Lot 30049 – 1885 (Aug 4) Great Britain 2d postal reply card se

1885 (Aug 4) Great Britain 2d postal reply card sent by the British Consul John Kirk to Armagh, Ireland via Sea Post Office (11 August) and Aden (15 August) tied by 4-bar squared circle date-stamp (without year slug). The card responds to an inquiry originally posed to Mr. Kirk and is signed by him, some tone spots, fine and rare postal history item from a influential individual in Zanzibar’s history, ex Sturton. Note: John Kirk CMG KCB was a Scottish physician, naturalist, companion to explorer David Livingstone, and British administrator in Zanzibar. After the death of Livingstone, he pledged to continue Livingston’s work to end the East African slave trade. For years he negotiated with the ruler of Zanzibar, Sultan Bargash, gaining his confidence and promising to help enrich the East African domain through legitimate commerce. The Sultan banned slave trading in 1873 and by 1885, the region was larger and more profitable.