1877 Lovely cover to Scotland bearing a QV 6d ovpt POSTAGE (SG 83) tied by the numeral 30 canceller and alongside a wonderful strike of the rare SHIELD TYPE cds (Hart L.1) incorporating numeral 30 (UMZIMKULU) and dated 6 7 1871. Backstamped Pietermaritzburg GPO cds 7 7 and arrival cds AU 12. A seldom encountered illustration of these numeral postmarks on cover thus showing the intended use of the two implements of matching numerals at the allocated post office. Very attractive, a superb example of the early mail of this area.
Umzimkulu, on the southern border of Natal, is a minor village whose post office was within the control of Kokstad. The insignificance of this small village, is the indication of a population of only 737 in the census of 1904, 27 years after the establishment of the town in about 1877.
