Scan or Photo Courtesy of Private
Date
4 April 1822
Description
TranscriptionChicacole 4 th April 1822I had the pleasure of receiving your very kind letter last night and was glad to hear that you got up so [quickly?] as I anticipated - it was very odd that you did not receive the letter I sent to the care of Mr [Kinsey?] I wrote before your arrival and I immediately wrote to you at Madras when I heard of your arrival but that you could not have received then because I will commence answering your questions -In the first place all the [reports/rumours?] &c &c are cancelled from this date as frivolous groundless and perhaps a little malicious by a man who has proved himself more than once to be a [?] very [clear/dear?] [friend?] [?] [?] [?] I should have been mad to buy one at that price as I never [ride?] [?] [?] [?] and as you have no spare cash it is very con-venient your hunting ground must be [bad/good?] but I suppose your game is first caught for you.What a lucky fellow J. Mitchell is to get the command of a ship so soon. look at Kelly going backwards rather he is only 2 d mate I had a letter from him about 15 months ago offering to assist me with anything. money &c he is a fine fellow. I recd [received] from home the other day per Henry Porcher dated 24 th Octr. all well, part of it written by my father with a little advice by all accounts [Andrews?] seems to be improving - I at this instant stand as 1 st Lieutenant in the Regt and I expect a step by Major Prestons (whom you saw frequently at Sir David -das in London) promotion to a Lieut. Col - my pay is exactly 200 Rupees a month - and 270 when on full batta, but there are only 4 or 5 full batta stations in the presidency - What a shame it was to take away the Nagpore Country from us, when the Madras army conquered every inch of it - I fancy when you get a Corps. you will have 200 pagodas. but if I was clear with the world again, I would make myself very comfortable upon my 200 Rupees -I have a very decent house - a most delightful set of brother officers. and in one of the best Corps in the service - there are 15 of us - the Corps will likely remain at Vizianagrum till the end of the year and then we shall probably go either to Bangalore or Hyde-rabad. or perhaps to Jaulnah - I had a letter the other day from [W?] [Bunny?] wishing to know how he was to send the newspapers as I really thought he would have dispatched them long ago. but if they are as old as [buckles?] I wont be [?] you seem to think that Ganjam is the nearest sea port. no. no. Vizagapatam I am uncertain how long I will remain but it is likely that we will return before the end of the month - 2 of our officers are here on leave and we shall likely all return to-gether - Chalon a son of the artists in London is on duty here with me - I am not the least surprised that Mother Pollard wishes to go home with Chivers as people say he ~~[crossed out word]~~ her all the passage out - I hear that your old ship
Auction
(2026)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Chicacole
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Chicacole are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Chicacole pre stamp cover
COV-4404 is a Chicacole pre stamp cover of 4 April 1822 bearing the Chicacole MN 1 manuscript marking, recorded in the census of Chicacole postal history — the office known today as Srikakulam, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
TranscriptionChicacole 4 th April 1822I had the pleasure of receiving your very kind letter last night and was glad to hear that you got up so [quickly?] as I anticipated - it was very odd that you did not receive the letter I sent to the care of Mr [Kinsey?] I wrote before your arrival and I immediately wrote to you at Madras when I heard of your arrival but that you could not have received then because I will commence answering your questions -In the first place all the [reports/rumours?] &c &c are cancelled from this date as frivolous groundless and perhaps a little malicious by a man who has proved himself more than once to be a [?] very [clear/dear?] [friend?] [?] [?] [?] I should have been mad to buy one at that price as I never [ride?] [?] [?] [?] and as you have no spare cash it is very con-venient your hunting ground must be [bad/good?] but I suppose your game is first caught for you.What a lucky fellow J. Mitchell is to get the command of a ship so soon. look at Kelly going backwards rather he is only 2 d mate I had a letter from him about 15 months ago offering to assist me with anything. money &c he is a fine fellow. I recd [received] from home the other day per Henry Porcher dated 24 th Octr. all well, part of it written by my father with a little advice by all accounts [Andrews?] seems to be improving - I at this instant stand as 1 st Lieutenant in the Regt and I expect a step by Major Prestons (whom you saw frequently at Sir David -das in London) promotion to a Lieut. Col - my pay is exactly 200 Rupees a month - and 270 when on full batta, but there are only 4 or 5 full batta stations in the presidency - What a shame it was to take away the Nagpore Country from us, when the Madras army conquered every inch of it - I fancy when you get a Corps. you will have 200 pagodas. but if I was clear with the world again, I would make myself very comfortable upon my 200 Rupees -I have a very decent house - a most delightful set of brother officers. and in one of the best Corps in the service - there are 15 of us - the Corps will likely remain at Vizianagrum till the end of the year and then we shall probably go either to Bangalore or Hyde-rabad. or perhaps to Jaulnah - I had a letter the other day from [W?] [Bunny?] wishing to know how he was to send the newspapers as I really thought he would have dispatched them long ago. but if they are as old as [buckles?] I wont be [?] you seem to think that Ganjam is the nearest sea port. no. no. Vizagapatam I am uncertain how long I will remain but it is likely that we will return before the end of the month - 2 of our officers are here on leave and we shall likely all return to-gether - Chalon a son of the artists in London is on duty here with me - I am not the least surprised that Mother Pollard wishes to go home with Chivers as people say he ~~[crossed out word]~~ her all the passage out - I hear that your old ship
Its recorded auction history runs through eBay (2026).
5 images of COV-4404 are recorded (front, back, detail); the Chicacole MN 1 mark itself is recorded in use 1822.
Questions about COV-4404
- What is COV-4404?
- COV-4404 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Chicacole, Madras Presidency of 4 April 1822, bearing the Chicacole MN 1 manuscript marking. TranscriptionChicacole 4 th April 1822I had the pleasure of receiving your very kind letter last night and was glad to hear that you got up so [quickly?] as I anticipated - it was very odd that you did not receive the letter I sent to the care of Mr [Kinsey?] I wrote before your arrival and I immediately wrote to you at Madras when I heard of your arrival but that you could not have received then because I will commence answering your questions -In the first place all the [reports/rumours?] &c &c are cancelled from this date as frivolous groundless and perhaps a little malicious by a man who has proved himself more than once to be a [?] very [clear/dear?] [friend?] [?] [?] [?] I should have been mad to buy one at that price as I never [ride?] [?] [?] [?] and as you have no spare cash it is very con-venient your hunting ground must be [bad/good?] but I suppose your game is first caught for you.What a lucky fellow J. Mitchell is to get the command of a ship so soon. look at Kelly going backwards rather he is only 2 d mate I had a letter from him about 15 months ago offering to assist me with anything. money &c he is a fine fellow. I recd [received] from home the other day per Henry Porcher dated 24 th Octr. all well, part of it written by my father with a little advice by all accounts [Andrews?] seems to be improving - I at this instant stand as 1 st Lieutenant in the Regt and I expect a step by Major Prestons (whom you saw frequently at Sir David -das in London) promotion to a Lieut. Col - my pay is exactly 200 Rupees a month - and 270 when on full batta, but there are only 4 or 5 full batta stations in the presidency - What a shame it was to take away the Nagpore Country from us, when the Madras army conquered every inch of it - I fancy when you get a Corps. you will have 200 pagodas. but if I was clear with the world again, I would make myself very comfortable upon my 200 Rupees -I have a very decent house - a most delightful set of brother officers. and in one of the best Corps in the service - there are 15 of us - the Corps will likely remain at Vizianagrum till the end of the year and then we shall probably go either to Bangalore or Hyde-rabad. or perhaps to Jaulnah - I had a letter the other day from [W?] [Bunny?] wishing to know how he was to send the newspapers as I really thought he would have dispatched them long ago. but if they are as old as [buckles?] I wont be [?] you seem to think that Ganjam is the nearest sea port. no. no. Vizagapatam I am uncertain how long I will remain but it is likely that we will return before the end of the month - 2 of our officers are here on leave and we shall likely all return to-gether - Chalon a son of the artists in London is on duty here with me - I am not the least surprised that Mother Pollard wishes to go home with Chivers as people say he ~~[crossed out word]~~ her all the passage out - I hear that your old ship
- How scarce is the Chicacole MN 1 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Chicacole MN 1 as 1 example recorded, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1822.
- What is the provenance of COV-4404?
- Its recorded auction history runs through eBay (2026).
- When was COV-4404 posted?
- COV-4404 is dated 4 April 1822, within the recorded period of use of Chicacole MN 1 (1822).
About this record
This 4 April 1822 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Chicacole MN 1 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark with 1 example recorded in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far. It has appeared at auction with eBay, (2026).