covers sent by ship

Quote from Steve on January 15, 2025, 10:21 am

Thank you for this post. It is great! Another Portuguese voyage of discovery!

Cover MR 24 71 - 150
This is a beautiful and desirable cover. First, the stamps have the outer frame line so are from the first COGH 'Hope' rectangular issue. Curiously, they have been obliterated with both a triangular obliterator and BONC 18 of Graaf-Reinet. The date of postage is confirmed by the Graaf-Reinet Dated Town Oval of 'MR 24 1871'. This was received in Cape Town on 'MR 30 71'.

Presumably, as I am no expert on Madeiran postmarks, it was received in Funchal, Madeira one month later on '1/5 (1st May) 1871'.

Cover MR 10 71 - 300
This cover is arguably better than the preceding with its single stamps because this has at least a strip of 3 x 4d stamps, cancelled in the manner above. This was received in Cape Town on 'MR 16 71'. This was received in Funchal, Madeira one month later on '16/4 (16th April) 1871'.

Clearly these two covers, while being posted within 8 days of each other in Graaf-Reinet, sailed to Funchal on different ships arriving there some two weeks apart.

Your question is which shipping line or ships?

I cannot answer this but I do know a maritime expert who possibly can. He has already told me thatwith regards to another matter, the South African Collectors' Society website,  he will be "busy the rest of this week". I will in the meantime send this to him and hopefully I will be able to post his reply here when he is less busy. Watch this space.

In the meantime, if anyone else can answer Luiz's query, please do so. by posting it below.

To see the South African Collectors' Society website, click on this link:
https://southafricancollectorssociety.com/

Quote from Steve on January 18, 2025, 11:05 pm

I have received an answer from Tony Howgrave-Graham, President of SACS. He says:

"Aswer to question as far as I can tell!  They're certainly a very nice pair of covers. The exact 2 weeks between them made me think they were probably by Union Line ships as does the franking. The Cambrian left Cape Town on 20 March reaching Southampton (the first trip not to land at Plymouth) 24th April, and  although it stopped at Madeira I don't have a date for that.

 1868-72 was a very complicated period with arguments about the contract. Not surprising as the Union Line had to charge"packet" contract rates of 1/- whilst Currie's Castle line got away with 4d "ship letter" fee (a huge difference) . Not only that but another player entered the fray & several other lines had ships stopping at Madeira. They would all have charged "ship letter" rates though.

I'm afraid I can't find which ship followed the Cambrian a fortnight later. I hope this helps".

Tony suggests that the following books / CDs will be helpful to your research.

"Books are not really relevant as the only one I'm aware of is John Dickson's "The Atlantic Sea-Posts of the Cape of Good Hope to 1883" which he issued as a CD in 2017 . It is colossally detailed and difficult to navigate but packed full of info but, as he issued it himself and is, sadly, no longer with us, I've no idea where it's available from. The book I was thinking of was the Proud Bailey "British Maritime Postal History" "VOL 3" "The Union Castle Ocean Post Offices". This can be found with a hunt and makes life very easy but, of course, only covers 1893-1914.  Good luck!

"Aswer to question as far as I can tell!  They're certainly a very nice pair of covers. The exact 2 weeks between them made me think they were probably by Union Line ships as does the franking. The Cambrian left Cape Town on 20 March reaching Southampton (the first trip not to land at Plymouth) 24th April, and  although it stopped at Madeira I don't have a date for that.

 1868-72 was a very complicated period with arguments about the contract. Not surprising as the Union Line had to charge"packet" contract rates of 1/- whilst Currie's Castle line got away with 4d "ship letter" fee (a huge difference) . Not only that but another player entered the fray & several other lines had ships stopping at Madeira. They would all have charged "ship letter" rates though.

I'm afraid I can't find which ship followed the Cambrian a fortnight later. I hope this helps".

"Books are not really relevant as the only one I'm aware of is John Dickson's "The Atlantic Sea-Posts of the Cape of Good Hope to 1883" which he issued as a CD in 2017 . It is colossally detailed and difficult to navigate but packed full of info but, as he issued it himself and is, sadly, no longer with us, I've no idea where it's available from. The book I was thinking of was the Proud Bailey "British Maritime Postal History" "VOL 3" "The Union Castle Ocean Post Offices". This can be found with a hunt and makes life very easy but, of course, only covers 1893-1914.  Good luck!

Quote from Lisbon on January 22, 2025, 7:26 pm

Dear Steve

Thank you very much for your reply that was very useful.

The cover will be included in my exhibit "Portugal and UK Postal relations" to be in Burmingham next May.

All the best.

Luiz and Eduardo Barreiros

Quote from Steve on January 23, 2025, 10:50 am

Glad to help. By "next May" I assume you mean at EuroPhileEx Birmingham NEC, Wednesday 7 to Sunday 11 May 2025. I plan to visit EuroPhilEx in order to write a report about it for SACS' and this website. Perhaps we can meet up?

EuroPhilEx is attempting to take-over where Stampex London left off. I think that the problem for Stampex's organisers. the Philtelic Traders' Society, was that certain groups expected to be carried along without contributing enough to the added costs of an exhibit hall. This has resulted in a commercial decision to drop the exhibit hall. Stampex has now reverted to an honest-to-goodness stamp fair for dealers and collectors rather than one for societies and institutions unwilling to pay their way.

Read about Stampex 2024 here: https://southafricancollectorssociety.com/nsevent-stampex-autumn-2024

For almost two years the UK philatelic scene has been without a major event at which exhibits, the raison d' etre of societal philately, can be shown. Step in EuroPhilEx in an attempt to give the UK a credible alternative. There is just one small problem. Most collectors primarily go to philatelic shows to buy material from dealers. Seeing exhibits is a secondary or tertiary consideration. The organisers of EuroPhilEx no doubt disagree as they are making "over 2000 frames of exhibits" their unique selling proposition. This highlights the difference between the trade-oriented organisers of Stampex and the highbrow philatelic societal intelligentsia of EuroPhilEx. 

I will go to EuroPhilEx to see and buy from dealers and to get material for an article. If I have time I will take a quick skwizz at the exhibits. In the past I have found the exhibit hall a dull and dreary place to visit, a veritable mausoleum of philately. Despite my reservations I nevertheless wish EuroPhilEx good luck.