This J.C. Wilson British Ensign Type II cover, thought to be unique, was postally used from Egypt to England on September 1, 1901. It is endorsed on the reverse “From 14858 Gnr W Stoneham, 16 Company E(astern) D(ivision) R(oyal) G(arrison) A(rtillery), Cairo, Egypt”. It is postmarked Abbassia, Caire, Egypt to Catford, Kent, England. It is franked with five copies of the 1m brown (Scott 43) and one copy of the 5m carmine rose (Scott 45), both issued in 1888.
On June 1, 1899, the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) came into existence as a separate entity when existing coastal defence, mountain, siege and heavy batteries of the Royal Artillery were amalgamated. Britain had occupied Egypt since the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War, which was motivated by protecting the interests of British bondholders with investments in Egypt as well as pursuit of domestic political popularity by the Liberal Party.
The Royal Garrison Artillery dispatched 16 Company of Eastern Division to Egypt to maintain heavy artillery there. The Army & Navy Gazette of the time reports the Royal Garrison Artillery was stationed in Egypt from at least 1897 through 1900 and beyond. The Royal Commission on the South African War reported in 1903 that companies of the Royal Garrison Artillery were dispatched to South Africa to serve during the Boer War.
It is possible that members of the RGA stationed in South Africa had supplied a copy of the J.C. Wilson envelope shown above to a comrade stationed in Egypt, from where it was mailed.
Below, the reverse of the cover.
On June 1, 1899, the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) came into existence as a separate entity when existing coastal defence, mountain, siege and heavy batteries of the Royal Artillery were amalgamated. Britain had occupied Egypt since the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War, which was motivated by protecting the interests of British bondholders with investments in Egypt as well as pursuit of domestic political popularity by the Liberal Party.
The Royal Garrison Artillery dispatched 16 Company of Eastern Division to Egypt to maintain heavy artillery there. The Army & Navy Gazette of the time reports the Royal Garrison Artillery was stationed in Egypt from at least 1897 through 1900 and beyond. The Royal Commission on the South African War reported in 1903 that companies of the Royal Garrison Artillery were dispatched to South Africa to serve during the Boer War.
It is possible that members of the RGA stationed in South Africa had supplied a copy of the J.C. Wilson envelope shown above to a comrade stationed in Egypt, from where it was mailed.
Below, the reverse of the cover.
This J.C. Wilson What We Have We’ll Hold Type I cover has been postally used from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Messrs Scholifield Goodman & Sons in Birmingham, England. The cover bears a 2¢ Newfoundland King Edward VII stamp, no. 82. The stamp is cancelled with a St. John’s cancellation dated February 13, 1900, and there is a Birmingham receiving cancellation on the reverse. According to Henry Gates, J.C. WIlson postcards and covers originating in Newfoundland are quite rare. The cover has a song back no. 8, with the patriotic song “Bobs”, unknown as a type to Gates, and designated here as E-3.
This J.C. Wilson Maple Leaf For Ever Type I cover, variation E-3, has been postally used locally within Victoria, Australia, with a one penny Victoria stamp, no. 194, mailed from Bendigo, today a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, on October 17, 1904 to Melbourne, where it was received on October 18th.
The cover bears the Nelson Lodge inscription type vi, found only on envelopes distributed to Canadian soldiers in South Africa during the Boer War. The cover may have been passed from a Canadian soldier to an Australian soldier, who then returned to Australia before making use of it.
Below, the reverse of the cover, showing the Nelson Lodge inscription.
The cover bears the Nelson Lodge inscription type vi, found only on envelopes distributed to Canadian soldiers in South Africa during the Boer War. The cover may have been passed from a Canadian soldier to an Australian soldier, who then returned to Australia before making use of it.
Below, the reverse of the cover, showing the Nelson Lodge inscription.
This J.C. Wilson British Ensign (Tattered) cover has been postally used within Jamaica from Morant Bay to E.A.H. Haggard Esq, Kingston. The cover bears a 1p Jamaican stamp, no. 31, issued in 1900, showing Llandovery Falls. The stamp is cancelled with a Morant Bay cancellation dated January 21, 1901. The cover has a blank back, making it Henry Gates’ variety E-1.
This J.C. WIlson British Ensign (Tattered) cover has been postally used from Jamaica to England, a rare use. Addressed to Mess. W. & A. Gilbey, Pantheon, London, the cover bears a 1p Jamaican stamp, no. 32, issued in 1901, showing Llandovery Falls. The stamp is cancelled with a Morant Bay cancellation dated January 8, 1902. The cover has a blank back, making it Henry Gates’ variety E-1, but with the flap imprinted “MARCHALLECK & CO, MORANT BAY, JAMAICA WI”.
This J.C. WIlson British Ensign (Tattered) cover has been postally used from Kingston, Jamaica to Hamburg, Germany, a rare use. Addressed to Messrs. Hesse, Newman & Co., the cover bears two QV 2½p Jamaican stamps, no. 26, issued in 1891. The stamps are cancelled with a Kingston Street Letter Box cancellation dated August 28, 1901. The cover has a blank back, making it Henry Gates’ variety E-1, but with the flap imprinted “MARCHALLECK & CO, MORANT BAY, JAMAICA WI”.
Below, the reverse of the cover showing a back stamp from Hamburg dated September 13, 1901.
Below, the reverse of the cover showing a back stamp from Hamburg dated September 13, 1901.
According to the Commercial Directory of British, Dutch, Danish, and French Colonial Possessions in Central and South America and the West Indies, published March 1892, Marchalleck & Co. was a merchant in Morant Bay providing groceries & provisions, one of three merchants in the town—a rather obscure company to be using a J.C. WIlson cover for business use.
This J.C. Wilson British Ensign (Tattered) cover has been postally used from Kingston, Jamaica to Hamburg, Germany, a rare use. Addressed to Messrs. Hesse, Newman & Co., the cover bears two 1d Llandovery Falls Jamaican stamps, no. 31, issued in 1900, and a Half Penny Queen Victoria stamp, no. 16 from 1883 through 1890. The stamps total 2½p, half the postage used for the previous cover, hence the short paid markings. The cover has a blank back, making it Henry Gates’ variety E-1, but with the flap imprinted “MARCHALLECK & CO, MORANT BAY, JAMAICA WI”.
Below, the reverse of the cover showing a back stamp from Kingston dated March 20, 1902, and Hamburg dated April 3rd.
Below, the reverse of the cover showing a back stamp from Kingston dated March 20, 1902, and Hamburg dated April 3rd.
This J.C. WIlson Well Done! cover has been postally used from Morant Bay, Jamaica to Hamburg, Germany, a rare use. Addressed to Messrs. Hesse, Newman & Co., the cover bears two 1d Llandovery Falls Jamaican stamps, no. 31, issued in 1900, and a Half Penny Queen Victoria stamp, no. 16 from 1883 through 1890. The stamps are cancelled with a double ring Morant Bay cancellation dated April 1, 1901. The cover has a blank back, making it unknown to Henry Gates, named here as variety E-2, but with the flap imprinted “MARCHALLECK & CO, MORANT BAY, JAMAICA WI”.
