7 February 1801 Vellore HG 1 Cover

7 February 1801

Siegel - INDIA, Vellore, 1801, "PostPaid/Vellore/P.O." Handstamp (Giles 1). Well-struck oval handstamp on folded letter datelined Feb. 7, 1801, and written by Alexander Campbell to his father Bruce Campbell in Mayfield, Scotland, fascinating contents including "I am at present detached with two Companies of the 74th at Vellore as Honorary Guards to the young princes (Tipoo's sons) and his women who are about six hundred in totto, a pretty stock of wives for a King...", London Crowned Ship Letter handstamp and Nov. 9 transit datestamp, variously rated, some slight edgewear VERY FINE. FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS VELLORE HANDSTAMP ARE RECORDED, ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE THIS CLEARly struck ON A LETTER WITH IMPORTANT HISTORICAL CONTENT. The sender, Sir Alexander Campbell (1760-1824), was a senior officer in the British Army and a close friend to Arthur Wellesley (later Duke of Wellington). He participated in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and was present at the Battle of Seringapatam in Apr. 1799 where Tipu Sultan, the Sultan of Mysore, was killed in action. Cavendish - VELLORE - RARE OVAL “Post Paid/Vellore/P.O” ON COVER EX SOLDIER GUARDING TIPU SULTAN’s SONS & WIVES; 7 Feb. - 12 Mar. 1800 EL (small closed tear above address barely detracts) from “Vellore” to Scotland with a mainly very fine rare oval-framed “Post Paid/Vellore/P.O” nicely placed on the front with m/s “4½F” rate (closed tear) nearby along with a mainly very fine double-oval “Ship Letter/[Crown]/LONDON”; charged “8” then “1/4” then “2/8” on arrival. With good contents - partial typed transcript - from a British soldier (74th Regt.); “I am at present detached...at Vellore as Honorary Guards to the young Princes (Tippoo’s sons) [the recently deceased Tipu Sultan had 15 sons] and his women, who are about 600 in toto....A pretty stock of wives for a King...”, referring to planned Expeditions to Batavia and Ceylon, and “Seringapatam Prize Money” still due. This Vellore mark is rare. [There was no example in the H. Giles or Contractor Collections.] PHOTO - see page 21.

"Magnolia" Michael Manning