- £1250.00
1879 soldiers’ letter to Ironbridge, England, endorsed “From No. 19/200 Corporal J.J. Bailey, H.M. 80th Regiment (Staffordshire Volunteers). The cover has a Transvaal 6d tied by a numeral ‘11’ with a UTRECHT AP 23 79 datestamp alongside and has been countersigned at the lower left by the Commanding Officer. On the back are Durban 14 11 79 and Ironbridge DE 28 79 transit and arrival cancels. The Zulu War started on 11 January 1879 and the 80th Regiment fought at the British defeats at Isandlhlwana and Itombi River. This cover is part of a correspondence of 8 letters, the majority of which were franked with Natal stamps. Why Corporal Bailey put a 6d on this letter is unclear as a 1d stamp would have sufficed. Some cover faults, mainly from opening, but a scarce item.
