A Man with his Head in the Clouds Stephen Hector Smith took part in Rocketry and Aerial in India from the 1920s to the 1940s

Contributed by Gurbir Singh & Bruce Gillham

ISC Occasional Publication Number 3.1

October 2018

1 Who was Stephen Hector Taylor-Smith? Stephen H Smith was a social phenomenon. His name occurs with amazing frequency in the Aeronautical Philatelic literature of India and the production from the late 1920s through to the 1940s of flight covers, pigeon , political humour and mail. However, far from being an intrepid aviator – which it is easy to assume he was – he was a member of Anglo Indian community with family linage to Britain through birth and the Netherlands through marriage.

Stephen Smith fondly clasping one of his early and contemplating a golden future for Rocket Mail Delivery Services

By profession, he was first a customs official, then a policeman and latterly a dentist, but his preference was clearly for more exciting activities. As the secretary of the Indian Airmail Society, he established personal connections the influential elite of the 1930 Calcutta high society. In particular, he became a good friend of Sir David Ezra who died in 1947 and of his wife Lady Ezra, and received this valedictory entry in ‘Who was Who - Volume IV – 1941 to 1950’

EZRA, Sir David, Kt 1927; landed proprietor; b 1871; s of Elias David Ezra and Mozelle, d of Sir Albert Sassoon Bart; ; m 1912, Rachel e d of late Solomon D. Sassoon and late Mrs Flora Sassoon. Educ: Doveton College, Calcutta privately. Recreations: Aviculture and Zoology. Address: 3 Kyd Street, Calcutta India; T A Enterprise, Calcutta. Clubs: Tollygunge, Jodphur, Saturday, Calcutta, Calcutta. Died 23rd Aug. 1947.

3 Sir David was certainly especially famous for his Zoo but no reference is made, in this tribute, to his and Lady Ezra’s considerable interest in, and support for the development of aeronautical prowess and its potential for communication.

Modern collectors come across Stephen Smith frequently - and obviously - because like all entrepreneurs self-advertisement is part of the metier. Even as early as 1928 he was signing his name at every opportunity. For example take a look at the following essay for the early Indian Airmail set:

Stephen Smith was active in the field of airmail development very early on and he was

one of the contributors of designs – under the name ‘Fay’ - for the first Indian Airmail

Stamps. These stamps were available for sale from post offices from November 4th 1929 in date these which had been ‘pipped at the post’ by the first of South Africa

He was, for a number of years, President of the Philatelic Congress of India and was also a recognised philatelic dealer. His energy and activities during the 1920s and 1930s can clearly be described as ‘entrepreneurial’. The global interest in air and rocket mail in the earl 1930s also lead him to join the British Interplanetary Society in 1936 that had been founded in Liverpool just three years earlier. Indeed, he was probably the first member from the sub- continent to do so. He managed to sell his ideas to some of the biggest Indian companies, including Tata.

Involvement in Aero-Philately His particular interest was in aviation and he began the practice of producing covers, managing the postal aspects of flights, and signing his name ubiquitously on every first flight and special event that he could.

During the 1920s Stephen Smith founded the Calcutta Philatelic Club and the Aero Philatelic Club of India. These subsequently became the Indian Airmail Society on January 19th 1930. He then served as the Indian Airmail Society’s Secretary for most of the 1930s during which time he carefully recorded the development of airmail in India in the Society’s regular bulletins. The bulletins also recorded news about scheduled airmail flights within India and between India and the rest of the world. The bulletins contain interesting and mundane details, including for example, information on the first balloon flight in India in 1837 and the

4 numbered airmail flights in the first five months of the Karachi-Croydon route. He noted many fascinating details including prices, timetables, quantities of airmail, the names of individual pilots covering hazardous routes. He also provided details of air crashes as well as describing the routine business of running the Society.

The early 1920s was a period when pigeon mail was still in routine use and Stephen Smith never missed an opportunity for an ‘in flight’ test of some kind, as this charming Pigeon Gram despatched in 1931 illustrates:

This ‘first’ was produced in February 1931. It was part of ISC Member Stanley Gray’s collection which was sold at Cavendish Auctions in 2018. As with much of his work Stephen Smith’s name and address adorns the item

India saw the introduction of the aerial transport of cargo, regular airmail and scheduled passenger flights. Large countries like India, with a varied topography, could benefit from aerial transport more than many others. In the same week that Smith reached his twentieth birthday on February 18th 1911, the world’s first airmail flight took off from Allahabad.

Such an event would have made international headlines at the time. Certainly, Smith, who as a young boy was at school in Asansol, only 600 kilometres from Allahabad, would have known all about it.

In truth, a global revolution was already underway in aerial transport just when Smith was starting out on his adult life. By the 1920s aeroplanes had joined airships in flying long-haul routes crossing seas, oceans and continents.

Initially, a series of tentative and exploratory short hops tried out routes between Europe, the Middle East and Asia; these flights were pioneered by Imperial Airways to help administer the growing Empire. These same routes were later used for regular scheduled passenger flights, commercial cargo and military purposes. Eventually they would become commonplace in many countries. Imperial Airways conducted the first airmail service from Britain to India. The flight left Croydon airport on March 30th, 1929 and arrived in Karachi on

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April the 6th. On that flight, Smith posted a letter to King George V. The King replied to Smith’s letter on 16th April.

This Cover was sent to King Edward VII. It was the world’s first official aeroplane post was flown from Allahabad on February 18th 1911

A Right Royal This Cover was sent to King Edward VII. It was the world’s first official th Reply to aeroplane post was flown from Allahabad on February 18 1911 acknowledge the letter sent by Stephen Smith

Smith was not a man with blinkers and he had many other strings to his bow. Air travel by plane was a compelling interest. He also had a good nose for a commercial opportunity and

6 though his goodwill was also probably a factor, he made sure that his work was attached to some of the greatest disasters of his day the Bihar and Quetta Earthquakes, famine relief and flood emergencies.

The letter with this cover was written on June 1st, within hours of the Quetta Earthquake. This was in fact before the start of the ‘free post’ system. It contains harrowing details. The triangular I.S. mark was applied once the letter reached London to signify special handling and arrangements were required. The pencilled date August 31st probably indicates the arrival date

and therefore signifies that surface mail was used

th The reverse of the cover shows that it was sent from a member of the 8 Gurkha Rifles. The regiment was stationed in Quetta. As you would expect Stephen Smith was there supporting the rescue efforts with his rockets as you can see from the inset ‘Rocket Cachet’

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The Quetta monument to the fallen railwaymen was erected to honour the railway men and women who died

in the earthquake in May 1935

Rocketing to Fame The majority of Smith’s rocket mail experiments took place between 1934 and 1944. By this time airships were in regular use and Sir Alan Cobham had made the first aeroplane flight from India to Britain just ten years earlier. It was unclear at this point what form of transport would triumph in the near future, airships or aeroplanes including aircraft that could land on water or indeed, these new upstart rockets. But rocket mail was where Stephen Smith’s zeal extended most particularly. The development of rocketry was for many reasons rising up the agenda in the early 1930s and he might legitimately be considered India's ‘Forgotten Rocketeer’. He viewed rocket power as an area with considerable commercial potential for use in many specific experiments and as a transport mechanism by non-governmental agencies. Smith’s most impressive work was done on the firing range. In the field of ‘Rocketry’ his influence was genuinely innovatory.

His first involvement in the delivery of supplies exclusively by rocket power took place on April 10th 1935 in Sikkim, in the foothills of the Himalayas.

This ‘Ship to Shore’ rocket flight used a special diamond shaped cancel – partly because the flights took place from Diamond Harbour. All proceeds from the

sale of the special stamp for this test went to their Majesties Silver Jubilee Fund

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Rockets were already being used to transport mail, but in this instance, the rocket carried a disparate collection of everyday items, including a toothbrush, cigarettes, a spoon and a handkerchief. These were transported across the River Ranikhola from Surumsa (now known as Saramsa) to Rey. There was, even at this early stage some level of Indian Government support for Smith. Politicians probably felt that they had little to lose by humouring him.

Smith early on used rockets built by the Oriental Fireworks Company of Calcutta and indeed, fireworks were often what he got! For example, his very first attempt to send rocket mail was a complete disaster. It was a ‘ship to shore’ attempt made on September 30th in the Bay of Bengal. The rocket exploded in mid-air and the 143 covers it was carrying suffered rather badly. Despite this calamity, 140 covers were salvaged from the water – meaning that only three were totally lost. Those salvaged received a special cancel applied by a resourceful lighthouse keeper on Saugor Island. Every disaster offered the possibility of profit!

The world’s first rocket parcel was carried by Smith’s Rocket Number 52 fired off at 15:35 on April 10th 1935, in the mountainous state of Sikkim. Smith received encouragement and active participation from the King of Sikkim, HH Sir Tashi Namgyal, along with several British representatives of the Indian Civil Service.

A later rocket launch on June 6th 1935 provided a symbolic demonstration of how his rocketry could be used to deliver the materials urgently required in the immediate aftermath of an emergency. In this case, the consignment included: rolls of bandages, lint, iodine and aspirin. This flight, demonstrating the potential for a rapid response to an emergency, proved timely as it took place within weeks of the devastating 1935 Baluchistan Earthquake.

Altogether there were 270 rocket firings from start to finish of Stephen Smith’s experiments. The last being launched on December 4th 1944, almost exactly a decade after the work commenced. A book, published by the Philatelic Congress of India in 1980 provides a record of activities in the mid-1930s. It contains notes and sketches of 69 firings in Bengal and Sikkim and photographs of rocket mail items. The belief in the future of rocketry for mail delivery was still strong even at the time this book was published.

Probably his most remarkable rocket experiment took place on June 29th 1935. In this flight he transported livestock about 700 metres across the Damodar River. This was something no one had done before. His rocket did not even use parachutes; remarkably the passengers, a small hen and a cock-bird, christened Adam and Eve, survived the hard landing.

There is no comprehensive record of how many covers were carried in each of Stephen Smith’s rockets and certainly not all of these attempts were successful. A tally made of his first ten flights, indicate that a total of 1,313 items were flown. By early 1930s rocket mail experiments were being conducted in the USA, Europe and Australia, but Smith was the only 9 person launching rockets in India. He experimented with rocket launches from ship to shore, shore to ship, across rough terrain, during the night, and across rivers.

There were an amazing variety of items involved, the firings covered many issues and high profile events including, the Silver Wedding of George V and the Coronation of George the VI and disasters including the Quetta Earthquake and disastrous flooding in Bengal.

Earthquake emergencies were a regular feature in the Himalayas in the

north of India and this ‘Stephen Smith’ cover relates to the Nepal-Bihar earthquake in January 1934

Stephen Smith produced a wide range of ornamental vignettes to match the range of his activities. Below are displayed four of the vignettes used to adorn the rocketed sent into the air by Stephen Smith:

Rocket Number 5: The first ‘Ship to Shore’ rocket fired by night – The famous experiment to carry complete with two bats and a full livestock – a cock (Adam) and a hen moon in December 1934. A total of (Eve) - Oct 1935 220 letters were landed on Saugor Island –

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‘A Loyal Message Flashed Across the Another Innovation was a specifically

Skies’ for the Coronation of George named ‘Rocket Train’ forecasting speeds VI – May 12th 1937 prophetically rising up to 1000 mph was piloted by Eric-Syn in September 1937

Whilst any collection of this sort of material is still likely to be rather partial, it is, like most activities of this sort, a long-term project to be pursued with love and persistence. As a group, they form a modest selection from the rocket flights undertaken. Nevertheless, they do indicate Stephen Smith’s place as a social entrepreneur and a persistent innovator.

Smith’s understanding of the growing role of aviation and rocketry in mail delivery, was informed by his engagement with international organisations such as the British Interplanetary Society. He certainly cannot now be dismissed by lesser men who hold rigid views about what ‘real philately’ is all about. This is because modern Social Philately must begin to embrace the notion and worth of ‘philatelic’ mail – although this material is itself wonderfully varied and idiosyncratic and not quite as bleak and limited as a set of modern First Day covers!

Smith’s was not a Lone Voice At the same time as these experiments were being conducted in India, similar experimental activities were already underway in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland where a German Engineer, Herr Zucker was engaged in using rockets to end the isolation of the small island of Scarp just off the coast of Harris. For technical reasons these tests were failures, but Zucker was, nevertheless arrested on his return to Germany as his actions were seen as giving away sensitive technology. Some might suspect that the developments leading to the infamous V1 rockets were probably already underway in Germany. The benign use of rockets to speed the mail was, in consequence already a non-runner. The Scarp Rocket experiments were deigned to bridge a narrow, but difficult

channel from the Island of Harris.

This cover was 11 part of a failed flight in July 1934

During the 1940’s Smith experimented in many ways: launching cameras aboard his rockets; using different propulsion mechanisms; using parachutes to recover and reuse. There is no evidence of success but he was probably the only individual in India conducting such experiments. Despite his undoubted achievements in rocketry and rocket mail, it is only in the world of philately that Smith’s work is substantially recorded and acknowledged. Indeed, many of his rocket experiments are only known at all through the covers and their stamped souvenir notes that accompanied the launches and also by unused labels. Just about every rocket carried covers most of which were signed by Smith himself and by others. Even those rockets that carried parcels, livestock and cameras were also carrying covers or commemorative postcards with stamps.

An Intrepid & Persistent Innovator Smith experienced a particularly embarrassing failure during the launch of three rockets in Calcutta on February 28th 1935 when, in the presence of press representatives who had requested the demonstration, the first rocket was launched and then exploded in mid-air. The other two rockets fired on this day, both of which were larger, also failed. The first just managed to leave the launch-rack before falling to the ground whilst, even more regrettably the second ignited, but burnt itself out whilst still on the launch-rack.

India was not alone in experimenting with rockets. Indeed, experiments in rocket-assisted transport were first conducted during the late 1920s in Europe. German engineers and adventurers had also experimented with rocket-powered cars, motorbikes and planes. The German industrialist, Fritz von Opel in company with Max Valier, promoted rocket-powered cars on open roads and on rail tracks by providing the public with demonstrations.

The increasing prevalence of airmail prevented rocket mail from getting a firm foothold and indeed, from the 1920s onwards it was much simpler to add an airmail service to existing passenger flights.

However, many years later in 1959, on the strength of an impeccably successful experiment to deliver mail by missile, the US Postmaster General was able to declare that:

‘Before man reaches the moon, mail will be delivered within hours from New York to California, to Britain, to India, or Australia by guided missiles. We stand on the threshold of rocket mail’.

And then again, even as late as 1980, a highly thought of member of the Indian philatelic community, D N Jatia, President of the Philatelic Congress of India, could write:

‘Although sending mail by rocket has yet to become a regular postal service like the air mail, its potential usefulness and immense possibilities are beyond question’.

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The Exigencies of War Stephen Smith is not remembered for rockets alone and during the Second World War he was quick to recognise the need for propaganda in the successful pursuit of the war effort. His humour and stylishness in doing this is instantly endearing. Here are two propaganda covers that make us smile when we look at them today, even though in their day they were important political statements with a serious underpinning:

Stephen Smith Propaganda Mail August 1941 as the Italians were swept back westwards in North Africa. Signed by the pilot.

A strangely topical Victory Cover in view of American politics today. It is signed by the pilot. A pencilled message on rear indicates ‘only 40

carried’ Smith published several books detailing the development of airmail and aviation in India. So it is fitting that in 1989, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the American Airmail Society. Later, in 1992, a year after the centenary of his birth, the Indian government also celebrated his achievements by issuing a stamp and a first-day cover dedicated to his pioneering work. 13

The Centenary Stephen Smith Cover issued in December 1992 - showing an apparently unsuccessful ‘Ship to Shore’ firing - and with a special ‘rocketing’ cancel

Undoubtedly, the story and the legacy of Stephen Hector Smith does need to be preserved, which is partly what this paper is about. The collection of Stephen Smith material is already a part of the portfolios of many serious collectors. The place of such characters in the philatelic history of India is important for us all and an enduring feature of modern philately. As we write this, some attempts to provide more research on his work and achievements is underway … more of this anon!

Reading More A great deal has been written about Stephen Smith, but the following sources are the most useful: • G. Singh. The Indian Space Programme Astrotalkuk Gurbir Singh November 2017. Chapter 5 is devoted to Stephen Smith. 2017 • J. Cooper. A specialised Priced catalogue of Indian Rocket Mails, Stamps and Vignettes. April 1960 • S. Smith & F. Billig. Billig’s Specialized Catalogues: Rocket Mail Catalogue, Volume 8. 1955 • S. Kitson. Policeman Rocketeer Indian Stamp Dealers Association 1992 • S. Smith. Bulletin of the Indian Airmail Society 1931 • D.N. Jatia. From the Diary of Stephen Smith. New Delhi 1980

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