From:
John Leach's Encyclopedia of Postal Authorities :

Cape of Good Hope

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Cape Province (formerly Cape Colony) is the parent state of the Union of South Africa. It is bounded by SW Africa (now Namibia), Bechuanaland (now Botswana), Orange Free State, Basotuland (now Lesotho) and Natal.

It takes its name from the Cape of Good Hope which is a promontory at the western end of Africa's south coast (but is not quite the most southerly point). The actual Cape forms a peninsula between Table Bay and False Bay. Its most striking feature is Table Mountain. It was discovered in 1488 by Bartholomew Diaz and first named the Cape of Storms, but its significance as the turning point on the way to India was recognised by Portugal's King John II and he gave it its present name. Cape Town has been built across the neck of the peninsula, starting in 1652, two years after Dutch colonists first occupied the Cape.

The surrounding territory eventually became Cape Colony. Britain occupied it in 1795 after the Netherlands had fallen to the French. Britain then purchased the territory from the Netherlands in 1814 for £6 million. In 1825, the Orange river was designated as the northern boundary. The territory became self-governing in 1872. The enclave of Walvis Bay in SW Africa (Namibia) became part of the territory in 1878. Griqualand West was added to Cape Province in 1880 and British Bechuanaland in 1895.

The Boer War (1899-1902) affected the northern part of Cape Colony, primarily through the sieges of Mafeking and Kimberley; also the situation at Vryburg, which changed hands twice.

In 1910, the Union of South Africa was formed with Cape Colony becoming Cape Province.

A postal system was developed by the British settlers in early C19 and was well established with over 100 post offices by the time stamps were introduced on 1 September 1853. The first issues were the famous Cape triangulars. The first rectangular type appeared in January 1864. During the Boer War, there were local issues at Mafeking and Vryburg. The triangulars were demonetised on 1 October 1900 but, after the Union was formed in 1910, the rectangulars were adopted throughout South Africa until as late as 31 December 1937.
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Date last modified: 03/21/2008 04:05:38
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