that this represented a form of
with an offence. The unacceptable included “Treasonable coded communication.
or seditious acts or words, or acts and words tending to Censorship of Military Mail
excite disaffection, disloyalty or distrust of Government.” By Rule 2, letters to the Press emanating from officers and
The penalty for writing this type of letter was detention as soldiers must be stopped and sent to the Director of Military
a prisoner of war. Intelligence. During the war, over 200,000 British
and Empire troops were mobilised, and vast
numbers of letters addressed to family or friends
became available for publication. Many weekly
newspapers had a regular feature of such ‘Letters
from the Front’. Sir Ernest Bennett in London
considered it especially disgraceful that the
English press should print letters from soldiers at
the front criticising their leaders. ‘Publicity of this
sort strikes at the root of military discipline and
fairness,’ he claimed, ‘for the public can scarcely
expect a British General to reply in the public
press to the letter of a private serving under him.’
Some soldiers were quite accustomed to seeing
their letters published in the newspapers, and
even breached the rules by writing directly to
Fig. 4: “File for notification to Authorities”. the editors on their own account. Many letters about the
What messages or information were stopped? ‘Black Week’ of December 1899 were particularly vivid
Rule 3 was directed to the Press Censors: due to the scale and severity of the battles. Lance-Corporal
“No hard and fast rules can be laid down regarding the W. E. Wicks of the Black Watch survived the decimation
stoppage, detention, or elimination of any portion of a press of the Highland regiments at Magersfontein, and wrote the
message. In censoring, the following general principles should following which was published in the Liverpool Post:
be borne in mind:- “We had to lie till about 3p.m., when we made another
three successive dashes, but failed. By this time the guns
had blown up the enemy’s trenches and some of us got in
and gave them the skewer, but had to fly for our lives on
a flank party coming up. Of the awful sights and privation
I won’t speak, only I must say that we had no water for
32 hours, and dozens died through want thereof, wounded
of course. I got through with my helmet knocked off, two
bullets through the kilt, and one through my spats. Do what
you like with this letter, it is all the truth.”
Implementation of the Censorship Rules
Army officers were initially deployed to carry out censoring,
but as the volume of mail increased, civilian assistants
were employed. Rule 29 provided that local men should
not be employed as interpreters more than was absolutely
necessary, “as it is in their power to cause much social
Fig.5: “If your correspondent is not more careful, he will mischief”. Where such men were unavoidably employed,
get into serious trouble” the earliest opportunity was to be taken for arranging their

transfer to other stations further afield, after reference
to the Director of Military Intelligence.
Afrikaner residents, by virtue of their ethnicity, were
treated with suspicion when employed as censor
assistants, as were those employed in the post office.
It was feared that a Post Office employee had the
opportunity to observe which letters were removed
by the censor for scrutiny, whereupon they might
inform the parties involved.
Fig.7: A letter despatched by hand in defiance of Martial Law

censor: “I have submitted said letters to several people here
of different nationalities and all agree that they cannot see
why my letters should have been returned by the censors
….” A Martial Law notice issued in May 1901 forbade the
practise of despatching letters by hand and provided that
“Any person forwarding, carrying or receiving letters, papers
or parcels not duly passed by the Press Censor will be dealt
Fig.6: Why was this card stopped by the censor? with under Martial Law.”
One way of evading censorship of a letter was to arrange References
for its despatch by hand. An example of such is the cover
illustrated in Figure 7, which contains a letter complaining • Rules for the Guidance of Press Censors, issued on 29 May
that previous correspondence had been stopped by the 1901 by Major J.M. Walter, Army Headquarters, Pretoria.
RATE S A N D R O U T E S
M a t e r i a l f r o m t h e f i l e s o f t h e l a t e J a n B a k k e r RDPSA - edited by Alan Rose
ERROR CORRECTED
Southampton to pick
up British passengers
When travelling on big for Egypt, Aden, Ceylon
passenger ships, one could and Singapore. At
still write letters or postcards. Southampton all mail
Such ships usually had a postal collected so far was
agent on board who would bagged and handed in at
carry a stock of stamps of the a British post office.
country from which the ship As printed matter to
departed which covered the a foreign destination,
most popular postal rates. At the cover was correctly
each port of call, he would franked with 5c. In
hand over a bag of mail to Southampton the post
the company agent who in office official obviously
turn would hand it in to the thought this was a letter
local post office. Such mail which required a 12c
would be considered to be stamp and marked it
from the country of origin of the ship. This could at times with a cachet of a ‘T’ in a circle, as being under-franked.
result in unusual but collectable covers with interesting This was an alert to the office of destination that the
cancellations. item was under-franked and would require a Postage
The cover here was posted on a Dutch ship and franked Due penalty.
according to Dutch postal rates with a Dutch stamp. It was (It is standard practice to add this cachet to an item to
classed and franked as printed matter and posted on the alert the office of destination which then decides what
Dutch liner Oranje where the postal agent on board cancelled Postage Due, if any, is to be charged). In this instance,
the stamp with the ship’s date cachet ‘11IV 54, POST AGENT the postal office at Prestbury in Cheshire realised that the
A/B M.S. ORANJE” cover was printed matter and correctly franked and so
The Oranje’s regular passage was between Holland and the did not charge Postage Due. It is good to know the Post
Dutch East Indies / Indonesia with the first port of call being Office can recognise and correct its own mistakes.

T R A D I T I O N A L P H I L AT E LY
The King is dead, long live the Queen

by Sean Burke, Rhodesian Study Circle
This is a small look ahead to next year and a possible theme
for philatelists who collect stamps from Commonwealth
countries. The year 2022 brings with it the seventieth
anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne.
Following the death of her father, King George VI, Princess
Elizabeth (born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on 21 April, 1926)
became Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February, 1952, at the age of
twenty five.
No doubt philatelists will, amongst many other things,
concern themselves with the first definitive issues
bearing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth, the timing of
their issue, and the overlap of use of stamps from the
previous and the new reign.
It is interesting to briefly note the different approaches of
Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland
to the first Queen Elizabeth definitive issue.
Both Northern Rhodesia (15 September, 1953) and
Nyasaland (1 September, 1953) approached this issue in
similar fashion. Their first QE issue was almost identical
to the last GVI issue - merely a change in portrait. In the
case of Northern Rhodesia, it was much the same as for
the GV issue - albeit with some colour variations (Figs.1 and 2).
In Southern Rhodesia on the other hand, the new issue featured
a completely new designs (31 August, 1953) - for many future
collectors this became a favourite issue (Fig.3).
All of these issues were not to last long. They were overtaken by
the formation of the Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland and
the first Federation issue in 1954. And there, yet another story
begins (Fig.4). In the early 20th Century, the
Fig.1: Northern Rhodesian British Prime Minister’s wife,
stamps from three reigns - Margot Asquith, remarked that
much of the same.
Lord Kitchener might not be a
great man but at least he was a
great poster. In the early 21st
Century, we might argue that Fig.3: Southern Rhodesian
Elizabeth II is a great Queen stamps from two reigns - a new
and a good stamp! approach.
Fig.4: From the first Federation of

Fig.2 Nyasaland stamps from two reigns – much of the same. Rhodesia & Nyasaland Issue.

LOCAL EVENTS & SOCIETY NEWS
VISIT the https://www.s t a m p s s a . a f r i c a / https://www.facebook.c om/g r o u p s
It is important to note that not all Societies have returned to having their regular meetings during this time of lockdown,
they do, however, welcome communication via phone and email - also see activities on the website www.stampssa.africa
Philatelic Meetings of
The Witwatersrand Philatelic Society PHILATELIC SOCIETY OF STELLENBOSCH
The modified Coronavirus regulations
JOHANNESBURG FILATELISTEVERENIGING
have allowed the Witwatersrand Philatelic President: Clive Carr,
Society meetings to be reinstated, subject Tel: 011 789 6357
to the wearing of masks, sanitising, social Until it is considered safe to gather Kontak:
distancing and other precautions. indoors, the PSoJ will at hold monthly Zoom meetings. [email protected]
Anyone interested in joining these meetings should contact
Meetings always on a Wednesday at 19h30 Clive Carr directly.
B E L LV I L L E CASPIP
CAPE SOCIETY FOR PALESTINE
PHILATELIC SOCIETY ISRAEL PHILATELY
President: Werner Barnard;
email: [email protected] Contact for details: Aubrey Katzef
Secretary: Reanie de Villiers; 0825670353 (a.h.); <[email protected]>
email: [email protected] +27 (21) 4615134 President of CASPIP.
Website: http://bellvillephilatelicsociety.co.za FOUNDED 30 APRIL 1909
Contact the Secretary for Programme details.
P O Box 528, Florida Hills, 1716 EAST LONDON
contact the President: Herbie Schaffler RDPSA THE ROYAL PHILATELIC PHILATELIC SOCIETY
for further information 082 722 7604.
SOCIETY OF CAPE TOWN President : David Preston
9 June 2021 Favourite Cover/s 082 7742090.
14 July 2021 PowerPoint Presentation by Email: [email protected]
email<[email protected]
Heinz Wirz President: Ida Potgieter
Secretary: Carlos Da Fonseca
11 August 2021 Grand Challenge Match email: [email protected]
082 334 7603.
8 Sept 2021 One-Frame Evening cell: 074 333 4646
13 October 2021 Second Competitive Evening Secretary: Victor Millard 0828028882
10 November 2021 Invited Exhibitor or email: [email protected] ZIMBABWE - BULAWAYO
Persons dining before the meetings at both Website: https://www.rpsct.org
Auckland Park and Woodmead should Royal Philatelic Society of Zimbabwe
meet in the restaurant at 18h30. PAARLSE FILATELISTE email: [email protected]
WOODMEAD Sedert 1951
Informal Study Group kontak gerus vir: Gawie Hugo: 083 956 2410 E D E N VA L E
This study group has changed its name PHILATELIC SOCIETY
and continues meeting - please send all [email protected] of
communication to [email protected] Riaan Crafford: 082 876 7608 Our Facebook page allows club activities
Next Meeting: Wed. 30th June 2021 n/u [email protected] to continue 24/7; search for Edenvale
starts at 19h30 Philatelic Society. Contact: Colin Bousfield
082 309 8656
These meetings provide a superb learning experience.
Bring along a few philatelic items and be surprised at
PINELANDS
how much additional information can be gained from STAMP CIRCLE EAST RAND
comments received from other attendees. Programmes for meetings include PHILATELIC SOCIETY
displays, talks by visiting speakers and
SANDTON ‘Show & Tell’ exhibits. An Exchange
David Wigston - Acting President
PHILATELIC SOCIETY circuit and auctions from time to time.
The society has an active exchange packet circuit Visitors always welcome! Contact: email: [email protected]
and members with a wide range of philatelic Marilyn Crawford at 021 689 5050 Secretary: Paul Hammerton
interests. For further information contact: email: [email protected] [email protected]
Chris Carey 083 6622150 / 011 673 2229
[email protected] GEORGE WEST RAND
P RETORIA PHILATELIC SOCIETY PHILATELIC SOCIETY
PHILATELIC SOCIETY President: Nick Zerbst 0836255804,
Contact: Andries Nel, 083 269 9374.
Monthly newsletter, active exchange section and Secretary: Rob Sinclair-Black 044 8746337.
loads of expertise on traditional philately and email: [email protected] ChairmanorSecretaryIanWalker.Tel:011472 1161
email: [email protected]
postmarks.
President and Society Secretary: Alex Visser. FISH HOEK
[email protected] PHILATELIC SOCIETY OFS PHILATELIC SOCIETY
Box 36473, Menlo Park 0102; cell 082 922-2927 Founded in 1954 and still promoting Society meets every 4th Friday monthly, (except
DI E P O SB OOM philately in the ‘Deep South’ of the December), at 19h15 at the museum of the Boer
FIL AT E L I E V ER ENIG IN G Cape Peninsula. President: Dave Young Republics in Memorium Road, Bloemfontein.
email: [email protected] President: Dr Neil Cronjé and Vice president:
Sekretaresse: Gerrie Conradie Secretary: Volker Janssen.
082 952 6700. Garry Osthoff email: [email protected]
Website: www.fhps.info
Tel / Faks 044 698 1074.
epos: [email protected] P O RT ELI Z AB ET H HIGHWAY
PHILATELIC SOCIETY PHILATELIC SOCIETY DURBAN
AFRIKAANSE President Francois Friend, The Committee encourages past and new visitors to
F I L AT E L I E V E R E N I G I N G 082 554 8900, francois@ join and get involved in this social hobby of Kings.
VA N PRETO RI A softchem.co.za; or Vice president, German Restaurant open for lunch.
Vergader elke 3de Saterdag van die maand om David Brown 041 360 4025; President: Leigh Hen-Boisen,
10:00 by die NG Kerk Queenswood in Garretweg, or Secretary / Treasurer Rodney [email protected]
Queenswood. Aangename en aktiewe groep wat Maclachlan 072 619 5409. Secretary: Bronwen Edwards,
gereeld bywoon. Nuusbrief ‘Die Posduif’ verskyn Meetings for 2021 held in the daytime [email protected]
maandeliks. Voorsitter: Dr. Louwrence Erasmus. - 10h30/11h00 to 13h00 at same venue Membership: Bev Chittenden,
Sekretaris: Ronel Erasmus. Kontak: Herman van dates: 7.6; 5.7; 2.8; 6.9; 4.10; 4.11; No meeting for [email protected] or
Niekerk by [email protected] of 072 446 2501 December reserved for President’s Christmas party. Barry Livsey, [email protected] o . z a

THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY OF
‘Smalls’ Corner
K WA - Z U L U N ATA L Literature for sale (other titles also available). Contact Emil Minnaar
Meetings are held at the Classic Motorcycle 063 803 3536 Resident in Gordons Bay, Western Cape - Packaging and
Club, 137 Tara Rd, Bluff, Durban on every posting extra.
2nd Saturday of each month. Contacts: • The Tete-Beche varieties of Transvaal. Drysdall & Criddle
President: Fonda Sonitus 074 347 1388 - Hard cover 44 pages R350
Vice President: Zbigniew Kawecki 082 968 6888 • Transvaal - the Provisional Issues of the 1st British Occupation.
Alternatively email The Secretary at [email protected] Drysdall - Hard cover 86 pages - R400.
for more details about meetings, auctions, sales packets and membership. • Postmarks of the Cape of Good Hope. Robert Goldblatt 1984. As new
Everyone is welcome and committee members are always on hand to give - with dust cover R350.
you advice about evaluations and philately. The club has begun a very • History of Medical & Hospital Services of the Anglo-Boer War.
successful Study Group focusing on specific topics. These meetings are - Peter Prime 1998 - Soft cover 182 pages - R450
held two weeks after the general meeting at 09h00 for 09h30. Please use • Mount Currie Express. T.M. Mullins 1982. As new R100. Occasional
the contacts above for more details of topics. Paper 3 Post Mark Society.
• The Branch Post Offices of Natal. John Dickson 1996. Soft cover 18
THEMATICS SOUTH AFRICA pages R60.
P R E TO R I A C H A P T E R
Vibrant and active group - loads of expertise and lots of topical WANTED Boxed set SA stamp replicas silver/goldplated, contact George
discussions. Group Leader: Helena Snyman (011) 782-6985. [email protected]
Helena.s nyman@gaute ng .g o v.z a WANTED a young collector contacted the Wits PS via his father, Karim Mirak
<[email protected]> If you are feeling generous and want to send
Established in 1924
a few local stamps for this 9 year old, this is his address: Boukerzaza
MARITZBURG yasser. Cité benboulaid Bt D2 N°5 Montpensier. BLIDA 09000. ALGERIA
PHILATELIC SOCIETY WANTED: Vintage postcards of old Pietermaritzburg. Please contact Mike
1. Secretary: Aubrey Bowles 082 316 3308, 033 239 2136 [email protected] advising availability (preferably a scan) and
36 Amberfield, Private Bag X010, Howick 3290 asking price. Mike O’Connor. Pietermaritzburg.
E-mail: <[email protected]> <[email protected]> WANTED: A 44 year old teacher and Mongolian Philatelic Union member
2. President: Dave Wyllie. who has collected for over 30 years is looking for good philatelic friends
3. Stamp Circuit Book Officer is Russell Bowton from South Africa. Offering in exchange Mongolian mint stamps 1960-1991
Societ y activitie s can be o bt a i ne d f ro m Aubre y Bo wl e s . against mint stamps from your country. Condition of exchanged :1. Please,
write in English or Russian. If you do not speak these languages, please
Study Groups use # in the ‘Scott’ or ‘Michel’ catalogues. Jigjid Gantsogt. P.O.Box-314.
UlaanBaatar-38. Mongolia.
EUROCIRCLE STAMP STUDY Comic Corner
Usual Meet in the Captain’s Table at Woodmead Johannesburg Stamps
SMILE
- last Wednesday of each month at 20h00 (except December).
that make you
T B V C S T U DY G R O U P
Chairperson: Jan de Jong [email protected] by Volker Janssen, Fish Hoek Philatelic Society and the
Secretary: Eugene du Plooy [email protected] Royal Philatelic Society of Cape Town
Pretoria Fair & mini-auction, Greek Orthodox Church,
corner Lynnwood Rd & Roper St, Pretoria, 09h00 to 14h00). Episode 64 Errors on Stamps...
RSA SEËLSTUDIEGROEP ‘OLYMPIC TEN-PIN BOWLING ?’
Kontak: [email protected] Doen uitstekende studie en
navorsing en publiseer ‘n gereelde maandelikse nuusbrief. Jan de
Jong: 079 190 1066.
RHODESIAN STAMP STUDY
The Rhodesian Study Circle holds regular member meetings and
events across the world. For more information on meetings, visit http://
www.rhodesianstudycircle.org.uk/engage/meetings or Contact the
Secretary, Brian Zlotnick. email [email protected] or postal
address 10 Fortis Green Avenue, East Finchley, London, N2 9NA. UK.
The South African representative is Patrick Flanagan RDPSA.
SOUTH AFRICAN STAMP STUDY CIRCLE

Now amalgamated with the EDENVALE Philatelic Society.
This commemorative stamp is part of a set of six issued by
POSTAGE DUE MAIL STUDY GROUP Lesotho for the Olympic Games in Seoul / Korea in 1988.
For more details,look at their website: Two major errors can be found on the stamp:
http://www.postageduemail.org.uk/ The first error is the Lesotho National Flag which was placed
Contact: Bob Medland, Secretary & Treasurer of the Postage Due
Mail Study Group, email: [email protected]
in the background.
This is the old flag design which hasn’t been in use since the
T H E CA P E S TA M P FA I R late 1970s.
Bellville Valley DRC Hall, Usually first Saturday of every The second mistake is the fact that tenpin bowling has never
month (09:00 - 12:30) Contact: Ken Joseph. 072 597 1287 been an Olympic sport in the history of the Olympic Games.
email: [email protected]


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JUNE

The South African

Philatelist All about stamps

OHMS a 1901 ‘Natal Carbineers’ cover Pietermaritzburg 29 AP 1901 to the Cape.

The South African Philatelist

Contents The Journal of the Philatelic Federation of South Africa

REGULARS • Large Silver Hafnia 1994,

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 71

72 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

T h e C a p e To w n I n t e r n a t i o n a l S tamp Ex hibition Organising Committee have

Website: www. capetown 2021.org

by Alex Visser RDPSA, Pretoria Philatelic Society Email: [email protected]

What is a beautiful date stamp or cancellation?

On 16 April 2021, Oilfilat (Sasolburg Philatelic

Website: www. capetown 2021.org

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 75

Special odd-shaped stamp printed on

76 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

‘Thank you for supporting the first Canadian Virtual exhibition’

JOHN & MARK TAYLOR

For further details please contact us

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 77

NEW SOUTH AFRICAN STAMP ISSUE - 2021 - part 1

10 September 2020 – SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE 2020

Designer: Thea Clemons, from

78 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

80 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

Fig.6: 1861 Cover without stamps (i.e. Official) cancelled

82 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

Fig.11: 1900 Official cover to Edinburgh cancelled P O A 83

Fig.12: 1901 O H M S ‘Natal Carbineers’ cover Pietermaritzburg

Fig.10: 1871 Cover marked ‘Service’ and signed by D Erskine,

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 83

• Dickson J. 2001. The Union Steam Ship

84 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

Fig.18: 1902 OHMS cover

Collectors Save St Helena Archives

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 85

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 87

© The Postal Museum

88 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

Doreen Royan & Associates (Pty) Ltd

If you’re looking to buy or sell exclusive Southern Africa material

DOREEN ROYAN/STAMPEX.indd 4 2021/05/24 1:47 PM

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 89

Inland and African Postal Union Air Mail Services:

90 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

Fig.4: (below) Cover posted at George Airport on 15 February

Fig.5: Registered cover posted from Mobile Post Office No.

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 91

Fig.10: Cover posted to New Zealand from Queenstown on

92 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

Fig.13: Cover posted from Johannesburg to Zambia on 18

Fig.11: Cover posted from South Africa to Germany according to

Fig.14: A 5c aerogramme posted on 16 June 1961 and up-rated

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 93

During the Anglo-Boer War, Britain introduced extensive

Fig.3: The handstamp PASSED BY / CENSOR, applied at Paarl

94 The SA Philatelist, June 2021 .

The SA Philatelist, June 2021 . 95