Tag: Basutoland stamp

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Lesotho 1981, Rivalry between South Africa’s African National Congress and the Pan Africanist Congress weighs on Leabua Jonathon’s tiny black Kingdom

Lesotho is a tiny landlocked country with South Africa on all sides. It was formally known as Basutoland. Independance saw the retention of the ceremonial tribal King but multiparty democratic rule with two parties closely aligned with respective anti apartheid groups in South Africa. As such we get a window as to what a South Africa that could read the writing on the wall earlier might have been like. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

This is a nicely done farm out commonwealth stamp. The remember to include King Moeshoeshoe II in a Manchin like profile in the top right corner. The good King had a cool 70s “Shaft” vibe that reminded the part of the world you were in. The well drawn bird on the stamp is a greater or white eyed kestrel. They indeed are native to the area and still numerous.

Todays stamp is issue A66 a one Lisente stamp issued by the independent Kingdom of Lesotho on April 20th 1981. It was a 14 stamp issue in various denominations that lasted many years with surcharges as the currency new in 1979 was devalued. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents unused.

Lesotho gained independence from Great Britain in 1965. Britain had retained ties extra long to prevent being absorbed by the apartheid South Africa. The old Basutoland had seceded some

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Swaziland 1947, A Royal visit tries to influence Southern African choices

3 months, 10,000 miles, the King and Queen and their glamorous daughters, a battle cruiser, a train whistlestop tour. The future Queen turns 21 and makes a speech pledging her whole life to service of the people of the Empire. Why go to the trouble? Well South Africa had just, unlike others, sacrificed greatly in the War, and maybe Britain was trying to return the favor by trying to prevent a mistake they could see about to happen. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

In the late forties the Royal family must have sensed the interest in their coming of age children in the world of celebrity. So here we have Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret displayed prominently. Unusually though, was the substance behind it. King George VI wasn’t that old but sickly and so he knew Elizabeth would be facing her duty sooner rather then later. Hence the speech she gave on this tour where she promised to be with her subjects through all the changes coming. It can’t be said she did not live up to her pledge even if the trip might have worked against British intentions for this part of the Empire.

Todays stamp is issue A3, a 3 Penny stamp issued by Swaziland on February 17th, 1947. It was a three stamp issue celebrating the Royal visit. The design of the stamp was borrowed from a similar stamp from Basutoland. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents.

South Africa had contributed much of their military to fight for Britain in World War II, especially in the North African theatre. The most successful British fighter ace Sailor Milan with 72 kills was South African. So when South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts invited the Royals, they came. South Africa was grappling on how to deal with the African majority. Mr. Smuts popularity was falling as he was proposing easing off restrictions that kept blacks out of the big cities. This meant tortuous commutes to where the jobs were for blacks. It was hoped that the pomp and circumstance might rub off on Smuts, who was facing a tough election.

As far as the welcome received and getting through what must have been impossible logistics, the Royal visit went off spectacularly well. However it did not have the intended effect on the then white and mostly Boer South African voter. Smuts was seen as too tight with Britain, even to the extent of abandoning his own people. The British Royals would not have to deal with the added crime that would have been the direct result of virtue signaling they were proposing. Smuts failed in his bid to D F Milan who took a much harder line on the question of the Africans. This was not the road Britain had in mind for it’s southern African dominions, protectorates, and colonies. Eventually South Africa and Rhodesia would feel the need to leave the Commonwealth.

All that said, the permanence of 21 year old Elizabeth’s words have lasted and proved more true than anyone could have imagined. You can watch it here https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Princess+Elizabeth+1947+speech&view=detail&mid=D3118D08978E69DF648AD3118D08978E69DF648A&FORM=VIRE Sure there in no more Empire, no more Royal Navy battlecruiser, not even a Royal yacht, But Queen Elizabeth is still working for her subjects, now past 90. (Update RIP Queen Elizabeth, God Save the King).

Well my drink is empty and lets toast recently departed Queen Elizabeth to celebrate so many years of service to the Commonwealth. Come again soon when there will be another story to be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2019.

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Basutoland, Would Her Majesty help a fellow King with the Boers

We have done several stamps from the former colonies of South Africa before it federated. See https://the-philatelist.com/2018/04/27/natal-boers-to-the-left-zulus-to-the-right-and-stuck-in-the-middle-with-the-indians/ Most had white rule, but not all and today comes a stamp from an area that kept black rule and stayed independent even as South Africa transitioned to majority rule. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

Aesthetically this stamp is both quite old fashioned and yet up to date. The British policy toward the African colonies was about to change. The new policy became known as the writing is on the wall. It meant that the British were going to leave and turn over power to the majority blacks. This was most controversial in the south where there were more white settlers that couldn’t see themselves under black rule. Lots of old history now but look who is on this stamp from even earlier, the current Queen of Great Britain. It is amazing to think how long she has been guiding the ship of the Empire/Commonwealth.

Todays stamp is issue A7, a 3 Pence stamp issued by the British Crown Colony of Basutoland on October 18th, 1954. It was part of an eleven stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 40 cents used.

Basutoland was ruled by King Moshoeshoe I. He had been successful in raiding neighboring cattle herds earning him the name the razor. He sensed early on that if his empire was to survive he needed to procure a white advisor. The appearance of Christian missionaries provided that. He also was able to acquire some firearms for his warriors. His warriors therefore did surprisingly well against Zulu and British rivals. In victory, Moshoeshoe was conciliatory and so wars were just incidents not long battles and the British established friendly relations.

King Moshoeshoe I

This would prove useful when the Boers came for the land. Boers, Dutch heritage South Africans sent what they called trekkers into Basuto land from the Orange Free State. Again Moshoeshoe had early military success against them but the Boers kept coming in ever greater numbers. King Moshoeshoe appealed to Queen Victoria for help. A deal was struck with the Boers making Basutoland a British Crown Colony with new borders that ended the Boer intrusion. Moshoeshoe I was kept on has Paramount Chief with substantial powers. The area remained far less than one percent white.

As the British read their writing on the wall in the 50s and 60s, the then current Paramount Chief was named King Moshoeshoe II of the new Kingdom of Lesotho. Relations with apartheid South Africa were tense as the ANC had a presence in Lesotho, but British pressure again kept the Boers out. Lesotho decided not to join the new South Africa   in the 1990s and Moshoeshoe I’s Royal line still sits on Lesotho’s Throne. All this stability has not translated into prosperity. The GNP per person is about one sixth that of not rich South Africa, and much of that is from remittances of Lesotho citizens working in South Africa.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the Catholic missionaries that got King Moshoeshoe’s ear. You would think that advise from missionaries would just be of a spiritual nature but their good advise lead to a stability and continuity unusual in the region. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting