Postal Jurisdictions of South African Stamp Collecting

The history of South Africa is complicated, and this is not really a history post. In the early days of stamps, the area was overrun with colonial powers making stakes for various reasons. The prominent players were the Dutch and British, but the Germans, Portuguese and French all played some part in the area. Early in that era were the Boer Wars, specifically the Second Boer War, that shaped the political and postal jurisdictions of the area. The end of World War I played its part as well. And in modern times, both the end of British colonial rule and the apartheid era (1948-1994), followed by the transition to democracy in 1994, shaped the landscape we know today.

This list is my structure for how I organize my South African stamp collection. It is by no means a good outline for understanding the complete history of the region. For example, I've labeled the area once known as the South African Republic as Transvaal (the British colonial name), not because I'm favoring the British claim to the area, but because that's how the stamp catalog labels this area.

Prior to the formation of South Africa in 1910, there were four British colonies that issued stamps, which would later be combined to make up South Africa.

Pre South Africa Colonies - The Big 4

Cape of Good Hope 1853-1910

Natal         1857-1910

Orange River Colony 1868-1910

Transvaal         1869-1910

The Orange River Colony was the Orange Free State prior to 1900.

The British colony of Transvaal, originally the independent South African Republic, went through a number of political changes during and around the Second Boer War.

Transvaal Postal History

South African Republic     1869-1877 (as Z Afr Republiek)

Transvaal (British)     1877-1880

South African Republic     1880-1900 (as Z Afr Rebubliek)

Pietersburg Relocated SAR Government 1900

VRI Overprints (British)     1900 (Victorian period of occupation)

ERI Overprints (British)     1900-1902 (Edwardian period of occupation)

Transvaal (British)     1902-1910

During the colonial period, prior to the formation of South Africa, there were a number of other autonomous regions that ultimately were folded into the big four prior to the 1910 unification. I've put a note next to each one about which colony they were folded into.

Other Associated Colonies

Griqualand West 1877-1878 (to Cape of Good Hope)

Zululand         1888-1896 (to Natal)

Stellaland 1884-1885 (to Bechuanaland)

Bechuanaland 1885-1897 (to Cape of Good Hope)

New Republic 1886-1887 (to Transvaal as South African Republic)

Swaziland 1889-1894 (to Transvaal admin. as South African Republic,

then Natal)

Note that the area known as the Bechuanaland Protectorate is different than the British Bechuanaland shown above. The protectorate would also issue stamps and is now modern day Botswana.

During the Second Boer War, there are a number of local stamps known. This was also a period of intense interest in stamp collecting, and the evidence for the official sanction of these issues is weak, with most known uses dubious or philatelically contrived. It is possible that none of these were officially issued or ever postally valid. The notes give some help identifying these stamps.

Second Boer War Local Stamp Issuing Areas

Lydenburg     1900 (VRI on Transvaal)

Mafeking             1900 (Mafeking besieged OP & blue designs)

Pietersburg     1901 (Square in Square, signed/see Transvaal)

Rustenburg     1900 (Purple VR OP)

Schweizer Renecke    1900 (Besieged)

Volksrust             1902 (VRI)

Vryburg             1899-1900 (VRI)

Volmaransstad     1900 (Cancelled V-R-I)

The costal region north west of South Africa in what is today independent Namibia, was colonized by Germany. After World War I, South Africa was given administration over this area by a league of nations mandate. I mention these here both because of that administration and because the name, South West Africa, makes me think to look in this album for these stamps. Otherwise, I have chosen not to collect these stamps with South Africa.

South African Administration

German South West Africa 1887-1919

South West Africa 1923-1990

                Namibia                           1990-present

During the colonial period, the British authorized the British South Africa Company to have control of the area north of South Africa. That area is modern day Zimbabwe and Zambia, but was variously known as Rhodesia, North and South Rhodesia. That area would later be included in Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which pulled in other neighboring areas. Some of the stamps of this area are South African stamps overprinted SWA.

This area has South African in its name, although none of it was contained in or administered by South Africa. So far I have decided to note this in my album but not add these regions to the album. I may change that  later.

South Africa in Name but not Part of Modern South Africa

British South Africa Company 1889-1924

Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia)

Zambia (Northern Rhodesia

In 1910, following the Second Boer War, Great Britain unified the big four colonies of the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange River Colony into the area we know as South Africa. South Africa would gain independence from Great Britain in 1961.

South Africa 1910-present

              Colonial Period                            1910-1961

              Independent Republic (RSA)      1961-1994

              Democratic Government             1994-present

Toward the end of the apartheid era, areas were created as homeland areas for non-white South Africans. Four of these areas were declared independent by South Africa but were not recognized internationally. These areas issued their own stamps. These were reunited with the larger South Africa with advent of the post-apartheid democratic government in 1994.

Independent Homelands

Transkei         1976-1994

        Bophuthatswana 1977-1994

        Venda 1979-1994

Ciskei 1981-1994

Looking at the map of South Africa, there are two notable holes. Those are the present day, independent countries of Lesotho and Swaziland. While they are independent countries, they were variously influenced by South African and contained in the colonies before it.

Autonomous Regions

Lesotho (Basutoland) 1966-present

Cape of Good Hope             1880

Basutoland (British)              1884 (Cape of Good Hope stamps)

South Africa stamps             1910

Basutoland (British) stamps 1933

Lesotho ind.                          1966

Eswatini (Swaziland) 1933-present

Transvaal as South African Republic Overprints     1889

Transvaal as South African Republic Protectorate  1894

British Protectorate                                                   1902

South Africa stamps                                                 1910

Swaziland (British) stamps                                       1933

Swaziland                                                                 1967 (ind. 1968)

Eswatini                                                                    2018

1845 Almeria E. Fitts Stampless Letter

This particular letter is from Martha who I gather was a close friend and possibly relative of the addressee, Miss Almeria Fitts, who would have been 18 when this letter was sent.

Through some research, I’ve found that Almeria’s father was from Salisbury and had Almeria with her mother whose family was from Dedham. Her mother had died when Almeria was only six. Almeria had been teaching school in Dedham, possibly living with her mother’s family, perhaps even Martha, for one or two years, and then mid-school year, Almeria went up to Salisbury where her father was still living.

In the letter, Martha references that Almeria was at school, although it was unclear if she was teaching or attending. From other public records, I can see that she returned to teaching in Dedham after a year or two from 1847 until her death in 1850.

From the timing and the context, it is plausible that Almeria had to leave teaching suddenly to go to her father's to have a child, give it away, recover, ultimately returning to teaching in Dedham with her reputation reasonably intact.

Martha makes lots of references to beaus, parties and chaperones, and seems to be getting little correspondence from Almeria including when she might be back for a visit. Almeria would die at age 23, unmarried, so perhaps not everyone was as unaware of the situation as Martha might have been.

I've kept the punctuation and capitalization as close as I could to what was in the letter. That means there are very few periods or initial caps to show where sentences or paragraphs start. That's just the way it is.

    [larger Version at end]

Miss Almeria E Fitts
East Salsibury
Mass

Cancel:
Dedham
Ms.
Aug 26

5 in script in upper right (for 5 cents)

Page 1:

Dedham August 24. 1845.

Beloved Friend.

I now improve a few moments in answering your letter which I received after waiting a long time. I had begun to scold about you pretty hard because you did not write. We had concluded you had someone else to write to so you did not care about writing to us any more but I believe I won’t scold any more about it for I suppose you wish to hear something else. The folks are all well excepting your Grandmother she is pretty feeble Sophia has been here two or three days last week she told us to tell you that she should answer your letter as soon as she heard from your uncle lock he has gone on to the south they expect him back soon. I am staying out of the mill and have a first rate time a keeping house.

Mary Jane has been out a few weeks. she is going in again next week. she is in boston now making a visit. she sends her love to you and and wants you to write to her I believe she is going to send you a paper. Mary has moved over to milton they have bought a small farm and there they moved about the first of July so I cant pop in and see them so often as I used to it is about three miles from here. Abba still lives in Weymouth she was here last Wednesday and went to Squantum with us we had a first rate time there was seventy three in our party I went with Eben and Susan and Harriet Dresse

    [larger version at end]

Page 2:

[Addition at the top]

I dont believe your beaus have all gone to Trepoy(?) I guess there is one left bring him on home and let us see him

Mr Dournings(?) folks went with us. I wish you had been there. You dont know what a time we had going in the water some of them went in all over we was so afraid the men would see us we did not know what to do. Mr Burgesses folks have gone on a journey to Canada they expect them back this week. Mr Woodbury has preached for him the same one that preached for him when they went a journey last summer Mr and his wife Sharlotte Rodgers are staying up there to keep house for them. Mr Fish has lost his babe it died with the lung fever very sudden. I have been to mount Auburn this summer I went with Eben and Susan it is a very pleasant place. You wanted to know how I spent the fourth of July you said you supposed I went in to the fire works but I did not I went down to Marys Thursday night and came back Friday night most of the girls went in to the fire works but I could not get anyone to carry me. Mrs Pauls folks all went in to Boston John Yeltorn(?) was on here from Canada a few weeks ago. he came down to the mill and went down to see Belinda I do no know whether he has gone back again or not. We have had some very hot weather this summer quite a number in Dorchester and Roxbury have died in the heat Sarah Abrams and the children are up in the country to her fathers. Mr Henney has sold his farm they have two school teachers boarding out there from Boston during the vacation. Elizabeth goes to school this

Page 3:

[Addition at the top]

How much longer is your school going to keep come as soon as it is finished dont keep me waiting six months for an answer. 

[odd word on the upper edge]

harm(?)

summer she is about the same as ever I wish you would come down and see us you did not say one word about coming in your letter if you would only come we would have a real time now I am out of the mill do come I wish you would be here some night when Sargent comes up after the milk he trains more this summer than I ever see him especially when Mary Jane is over here he was quite sober to night for his face is all swelled up with the tooth ache there is no truth in that Mary J wrote to you about his stopping up here so long I expect he is hitetrinny(?) on some where else If you would come on here I would keep all the caterpillars off of you I wonder if you have heard any lady hana(?) lately I should like to hear you. I most forgot to tell you that we went with quite a loss this summer we have lost our horse he got lost and hurt him so bad we had to kill him so I have to foot it to meeting and I should like your company very much I wish he would come along and say Ladies if youll ride youre welcome to. Cousin Elbridge is going to keep our school again this winter Lavey(?) Ellis has got a beau so I dont despair yet Susan Smith has got a beau his name is Birkett(?) I believe Fairus gave her the mitten. Mr Thomas Beals is building him a new house off of Mill Village I should like to take a peek at you in those big perns(?) we have first rate times(?) sundays noons along we always sit together Mother sends her love to you and you may have mine to    let no one see this   so good bye

[text up the edge]

Martha

Answer this soon remember

[probably finished in that added text along the top]

Notes:

Almeria Eurphratia b. Oct. 28, 1826; d. Feb. 12, 1850

The Cousin Elbridge mentioned in this letter is Elbridge Clapp who took over the teaching role at the same school while Alemeria was in Salisbury.

Eben and Susan mentioned seem to be:
Ebenezer White Hayward and Susan Hayward (married)
Eben would have been 47 at the time of this letter

Squantum was a recreation area off Dorchester where city people went to have parties

To “give the mitten” was slang for telling someone you weren’t interested in marriage with them