The Postal Stationery of the Orange Free State Presentation to The
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The Postal Stationery of the Orange Free State Presentation to the Royal Philatelic Society London Michael Smith FRPSL 23rd February 2017 The Orange Free State Study Circle The Study Circle was founded in 1953 to further the study of all aspects of OFS and ORC philately and to publish the results. www.orangefreestatephilately.org.uk For more information or to join the Society please contact the Membership Secretary: J. R. Stroud RDPSA 24 Hooper Close, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset TA8 1JQ email: [email protected] Subscription for one year (January to December) is: UK: £15 Overseas (On-line Membership): £15 Europe (Hard-copy OFS Bulletin): Airmail - £20 Worldwide (Hard-copy OFS Bulletin): Surface Mail - £20, Airmail - £30 Subscription payment can be made by UK cheque or by PayPal 2 Introduction The independent boer republic of the Orange Free State (O.F.S.) came into existence in 1854 when the British administration withdrew from the area and the Orange River Sovereignty ceased to exist. The O.F.S. issued its first postage stamps in 1868, but postal stationery was not introduced until 1884. The basic stamps and stationery were printed by De La Rue in London. However, when supplies ran short or postage rates changed, the short- term need was met by surcharging stamps and postal stationery of other values or the local printing of postal sta- tionery cards. The Anglo-Boer War began on the 11th October 1899 and after early setbacks, the British under Lord Roberts advanced into the O.F.S., entering Bloemfontein on the 13th March 1900. The Republican issues were declared invalid, although they continued to be used in unoccupied areas. The stocks found in the treasury were revalidated by overprinting them V.R.I. (Victoria Regina Imperatrix). On the 28th May 1900, with much of the central area of the O.F.S. in British hands, it was formally annexed to the British Crown and renamed the Orange River Colony (O.R.C.). In 1910 the O.R.C. became part of the Union of South Africa. Despite being a long “dead” country, the O.F.S. really does offer the philatelist some interesting challenges! Why I collect O.F.S. Postal Stationery? When I joined the O.F.S. Study Circle I was rather surprised to be offered the three “Buckley & Marriott” hand- books providing details of the settings for almost all of the postage and revenue stamp issues. The postal station- ery sections of these handbooks however seemed to be quite basic despite the complexity of the issues, in particu- lar the local printings, so this is the area where I decided to specialise. In my opinion postal stationery, in particular postal cards, offer everything to the philatelist. You can study the traditional aspects (design and production), you can study the postal history aspects (postal rates, routes and mark- ings) and finally you can study the message for the historical and social aspects. Hopefully, through this display, I will persuade those of you who have not already “seen the light”, why the study and exhibiting of Postal Station- ery is so rewarding. The Display I have previously displayed small parts of my collection at ‘No. 41’ as part of the ‘50th Anniversary’ display by the Orange Free State Study Circle in 2003 and as a member of the team that presented ‘Postal Stationery Uncov- ered’ to ‘the Royal’ in 2013, but this is my first solo display. The late Dr. Kenneth Pennycuick RDP gave a display to ‘the Royal’ in 1958, based upon an important series of articles in the London Philatelist (1956-1958) on the locally printed postal cards entitled the ‘Orange Free State Stamped Post Cards’. Part I focused on the design of the cards and Part II on their use. This was the last time that a display to ‘the Royal’ was dedicated to the Postal Stationery of the O.F.S. The display was described in ‘The Royal Philatelic Society London 1869-1969’ as an excursion into a neglected branch of philately! It is now almost 60 years since this presentation and it is time once again for the members of ‘the Royal’ to take an excursion. The material displayed here today is taken from my exhibit ‘The Postal Stationery of the Orange Free State’, which has been under constant development for more than 30 years. It was first shown nationally at Stampex in 1996. In more recent times this exhibit has received FIP Large Gold medals, with special prizes at both Indonesia 2012 and Brasiliana 2013. It was also part of the British team entry at the ‘7 Nations Challenge’ in Malmo, Swe- den in 2014. Michael Smith FRPSL [email protected] 3 Background A postal convention between the O.F.S. and the Cape of Good Hope came into effect on the 1st October 1883. Under the terms of the convention, one penny postal cards could be forwarded from the Cape to the O.F.S. free of further charge and vice versa. The agreement was not a problem for the Cape as they had already issued one penny cards for internal use. Earliest Recorded use of a Cape Postal Card to the O.F.S. – 16th October 1883 The O.F.S. had no postal cards available, and the printing of these became a priority. Postal Stationery Issues of the Republican Period The Postal Stationery issued by the O.F.S. during the Republican Period (1884-1900) can be divided into two distinct groups: 1. London Printed Issues De La Rue & Co., London 2. Locally Printed Issues C. Borckenhagen & Co., Bloemfontein This display has been arranged in accordance with these groups, to best reflect the development of the printings and settings, rather than the traditional approach of a chronological treatment of each value. Specific efforts have been made to ensure that the relationship between the London printed and locally printed issues is explained and to demonstrate the usage of these cards, with supplementary frankings and unusual desti- nations included throughout the display. 4 London Printed Issues Frames 1 to 3 One Penny Postal Cards One Penny Orange Postal Cards were first printed by De La Rue & Co., in London from electrotype plates in late 1883 to meet the needs of the postal convention between the O.F.S. and the Cape of Good Hope. The design fol- lows very closely that of the first British Postal Cards, also printed by De La Rue. Unfortunately, no archival material relating to the evolution of the design is known to exist. It is clear however that the postage stamp dies were used in the production of the plates, together with the Coat of Arms from the revenue stamps (minus the flags). Halfpenny Postal Cards The internal rate was reduced to a halfpenny in 1891, the initial demand being met by surcharging London printed One Penny Orange Postal Cards locally. The London printed Halfpenny Carmine Postal Cards were not issued until 1898, following the South African Postal Union. View Cards The first view cards appeared in 1899, these recently discovered cards are primitive private productions on the reverse of One Penny Orange Postal Cards printed using the cyanotype process and are known as the “Springfontein Blues”. These were followed by 2 types of multi-view cards, with the colours matching the value of the card (either Halfpenny Carmine or One Penny Orange). Reply-Paid Postal Cards Reply-Paid Postal Cards were produced to satisfy the requirements of membership of the South African Postal Union and the U.P.U, effective from the 1st January 1898. 5 Introduction of Postal Cards 1884 The O.F.S. Postmaster General’s Report for 1884, states that the One Penny Orange Postal Cards were available from late February 1884. Their use was initially limited to internal destinations and to the Cape of Good Hope. Earliest Recorded Use First Printing: Internal use from Hoopstad (27) to Reddersburg 1st March 1884 First Printing: Bloemfontein to Cape Town, C.G.H. 10th March 1884 Earliest Recorded Use to the Cape Used to Stellaland First Printing: Boshof (8) to Vryburg, Stellaland via Kimberley, C.G.H. 22nd August 1884 Only recorded mail going into Stellaland prior to the Warren Expedition from any origin The use of these cards was extended to destinations in the Z.A.R. and Natal in 1885. 6 Postal Cards to Overseas Destinations Up to 1892 Prior to 1892, there was no overseas postcard service available. Postal Cards could only be sent to overseas desti- nations if they were uprated to the Letter Rate. All such usages are rare. Second Printing: Postal Cards sent at Letter Rates Senekal to Germany 3rd September 1891 Only Recorded Example sent at short lived 5d Letter Rate to Europe (1891 - Sept. 1892) Added 5 x 1d brown adhesives - Value of card not included as part of payment First Printing: Bloemfontein (1) to Germany 4th December 1887 One of Two Recorded 1 Examples sent at 7 /2d Letter Rate to Europe (1887-1890) 1 Cape 2 /2d Accountancy Mark indicating payment due to British P.O. The Second Printing (1889) of Postcard Service to Great Britain these cards were current when the first overseas postcard ser- vice was introduced. This was the one penny rate to Great Britain which came into effect on the 1st July 1892. A threehalfpence rate to other overseas destinations followed in September 1892. Second Printing: Bloemfontein to England 18th July 1892 Earliest Recorded Example 7 How the O.F.S. dealt with De La Rue Unlike the British Colonies, who dealt with De La Rue via the Crown Agents, the O.F.S.