Lot 61312 – 1856 The “Dead Horse” Letter: 1856, 29 April Official

1856 The “Dead Horse” Letter: 1856, 29 April Official letter (postal waybill) from Craddock to Cape Town which accompanies the mail, accounting for the movement of the mail items, and strictly recording the times taken and reasons for delay by the post contractor. An example of communication between post offices which were exempt from payment but had the CGH cancel and arrival and dispatch marks being applied on sent mail. Ex Dillaway.

The postmaster at Burgher’s Dorp notes, “The cause of my delay between Craddock and this was owing to one of the Post horses dropping dead on the road and the contractor himself compelled to walk six hours in order to reach his second station to obtain another horse”. The letter at top bears six strikes of the varying dates of the double oval CRADOCK town datestamp from AP 23 1856 to AP 29 1856, five of which have been cancelled by the small triangular obliterators and also red double oval CAPETOWN MY 10 1856 town handstamp receiver on front. Some slight edge wear and soiling. A fascinating document on exhibition page.