TOPIC:

Everhard,

I think it might refer to the postal history of the Cape. 1893 was the year a standing "Hope" replaced the seated version. 1900 saw the adoption of the One Penny stamp with a view of Table Bay instead of the figure of "Hope" (who had adorned Cape stamps since 1 Sep 1853). So, in philatelic terms, Cape Colony "gave up Hope" in 1900.

Two postcards relating to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and her offer of protection to President Kruger. It was her who dispatched the Dutch cruiser HNLMS Gelderland to Portuguese East Africa with the order to evacuate the president to Holland.

The first shows a photographic reproduction of a commemorative medallion, issued on the initiative of the Belgian Newspaper 'Le Petit Bleu'. It was minted in both bronze and silver, and has the legend: (obv) WILHELMINA KONINGIN NEDERLANDEN 1900; (rev) SOUVENIR DE LA COURAGEUSE PROTECTION ACCORDEE PAR LA REINE DE HOLLANDE AU PRESIDENT DU TRANSVAAL / S.E. PAUL KRUEGER / LORENCO MARQUEZ / MARSEILLE 1900 / GELDERLAND / JUSTICE .
Signed: HIP. LE ROY
(Hern 2008, p. 98, No 362).

Postcard printed: "Souvenir de la courageuse protection accordée la Reine de Hollande au Président du Transvaal S.E. Paul Krüger / Médaille d’Hippolyte Le Roy".
Printed/published by 'Le Petit Bleu': "Editeur Albert Sugg à Gand". Photograph by "Nègatif de E. Sacré".
The medallion illustrated appears to be the original plaster model, with incised signature instead of the raised "HIP. LE ROY" found on the final pieces.


The second card is by the French caricaturist "Rostro" and was published a few months before Kruger's death in 1904: "WILHELMINE: QUOI QU'IL ARRIVE, ONCLE PAUL, IL Y AURA TOUJOURS UNE PLACE À MON FOYER POUR LE VAINCU!"
Signed: "ROSTRO, 2-04".









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This set of six French cards commemorates Kruger's arrival at Marseilles via the 'Gelderland'.

1. Le Président Krüger quitte le 'Gelderland'
2. Le Président Krüger passe devant les transatlantiques
3. Le Président Krüger saluant au moment de débarquer
4. La foule attendant le débarquement de Président Krüger
5. Le Président Krüger monte en voiture
6. Les premiers pas de Président Krüger sur le quai de la Joliette









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A few more French and German cards.

1. EDOUARD A LA RECHERCHE DES CENT MILLIONS DE KRUGER / Où sont-ils? Où ne sont-ils pas? LÀ EST LA QUESTION (by "Tailleter").
2. CHERCHEZ LA RÉPONSE DU BOER. / LE BOER: OÙ EST MA FERME? / L'ANGLAIS: QUELLE FERME?... / LE BOER: …...
3. Vaincue …. Glorieuse quand meme! … (by "H Grünfelder").
4. Mort de Mme Krüger (Juillet) / La pauvre femme en trouvera des épouses et des petites filles boërs depuis peu là-haut!
5. LION BRITANIQUE / HONNI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE (by Rostro).
6. President Kruger (by "Gui").
7. Les anglais chics jouent au lawn-tennis …. Moi aussi.
8. Mons, élég. bel. situat. av. tach. (de sang) / dés. ép. jeu. fil. de bon. mine. (d'or si poss.)
9. KRUGER. Président de la République du Transvaal. La seule chose qui m'embête, c'est d'être leur collègue
10. PAX 1er JUIN 1902 / JAMAIS! (by "A Pick").
11. "JOE" (by "Georges Villa")
12. Le jugement de l'Histoire (Juin 1902). / C'EUX-LA FURENT DES HEROS QUE L'ANGLAIS NE PUT VAINCRE QUE PAR LA PUISSANCE DE L'OR (by "Verber").
13. LE SALE FACE. / «….. Et tous les flots du Jourdain / ne pourront laver ta / face souillée par les déjections et / les immondices qu'y aura accumulés / l'Humanité vengeresse.» / BIBLE. - Livre III, Chapitre VIII (by "A Pick").
14. LES ANGLAIS SONT NOS MEILLEURS CLIENTS / QUAND ILS VIENNENT EN FRANCE C'EST PAR / GROSSES QUANTITÉS QU'ILS ACHÈTENT NOS / POMMES, POIRES, OEUFS, ETC. / VIVE LES BOERS / A BAS LES ANGLAIS.
15. John Bull hat die Hosen 'vull'. Doch der General Buller [changed by sender to "Butter"] hat sie noch viel 'vuller'.
16. FÜR DIE BUREN / PRIES 50 Pf / COLMAR 1901. (by Jean-Jacques Waltz or "Hansi").












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This card was printed as an advertisement for Henri Dubois' 1902 medallion, commemorating Kruger's visit to Utrecht, Holland. The price of the medal was 10 francs (in bronze) and 40 francs (in silver).
Postage costs are quoted for France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Sweden, Norway, Russia and England. One wonders how many sales were made to UK customers.

Le Président KRÜGER / Paris 1902 / HENRI DUBOIS / 8, Rue Garancière, Paris (VIe)

PRIX / Médaille ou Plaquette / Bronze: 10 francs – Argent: 40 francs

Port et Emballage / Pour la France: Bronze, 0 fr. 60 – Argent, 1 fr.

Pour l’Étranger (Argent ou Bronze): / Russie, Portugal … 2 fr. 90 / Grèce … 2 fr. 70 / Hollande … 2 fr. 45 / Angleterre … 2 fr. 20 / Espagne … 1 fr. 95 / Italie, Allemagne, Belgique … 1 fr. 80 / Suede et Norvège … 3 fr. 20

Les envois ne se font que contre mandat (médaille, port et emballage compris)






Medallion by Henri Dubois, struck at the Paris mint. Obverse: bust of Kruger, with legend “LE PRESIDENT KRÜGER / UTRECHT JUIN 1902"; reverse: draped Fame walks in clouds over map of South Africa. Signed “HENRI DUBOIS”. 68 mm (Hern 2008, p.102, No 374).

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A couple of postcards relating to the Boer War which I have come across accidently in pursuit of a Smethwickian. They are to be found in an album of photographs held by the Wellcome Collection. The album was compiled by 10018 Sergeant Benjamin Hannan, RAMC who served at No. 32 Stationary Hospital, Klerksdorp.



There is an error on the above postcard in the dates given for the war. Also, I thought the May 1902 Peace Conference was held at Vereeniging although, Botha & Schalk and other Boer leaders did have a pre-meet in April 1902 at Klerksdorp which is getting on for 80 miles west of Vereeniging. The only “Mispah” I can find in South Africa is over 300 miles to the north-east of Klerksdorp and I have no idea why Benjamin would have sent a postcard from there.



This one Benjamin sent home to his wife Amy who the 1901 Census shows was living in Huddersfield with their only child Ivy – when he returned home they made up for lost time. Amy obviously kept the card which Benjamin stuck in his album when he returned home along with the Peace Commemoration one and another showing him carrying out his new duties as a policeman – his 1954 obituary shows he ended up as Deputy Chief Constable of Blackpool.

The three “Silver leaves” are from the Silver Tree (Leucadendron argenteum). They were used to decorate postcards at the time of the Boer War because their shape was reminiscent of an artillery shell and they had everlasting properties. These days the Silver Tree is rare and endangered but until the 1930’s, when they were afflicted by disease, they were abundant on the Cape. Anybody wanting to learn more about the Silver Tree, or the Witteboom, visit pacifichorticulture.org/articles/the-silver-tree/

I shall be doing a full write-up on Benjamin including photos of him from his own album and one from a 1921 Newspaper when he first joined the Blackpool police force at the rank of Superintendent. Other postcards I will be posting as appropriate.