Stefan Heijtz Saint Helena: Re-establishment of the Post Office 1839-55: 1840 (Apr. 21) entire to Batavia, Dutch East Indies, via the Cape with a fine strike of crowned oval "GENERAL POST OFFICE/MY 13/1840/CAPE OF GOOD HOPE" and rated "60" in ms., written and signed by Saul Solomon. Saul Solomon (1776-1852) born in Canterbury, Kent, sailed for India but fell dangerously ill during the voyage and was put ashore on Saint Helena where he recovered and subsequently established a merchant business empire that dominated commercial life on St Helena for more than two centuries. Photo. (Image1)

Stefan Heijtz Saint Helena: Re-establishment of the Post Office 1839-55: Post Office Fee, 1840 ship letter to Canada headed "Longwood/October 19th 1840", showing ms. "31/2" in red, this being the prepaid fee on outgoing mail at 31/2d. rate (increased from 3d. when the post office was reopened in 1839), endorsed "St. Helena prepaid/to England", charged "1/4" amended to "4/4" with straight line "SHIP LETTER" and London Dec. 11 transit on reverse, ms. receiving note of Feb. 1. The fascinating letter, addressed to Lt. Charles J.B. Riddell at the Magnetic Observatory in Toronto by Lt. John H. Lefroy, concerns scientific observations, part of a British study of terrestrial magnetism, with references to a proposed expedition by Enderby to search for "the land D'Urville professes to have discovered" (Antarctica?), and a first hand account of the exhumation of Napoleon's body. Observatories in Canada and Tasmania were selected as approximate to the points of the greatest intensity of magnetic force in both hemispheres and Saint Helena as approximate to the point of least intensity. Riddell (1817-1903) and Lefroy (1817-1890) had left England for their postings in the autumn of 1839, Riddell to establish the Canadian observatory (his first choice of Montreal was overruled) and Lefroy travelling to Saint Helena with the ships of the Ross Expedition to become the first director of the Longwood observatory. In 1842 Lefroy transferred to Toronto, remaining in Canada and carrying out advanced field studies until 1853. He later became Governor of Bermuda and Administrator of Tasmania. Riddell returned to England in 1841 for health reasons but continued his work, serving later with distinction in the Crimea and India. Photo. (Image1)

Stefan Heijtz Saint Helena: Re-establishment of the Post Office 1839-55: 1844 (June 8) ship letter to France headed "Ste. H̩l̬ne le 8 juin", charged "11" (d̩cimes) being the French 1f.10c. ship rate + inland rate with Nantes Outre-Mer July 26 transit in red, Bordeaux and Marseille backstamps. Ex Art Groten and George Montrose. Photo. (Image1)

Stefan Heijtz Saint Helena: Re-establishment of the Post Office 1839-55: Original and Duplicate Letters, 1845 (Dec. 8) 'original' and 'duplicate' letters from Saint Helena to Calcutta via the U.S. commercial agent in Mauritius, matching messages sent separately to improve the chances of safe delivery, the former endorsed "p. Rustomjee Cowasjee", the latter "p. Nankin", both rated 4a.6p. with Mauritius P.O. transit in red (Jan. 24 and Jan. 20 respectively), and Calcutta Ship Letter arrivals of Mar. 14 and Apr. 4 respectively. The rarest of pairings, almost never encountered. The 'original' ex Art Groten. Photo. (Image1)

Stefan Heijtz Saint Helena: Re-establishment of the Post Office 1839-55: 1846 entire to the U.S.A. written to her parents by Baptist missionary's wife Sarah Maria Willsey Thomas (1814-1849) returning from Burma, the letter carried by private ship "This goes by a Whaling Vessel direct" showing red straight line "SHIP" and Edgartown, Mass. Sep. 21 (amended in ms.) receiving c.d.s., ms. charge "7"(cents), comprising the 2c. ship rate + 5c. inland rate to Willseyville, N.Y. Ex Art Groten and George Montrose. Photo. (Image1)

Stefan Heijtz Saint Helena: Re-establishment of the Post Office 1839-55: Bulk mail posted in London, 1855 circular from Solomon & Moss headed "St. Helena 29th June 1855" sent under cover and sent on arrival to a local address with "Limehouse" straight line, franked G.B. 1d. star (crossed by fold). Ex Art Groten and George Montrose. Photo. (Image1)