Boer + British Censor Seals. 1899 (Oct 12-16) Covers from Johannesburg (2) or Roodepoort to Cape Colony all with white Boer type 2 censor seals and British type 2A or 2B seals, handstamped violet boxed "STOPPED BY CENSOR / RETURN TO SENDER" with Returned Letter Office Natal datestamps (Mar 23-30), one cover with faults, the other two largely fine, an unusual trio with the scarce Boer type 2 seals, all stopped by the censor and sent to the Durban R.L.O but showing no sign of having been returned to the senders. (3).

1900 (Jan 4) Cover from Johannesburg to Durban censored with Boer seal type 3 and British "Officially Sealed" censor type 1E with "DURBAN" handstamp, redirected to Scotland with a Natal 1d affixed and cancelled at Durban (Jan 16). A fine cover with stamps and censor seals of both Transvaal and Natal.

1900 (Jan 3-25) Covers from Johannesburg to G.B or Australia both with Boer type 3 and British type 2A censor seals, violet boxed "STOPPED BY CENSOR / RETURN TO SENDER" and Returned Letter Office Natal datestamps, the January 3 cover to G.B detained in Johannesburg for seven weeks with the Boer seals tied by a further Johannesburg c.d.s of February 23rd, this cover opened out and a little shortened upon opening at right edge, otherwise fine and an unusual pair, stopped by the censor and sent to the Durban R.L.O but showing no sign of having been returned to the sender. (2).

1900 Covers from Natal to Delagoa Bay and redirected to the O.F.S or Transvaal (2, one with Lourenco Marques 10r + 15r applied upon redirection), or from Transvaal to Cape Colony (2) or Natal all bearing Boer type 3 and British type 2A or 2B censor seals, the covers from Natal sent to accommodation addresses in Lourenco Marques to avoid any suspension to the postal service, very unusual. (5).

Type 1 Seals. 1899 (Oct 11) Covers from Johannesburg to Cape Colony or Natal both with white Officially Sealed labels used as censor seals just one day after war was declared; and a partial cover (severe faults) from G.B to Johannesburg received on October 12th then redirected to Durban with the type 1 seal. The cover to Natal fine, the cover to Cape with minor creasing and edge faults. A rare provisional censor seal, used in Johannesburg on October 11/12th only (and in Pretoria Oct 11-13th). (3).

Type 3 Seals. 1899-1900 Covers with pink type 3 seals used at Pretoria (18 Dec 1899, cover to Lady Grey in the Cape, then occupied by the Boers, with arrival backstamp, piece torn from right), or used at Johannesburg (5, Feb-May 1900) comprising covers to G.B or Germany (2, one franked 3d with "T / 20 / CENTIMES" charge marks) or from USA or Lourenco Marques, these five covers all fine, several seals with varieties including broken frame, etc. (6).

Type 4 Seal. 1900 (June 23) Cover franked 1d from Belfast to Lourenco Marques, backstamped at Machadodorp (June 24) and Correio Ambulante, Lourenco Marques (June 27) with pink type 4 censor seal tied by Machadodorp c.d.s (June 26), fine and very scarce, the first recorded use of this seal, which was only used at Machadodorp whilst the seat of the Boer Government in the Transvaal. Photo on Page 58. (Image1)

Type 5 Seal. 1900 (Aug 10) Cover from Lourenco Marques franked 200r, to a missionary at "Shilawane, P.O Thabina, via Machadodorp - Lydenburg - Leydsdorp" backstamped at Machadodorp (Aug 14), Leydsdorp (Aug 19) and Thabina (Aug 22) with type 5 seal printed in dark green tied by a Waterval Onder c.d.s (Aug 13). Opening tear at left edge, otherwise fine, an interesting routing and a scarce censor seal (only recorded used at Machadodorp in "Censor Seals" by Snowden & Hepworth). Photo on Page 58. (Image1)

Type 5 Seal. 1900 (July) Cover from Ermelo to Delagoa Bay franked 3d, backstamped at Machadodorp (July 31) and Correio Ambulante, Lourenco Marques (Aug 3) bearing type 5 censor seal printed in dark green tied by a Waterval Boven c.d.s. A scarce censor seal (only recorded used at Machadodorp in "Censor Seals" by Snowden & Hepworth).

Boer Censor Seals Used by the British. Type 1 Seal. 1900 (June 28) Cover from Pretoria to Grahamstown franked ½d + 1d + 2½d, backstamped with a Pretoria Press Censor cachet and Grahamstown c.d.s (July 5), censored by Boer type 1 seal; and 1901 (May 10) Transvaal 4d registration envelope franked 2d from Potchefstroom to a P.O.W at Bellevue Camp, the reverse with violet "Passed by Censor / Potchefstroom" and bearing a complete Boer type 1 censor seal tied by Johannesburg c.d.s (May 11). The first with faults, the second very fine, a scarce and unusual pair. (2). Photo on Page 58. (Image1)

Type 1 Seal. 1901 (Oct 11) Cover franked 1d from Pretoria to a P.O.W in Diyatalawa Camp with triangular Pretoria Press Censor cachet and bearing a Boer type 1 seal with the words "Z.A. Republiek" crossed out in red ink, backstamped at Durban and Colombo. Probably the only known use of this Boer seal by the British with the wording partly deleted.

Boer Censorship. Vryburg-Boer Occupation. 1900 (Jan 19) Cover from Lourenco Marques franked 50r to "Vryburg, via Pretoria" with enclosed note being a copy of a telegram message sent from King William's Town to the Standard Bank in Lourenco Marques (and forwarded from there by post due to suspension of direct posts to Vryburg, then occupied by the Boers). Backstamped at Pretoria (Jan 22), Christiana (Jan 26), Schweizer Reneke (Jan 27) and "VRYBURG" (Jan 28), the front with red manuscript "Geopend Onder Krygswet, 29.1.00" and initials. A remarkable item to an office in Boer occupied Cape and the only item censored by the Boers in Vryburg that we have recorded. Photo on Page 58. (Image1)

1899-1900 Covers (5) and a postcard from the O.F.S all with oval "POSTMEESTER GENERAL / ORANJE-VRY STAAT", one stampless official cover from the Landdrost's Kantoor Bloemfontein sent to London (torn and repaired), other covers franked 4d to Beira, 5d to Germany (two punch holes), 1d to Holland (endorsed "3d to pay") or 2d to a P.O.W at Green Point, the 1d card to Germany, all sent via Pretoria and Delagoa Bay. (6).

1900 Covers from the O.F.S to Prisoners of War "c/o Military Authorities, Cape Town" or "c/o Military Commandant Simons Town" both with oval "POSTMEESTER GENERAAL / ORANJE-VRY STAAT" in blue or black and British censor seals, one with "CENSOR / PRISONERS OF WAR" and a Durban transit c.d.s. A few faults but unusual covers to P.O.Ws on transport ships in Simons Bay. (2).

Boer Forces Mail. 1899-1900 Stampless soldiers covers, the first sent in the first month of the war within the O.F.S endorsed "In Commando Dienst" with Harrismith c.d.s (Oct 31) and Kroonstad arrival datestamp (Nov 2); the other sent within Transvaal endorsed "Velddienst" with the unusual oval cachet "ONTVANGEN / 22 MEI 1900 /Politice, Natal" and a Volksrust c.d.s (May 24), backstamped at Braamfontein. The first with flap missing but otherwise fine, the other with some splitting to a vertical fold but an unusual "Natal" cachet, the meaning of which is unclear. (2).

1899-1900 Stampless covers from Bloemfontein (Oct 23) to a Veldcornet at "Kimberley Border O.F.S" sent shortly after the start of the siege of Kimberley, or from Johannesburg (Jan 13) to a Veldcornet at Colesberg Bridge, soiled and torn, possibly explained by the endorsement on the reverse "Found in wrecked Boer waggon near Orange River 25/3/00 Sgt Hamel". Also a telegram form dated 1st Feb 1900, sent by Commandant Froneman from Scholtz Nek near Kimberley during the siege; two covers posted in the Transvaal in 1899 prior to the war endorsed "Found at Standerton on a Farm" or "Taken from a Boer Wagon which we captured on 10th May 1901, By J. Warburton"; a British "Army Form C.398" envelope addressed to "His Honour Commandant de Villiers" and endorsed "9.30 A.M 4 Aug 1900, By Hand" evidently sent by messenger under flag of truce through the lines, a little stained; 1899 (Oct 26) cover posted within Barberton free of charge; 1900 (Mar 12) cover from Vrede to Holland routed via Kroonstad and Pretoria, and 1899 (Oct 11) special edition of "The Volkstem" announcing the proclamation of Martial Law. Some faults but an unusual group. (9).

1899-1900 Stampless covers with Hoofdlager c.d.s or blue three line "Veldpost. ZAR / NewCastle" datestamp, cover and a piece franked Transvaal 1d tied by similar three line NewCastle datestamps, and cover with two Transvaal 1d stamps tied "COLESBERG / C.G.H" squared circle. Also 1899 covers from Johannesburg to Durban censored with pink Boer seals and "Officially Sealed" labels of Durban, and a fine original real Photo of a Boer Field Post Office, a few cover faults. (8). (Image1)

1900 (Apr 16) Stampless Veld Dienst cover to Johannesburg with "THE GRANGE / Z.A.R" c.d.s and arrival backstamp, the latest recorded example of this scarce small postal agency c.d.s.

Lady Grey. 1900 Commercial cover to Rouxville with O.F.S 1d tied by "868" numeral and "LADY / GREY" c.d.s (Jan 1) alongside; Cape postal stationery envelopes bearing O.F.S stamps cancelled to order by "LADY / GREY" or scarce "LADY GREY DIV. ALIWAL NORTH" c.d.s; and a Cape ½d postcard uprated ½d commercially used to Germany on March 22nd, one week after the British had reoccupied the town, with the "LADY / GREY" c.d.s, all datestamps with the year shown as "19". A good group, the "868" numeral very scarce during the Boer occupation. (4).

Boer Invasion of Natal. 1900 Stampless Veld Dienst covers from Pretoria (Mar 3) to "Elias Mathsobane, c/o Commando D.G Erasmus, V.C M.G Pretorius, Ladysmith Natal", Hoofdlager (Jan 31) to Middelburg via Pretoria or Hoofdlager (Mar 16) to Edendaal, and a cover franked 1d from Johannesburg to "T.J Curran, V.C Pienaar, Com. Ben Viljoen, Jeppes Lager, Natal", all with some faults. Also unused Natal 1d envelopes with Z.A.R typed overprint or "Postzegel / Z. Afr. Republik" applied above, and ½d postcard with Natal arms crossed through and altered to Z.A.R with a Transvaal stamp applied. (7).

Dundee - Captured Mail. 1899 (Oct 18) Cover franked Natal 1d from Dundee to Durban, found in the Post Office when the Boers occupied Dundee on October 23rd and sent to Pretoria with Boer type 3 censor label tied by Pretoria c.d.s (Nov 3), backstamped at Durban (Jan 8), closed tear at base but very unusual.

Ingagane & Charlestown. 1900 Covers sent locally in Ingagane with Transvaal 4d tied violet oval "Veld-Post, Z.A.R / 14 APR / 1900 / INGAGANE", or to Johannesburg with Transvaal 1d + O.F.S 1d tied violet oval "Veld-Post, Z.A.R / 14 MRT 1900 / CHARLESTOWN", backstamped at Volksrust and Johannesburg, both fine. (2).

Hoofdlager. 1899-1900 Covers and cards with Transvaal stamps tied by the Hoofdlager Z.A.R c.d.s comprising 1899 (Dec 21) cover to Johannesburg endorsed "In Veld Dienst naby Colenso" franked 1d pair, a captured Natal Postal Department envelope to Johannesburg with the heading altered to "Op Zhebs Dienst" franked ½d with 1900 (Jan 25) c.d.s on both sides, and postal stationery cards comprising ½d card with "God en de Mauser / Gruss von der Schlachtfeldern" printed on reverse, posted to Pretoria (Dec 26, minor staining on address panel), and a 1900 (Jan 9) 1d postcard from "Johannesburg Laager naby Colenso" commercially used to Holland with Hoofdlager c.d.s on both sides. A good group, the first two posted just days after the Boer victory at Colenso. (4). Photo on Page 54. (Image1)

British Forces. Troopship Mail. 1900-02 Covers and cards including items written from the Norman, Syria, Manchester Merchant, Avoca, Monteagle, Cephalonia (2, also a Photo of the ship whilst in use as a P.O.W ship at Simons Bay), Assaye (2, with entire letter written by Frank Bowker, also two later letters from Bowker), covers to S.S Formosa transport 42 (2, one from Lourenco Marques), a cover from G.B to Pte C. Greenhead 2nd Middlesex Regt redirected to "Escort Duty with Boer Prisoners from South Africa to await arrival Bombay" sent around India then back to South Africa, also a stampless front from the "Pavonia" with violet "Transport No. 18 / Stamp not available", etc. (21). (Image1)

1900-01 Stampless soldiers covers (36) and fronts (3) to G.B illustrating differing treatment by the British Post Office with mail charged in G.B (3), with South African tax marks obliterated in G.B (9) or simply ignored in G.B (6), many with London Paid datestamps, one a G.B 1d envelope, 18 posted at civil post offices (two transferred to F.P.Os), the others with various F.P.O or A.P.O datestamps, also a cover to India with the "T" and "5c" charge marks crossed out and delivered free. (39).