Lot 167 – CAPE OF GOOD HOPE: 6p pale lilac, on envelope written No 11, 1879 by Alexander Whitelaw Thorneycroft from Africa

Description

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE: 6p pale lilac, on envelope written No 11, 1879 by Alexander Whitelaw Thorneycroft from Africa ,to his father, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Thorneycroft, JP, at Tetten Hall Wolvahamton, England. The 6p is tied by NO 11 79 Cape Town Cape Colony c.d.s, Manuscript “Free through S. Africa on Service Alex W. Thorneycroft LC RS Furley” , on reverse, Dec 11 Birmingham receiver travelling probably by train, receiving a Dec 11 Wolverhampton arrival. . (SG 25)
(SG 25)Est. Cash Val. 0) …Est. Cash Val. $250 – 300

At the time of writing, Alexander was a second lieutenant in the Royal Scots Fusiliers serving in the Anglo-Zulu War in the operations known as the Second Sekhukhune War against “the British Nightmare” the King of the Bapedi, Sekhukhune. This letter was written shortly before the final battles that led to Sekhuhune’s surrender on 2nd December 1879. Thomas Thorneycroft went on to become a Major General. He was known for the words he spoke in the 1900 Boer Battle of Spion Kop: ?I allow no surrender.? – Quite Historical.