I would like to thank Mrs. D. M. Pittie who helped me a lot in studying this letter and because of her only I came to know that letter was never lost but got delivered to it's final destination.
Note: Click on image to see a bigger size picture. The cancellations are numbered in the picture.
Front of cover:
1) Bara Bazar / DUE (postage due) One Anna
Back of cover:
1) Posted from Bara Bazar, Calcutta / 18th Sep 1912 / 6.45 PM (?)
2) Wrongly sent to Kharagpur / 20th Sep 1912 / Octagonal UNP (unpaid)
3) Undelivered in Kharagpore / 20th Sep 1912 / This is a double cancellation. I believe the first one was not clear therefore a 2nd cancellation was struck.
5) Returned from Kharagpur / 24th Sep 1912 (See handwritten date '24 9 12' upside down above #6. Text itself is not clear.)
7) Recieved in Midnapore for forwarding to Calcutta / 25th Sep 1912 (Receipt ?)
6) Dispatched from Midnapore to Calcutta on the same day / 25th Sep 1912 / DEP (Dispatch)
8) On way back to Calcutta via R.M.S. (Hooghly ?) / 26th Sep 1912
9) Calcutta / 27th Sep 1912 / Boxed DLO (deal letter office) / Again a double cancellation as the first one is light and not clear
4a) Kotah / 1st Oct 1912 / Octagonal UNP (unpaid)
4c) Kotah / 1st Oct 1912 / DEP (dispatch)
4b) Kotah / 1st Oct 1912 / DELY (delivered)
I can help with some of your quarries. Since the cover lacked stamp, postage due was applied but I cann't make out the name of town. "DEP" in Midanpore refers to "Departure". I suspect the recepient may have moved to Kotah and hence the cover may have been forwarded where Kotah PO attempted to deliver the cover to the recepient. Note Kotah cancel includes UNPAID wording. Finally the Indian post office gave up on locating the recepient and the cover ended up in DEAD LETTER OFFICE most likely in Calcutta. Hope this is helpful
ReplyDeleteRavi Vora
Houston
Thanks Ravi. It's indeed helpful.
ReplyDelete