Auction of British Empire and Foreign Countries Postage Stamps and Postal History

Fiji: Early Incoming Mail, 1844 (June 5) entire from Tobago addressed to “The Revnd. Thomas J. Jagger/Wesleyan Missionary/Feejee Islands/to the care of the Revd Mr McKenny/Sydney/New South Wales” and endorsed “via England” with Tobago despatch and July 6 London arrival. The letter returned to the island with framed italic “Returned/for Postage” and re-despatched with note “Post Paid!” and paper seal “The strongest earthly/ties may quickly be/broken: seek then a/union to him that/sticketh closer than a/brother.” overstruck by Tobago Oct. 20 datestamp. Rated “4/-” due to weight being over 1oz. and “8”. Second attempt at sending receives red London Paid tombstone of Nov. 19, black Ship Letter Sydney Apr. 8 and red Paid Ship Letter of Apr. 9, the letter then redirected to the care of “Revd. W. Lawry/Auckland” with New Zealand receiving datestamp of Apr. 22 before being sent on to Fiji. Rev. Thomas Jaggar (1814-1882) was a Wesleyan missionary in Fiji with wife Sarah and family from 1839, living at Rewa (the only Europeans after the death of Margaret Cargill in mid 1840 and resident when the protracted war between Rewa and Bau broke out in 1842) and later at Viwa. Photo.
[Proposed price: £1000-1200]