Today in Postal History

   
     
Ireland to South Africa
April 1, 1885

This uncommon cover (admittedly not in the best of condition)
was posted from Ballybrophy, Queens County, Ireland.
The addressee was Lt. F. Higginson / Methuen's Horse / Field Force Mounted Infantry / South Africa.
Methuen's Horse was raised by Paul Sanford Methuen
who later became Lord Methuen of Boer War Fame.

 The cover is franked by four 1d lilacs of the 1881 issue
(I can't tell whether they are Type I SG 170 or Type II SG 172).

There are three Ballybrophy CDS.
There is also a Capetown, Cape Colony, April 22 transit CDS on the rear.
There is one other illegible postmark on the rear.

There is a hand struck "3D" postage due
that was subsequently erased by a Capetown
numeral obliterator "1" and the postage due was revised to "8" in manuscript.

The ink spill on the stamps is contemporary.