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Auction: 21030 - The 'Greca' Collection of Southern African Postal History
Lot: 275

Rhodesia
Incoming Mail
1896 (14 Apr.) envelope (with contents) from Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson, Governor of Natal, to The Hon. Alan de Tatton Egerton M.P. (the Third Baron Egerton) in Salisbury, marked "Free" and sent as an official free letter (handstamp partially obscured by postage) showing G.P.O. Natal despatch d.s.; upon arrival endorsed "in Gwelo Laager, 17th Apr.", deleted and forwarded to Bulawayo, then re-addressed to the House of Commons in London bearing 1893 6d. deep blue vertical pair paying double the 6d. per ½oz. rate, and reposted within London; the reverse showing various datestamps including Durban (15.4), Beira (26.4), Bulawayo (date unclear) and London (27.7).

In his letter the Governor comments that he was anxious that his friend might have been "pounced upon during your shooting trip by marauding Matabele". The Governor goes onto mention the various detachments of troops that were being sent to quell the rebellion. Later he speculates that the rinderpest may have sparked the rebellion and laments that if it had not been for Jameson's folly (meaning the disasterous Jameson Raid in an attempt to overthrow Kruger's government in the Transvaal) things may have been different.

A fine and historical letter. Photo

Note: Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson served as Lieutenant-Governor of Malta between 1884 and 1889, as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Windward Islands between 1889 and 1893 and as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Natal and Zululand between 1893 and 1901. Subsequently he was appointed Governor of the Cape Colony from 1901 to 1910.

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Sold for
£400

Starting price
£400