Ww I India

Here is a nice neat cover that has a lot going for it.

I was lucky some years ago to pick this up out of a dealer's box real cheap. The cover is cancelled from Ahwaz, India on march 14, 1917. The cover was censored because it was not domestic mail and was going out of the country. This required it to go through the censoring process, and the censor marking is on the left of the cover.

Another thing that is great about this cover is the cinderella on the back. It is one from the Women's Branch of the Bombay Presidency War and Relief Fund.

I am wondering if others in this forum know of any other cinderellas produced by this organization?

Chimo

Bujutsu

Bujutsu, this is a lot nicer than you realise. Ahwaz wasn't/isn't in India: this cover is from the British Indian Post Office at Ahwaz in southwest Iran. Gibbons prices the 2½ Anna loose (as SG Z26) at £13. On censored cover, to a slightly different destination, and with the nice cinderella on the back, it's got to be worth very much more.

Thanks for that tonymacg

I didn't realize that the cover would have been worth that much. I literally got it out of a dealers box for only $1.00!

Just goes to show you that there are bargains to be had when you look hard enough.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Super Cover!

With respect, you need two things to occur when something nice appears, the ability to "look hard enough" and the knowledge to understand what you have found.
Without both the deal fails.

That's why SCF and education is fantastic, it brings many minds together to pull as one.

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Lady Willingdon Cinderella

While the Aga Khan III was away from India during the World War (1914-1919),
Lady Ali Shah was tremendously active in his stead. Reference has already been made
to her command and ability for organization; she now developed this to the fullest
extent by adding to her work of keeping in touch with the Ismaili community. She also
placed her services at the disposal of Lord and Lady Willingdon and under her
direction, the Ismaili and Iranian ladies rendered great services to the wounded
soldiers brought to Bombay from Iraq during the first World War. Under her inspired
leadership, the community was able to collect large funds and procured necessary
supplies. She kept in constant correspondence with the ruler of Hunza and the
influential Iranians, advising them to help the Britain during War. Her nephews and
relatives fought on the side of the Allies in Iraq, and one of them notably was Aga
Hamid Khan, who was ranked C.I.E.

In 1917, His Majesty, the King was graciously pleased to grant Lady Willingdon the
Order of the Crown of India. On that occasion, the historic house of the Aga Khan at
Nesbit Road, Bombay was the scene of a very influential and picturesque gathering of
the Muslim ladies, when an address of congratulation was presented to Lady
Willingdon under the leadership of Lady Ali Shah. It was a unique gathering when she
read the address to Lady Willingdon in Persian. She also had a nice meeting with Lady
Wilson on February 9, 1924.

On the recommendation of Lord Willingdon, the honour of the Imperial Order of the
Crown of India was conferred upon Lady Ali Shah in 1932. She visited Beirut in the
same year for treatment, where she was well received by the Syrians. She had also
gone to Palestine, Damascus and other holy cities, and returned to Bombay on October
3, 1930. On November 30, 1930, she inaugurated the conference being presided by
Lady Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah at Poona, being attended by the Muslim ladies of
Bombay and Sind.

I have the camel cinderella somewhere, but my database has let me down.

Another:
(IIRC Tony has this one on an Hyderabad cover)

Rod, the label I have is from Hyderabad in the Deccan, not the Sindh Hyderabad, I'm afraid. So no close relation.

I tried chasing the Lady Willingdon labels through the India Study Circle archive. Apparently they're 'well-known', but not discussed anywhere in print. I did find that the same group of ladies apparently prepared a series of postcards for the troops as well, featuring the following subjects. Two are of Ahwaz scenes:

A Persian Donkey Man
A street Ahwaz Bazaar
Baghdad
Imam Musa Mosque, Baghdad
Men of Shush
The Citadel, Baghdad
The Landing Stage, Ahwaz
The old city walls of Baghdad

Which suggests the sender may well have been serving with the forces in the area. Might be worth doing a little research into the Imperial forces at Ahwaz in March 1917, and the recipient.

You must mean these two then....

If wt1 or 22crows are reading (our resident researchers)
the recipient seems to be Alberta Scarsbrook

Rod, the reference to the designs on the postcards was in an ancient copy of the India Study Circle India Post. Even if they'd run to the extravagance of illustrating such things back then, they would have been black-and-white photocopies. Not entirely useful now.

Indeed, the Byrum Catalogue is a prime example
photocopies with very few details.
That wasn't that long ago either.

Thanks all for your information.

This is great material I am seeing here and I enjoy reading about it.

When I first saw the cover, I knew it was special but wasn't aware of the significance of it all but, knew I couldn't lose on the purchase.

Thanks again

Chimo

Bujutsu

Here is one good source

http://www.naval-history.net/WW1Bat...opotamia.htm

Chimo

Bujutsu

It appears that the Scarsbrook family was prominant in the town of Petrolia, Ontario.

http://www.petroliaheritage.com/groups.html

Chimo

Bujutsu

Cute!
there is a picture of Alberta Scarsbrook herself.
I'd send a scan of the cover to the webmaster.