QEII Definitives - Southern Rhodesia 1953 (Part 2)

Southern Rhodesia 1953 Part 2

On 31 August 1953 Southern Rhodesia issued its first Queen Elizabeth II definitives. This lovely set consisted of 14 stamps, on unwatermarked paper. This series was recess-printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co (except the 4d stamp, which had a typography vignette).

In Part 2 we shall study the 2d and 3d stamps of this set. The 2d stamp is perforated 14. The 3d stamp is perforated 14 x 13½. Both stamps were issued on 31 August 1953.

The first stamp we will study is the 2d deep chestnut & reddish violet. The focus of this stamp is Rhodes' Grave. Cecil John Rhodes (5 July 1853 - 26 March 1902) was born in England. He was a mining magnate who spent most of his time in South Africa. He founded the company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds. Rhodes, A believer in British colonialism, was the founder of the southern Africa territory that became known as Rhodesia, in his honour, in 1895. Cecil Rhodes died in 1902, aged 48. After his death, the government arranged for his body to be taken by train to Rhodesia where he was laid to rest at World's View, a hilltop just south of Bulawayo. His grave site is now a part of the Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe which was at the time of his death, Rhodesia.

SG 80

Now we shall turn our attention to the 3d chocolate & rose-red stamp. The focus of this stamp is a farm worker. Tobacco and cotton were the dominant farming industries in Southern Rhodesia. It was these industries that led to a boom in immigration to the colony in the 1920's. Unfortunately many farm workers were considered no better than slaves at this time. The political turbulent political history of this colony is beyond the scope of this humble article... This ARTICLE may be of some interest to those looking for some further reading. And you may also wish to check out this PAGE

SG 81

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series. Until then . . .


Stay Stamp Crazy!!