Postage stamps and postal history of British Bechuanaland
Encyclopedia
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of British Bechuanaland.
of 1,500 in South Africa in addition to the regular troops that would be provided.
A force of 4,000 troops, under Sir Charles Warren, set off to annex Stellaland
and Goshen. On 7 February 1885 the force reached Vryburg, the principal town in Stellaland, then continued to Mafeking, the principal town in Goshen. By 8 April 1885 Sir Charles Warren sent a despatch to notify the British Government that he had occupied Bechuanaland and had entirely restored order. The two Boer republics had collapsed without any bloodshed.
On 30 September 1885 Stellaland, Goshen and other territories to the south of the Molopo River
were constituted as the Crown Colony of British Bechuanaland.
, which had been issued in 1884, continued to be used until 2 December 1885. Any external mail had to be franked with both Stellaland stamps and Cape of Good Hope stamps. The cancellations on these stamps was by pen and ink. Stellaland stamps are known used by Warren’s Force at Kimberley. These stamps were withdrawn from use on 2 December 1885. All the unused withdrawn stamps were sold to a stamp dealer, Whitfield, King & Company of Ipswich.
On 2 December 1885 stamps from Cape of Good Hope overprinted 'British Bechuanaland' were made available at Vryburg post office. Eight different values from ½d to 1s were overprinted by W A Richards & Son of Cape Town.
On 1 November 1887 a supply of stamps from Great Britain was issued. The ½d stamp was a Great Britain stamp overprinted 'BRITISH BECHUANLAND', by De La Rue
. Twelve other value ranging in value from 1d to £5 were produced by De La Rue using blank ‘Unappropriated Die’ designs for British fiscal stamps and overprinting them with 'British Bechuanaland Postage and Revenue'.
The stamps produced using the ‘Unappropriated Die’ designs had values in text. On 7 August 1888 the five low values were overprinted locally in Vryburg, by P Townshend & Co, to show the value in numbers; 1d, 2d, 4d, 6d and 1s.
In December 1888 3d stamps of the 1887 issue were overprinted 'One Half-Penny' and in January 1889 Cape of Good Hope ½d stamps were overprinted 'British Bechuanaland' by the local printer in Vryburg.
In 1893 responsibility for the postal services was transferred from the Postmaster-General of British Bechuanaland to the Postmaster-General of the Cape of Good Hope.
A further seven stamps were produced by overprinting either Cape Colony stamps or British stamps before British Bechuanaland was annexed by the Cape of Good Hope on 16 November 1895 and ceased to issue stamps.
All the remaining stamps of British Bechuanaland were transferred to the Bechuanaland Protectorate and continued to be used there, without any overprints, until 1897.
produced for British Bechuanaland were by overprinting Cape of Good Hope or British items of stationery BRITISH BECHUANALAND or British Bechuanaland.
The first postcard
s were overprinted 1d Cape of Good Hope postcards and were issued in July 1886. A total of six different overprints on 1d Cape of Good Hope postcard were printed by W A Richards & Son of Cape Town and there were two printings on 1d British postcards. The 1d rate was for local and southern Africa.
New rates of postage were introduced following the UPU 1891 Congress in Vienna. Local rate was ½d and 1d; Great Britain rate was 1d; International and Mashonaland rate was 1½d. In March 1893 a 1½d Cape of Good Hope postcard was overprinted and issued. In September 1894 a British ½d postcard was additionally overprinted THREE HALF PENCE and at the same time ½d British postcards overprinted BRITISH BECHUANALAND were supplied.
The first newspaper wrappers were issued in January 1897 by overprinting British newspaper wrappers. The newspaper rate was ½d local and 1d for Great Britain. In total there were two different printings on ½d British wrappers, one printings on 1d British wrappers, two each on ½d and 1d newspaper wrappers from Cape of Good Hope.
Registration envelopes were first introduced in July 1886. A total of 17 different printings have been identified of which eleven are on Cape of Good Hope envelopes and six are on British envelopes.
History
For many months, starting in 1883, pressure was placed on the British Government to do something in Bechuanaland because of unrest in the area. On 29 October 1884 the British Government appointed Sir Charles Warren as Special Commissioner of Bechuanaland. On 13 November 1884 Parliament voted a sum of £675,000 (this is equivalent to over £32 million today) for military operations in Bechuanaland. Sir Charles Warren was authorised to recruit an irregular forceIrregular military
Irregular military refers to any non-standard military. Being defined by exclusion, there is significant variance in what comes under the term. It can refer to the type of military organization, or to the type of tactics used....
of 1,500 in South Africa in addition to the regular troops that would be provided.
A force of 4,000 troops, under Sir Charles Warren, set off to annex Stellaland
Stellaland
Stellaland, officially known as the Republic of Stellaland from 1882–1883 and, after unification with the neighbouring State of Goshen, as the United States of Stellaland from 1883–1885, was a Boer republic located in an area of Bechuanaland, west of the Transvaal.During its short history,...
and Goshen. On 7 February 1885 the force reached Vryburg, the principal town in Stellaland, then continued to Mafeking, the principal town in Goshen. By 8 April 1885 Sir Charles Warren sent a despatch to notify the British Government that he had occupied Bechuanaland and had entirely restored order. The two Boer republics had collapsed without any bloodshed.
On 30 September 1885 Stellaland, Goshen and other territories to the south of the Molopo River
Molopo River
The Molopo River is located in southern Africa. The river generally flows to the southwest from its source, and has a length of approximately 960 kilometres. River flow is intermittent. When in flood, the flow discharges into the Orange River, which it meets downstream of Augrabies Falls National...
were constituted as the Crown Colony of British Bechuanaland.
Stamps
Stellaland stampsPostage stamps and postal history of Stellaland Republic
Stellaland was a short-lived Boer republic from 1882 until 1885, located in southern Bechuanaland, west of the then South African Republic. With Vryburg as its capital it was incorporated in British Bechuanaland in 1885...
, which had been issued in 1884, continued to be used until 2 December 1885. Any external mail had to be franked with both Stellaland stamps and Cape of Good Hope stamps. The cancellations on these stamps was by pen and ink. Stellaland stamps are known used by Warren’s Force at Kimberley. These stamps were withdrawn from use on 2 December 1885. All the unused withdrawn stamps were sold to a stamp dealer, Whitfield, King & Company of Ipswich.
On 2 December 1885 stamps from Cape of Good Hope overprinted 'British Bechuanaland' were made available at Vryburg post office. Eight different values from ½d to 1s were overprinted by W A Richards & Son of Cape Town.
On 1 November 1887 a supply of stamps from Great Britain was issued. The ½d stamp was a Great Britain stamp overprinted 'BRITISH BECHUANLAND', by De La Rue
De La Rue
De La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
. Twelve other value ranging in value from 1d to £5 were produced by De La Rue using blank ‘Unappropriated Die’ designs for British fiscal stamps and overprinting them with 'British Bechuanaland Postage and Revenue'.
The stamps produced using the ‘Unappropriated Die’ designs had values in text. On 7 August 1888 the five low values were overprinted locally in Vryburg, by P Townshend & Co, to show the value in numbers; 1d, 2d, 4d, 6d and 1s.
In December 1888 3d stamps of the 1887 issue were overprinted 'One Half-Penny' and in January 1889 Cape of Good Hope ½d stamps were overprinted 'British Bechuanaland' by the local printer in Vryburg.
In 1893 responsibility for the postal services was transferred from the Postmaster-General of British Bechuanaland to the Postmaster-General of the Cape of Good Hope.
A further seven stamps were produced by overprinting either Cape Colony stamps or British stamps before British Bechuanaland was annexed by the Cape of Good Hope on 16 November 1895 and ceased to issue stamps.
All the remaining stamps of British Bechuanaland were transferred to the Bechuanaland Protectorate and continued to be used there, without any overprints, until 1897.
Postal stationery
All items of postal stationeryPostal stationery
A piece of postal stationery is a stationery item, such as a stamped envelope, letter sheet, postal card, lettercard, aerogram or wrapper, with an imprinted stamp or inscription indicating that a specific rate of postage or related service has been prepaid...
produced for British Bechuanaland were by overprinting Cape of Good Hope or British items of stationery BRITISH BECHUANALAND or British Bechuanaland.
The first postcard
Postcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
s were overprinted 1d Cape of Good Hope postcards and were issued in July 1886. A total of six different overprints on 1d Cape of Good Hope postcard were printed by W A Richards & Son of Cape Town and there were two printings on 1d British postcards. The 1d rate was for local and southern Africa.
New rates of postage were introduced following the UPU 1891 Congress in Vienna. Local rate was ½d and 1d; Great Britain rate was 1d; International and Mashonaland rate was 1½d. In March 1893 a 1½d Cape of Good Hope postcard was overprinted and issued. In September 1894 a British ½d postcard was additionally overprinted THREE HALF PENCE and at the same time ½d British postcards overprinted BRITISH BECHUANALAND were supplied.
The first newspaper wrappers were issued in January 1897 by overprinting British newspaper wrappers. The newspaper rate was ½d local and 1d for Great Britain. In total there were two different printings on ½d British wrappers, one printings on 1d British wrappers, two each on ½d and 1d newspaper wrappers from Cape of Good Hope.
Registration envelopes were first introduced in July 1886. A total of 17 different printings have been identified of which eleven are on Cape of Good Hope envelopes and six are on British envelopes.
See also
- Postage stamps and postal history of Bechuanaland ProtectoratePostage stamps and postal history of Bechuanaland ProtectorateThe first Bechuanaland Protectorate postage stamps were produced in 1888 by overprinting stamps of Bechuanaland with "Protectorate"...
- Postage stamps and postal history of Stellaland RepublicPostage stamps and postal history of Stellaland RepublicStellaland was a short-lived Boer republic from 1882 until 1885, located in southern Bechuanaland, west of the then South African Republic. With Vryburg as its capital it was incorporated in British Bechuanaland in 1885...