Shanghai ship cancellation cover

This is not strictly a North Borneo paquebot cover. But it originated from a Dr Guy Gibson Campbell who was working for the Government medical services in the Interior Residency based at Tenom at the time. It bears a very rare ship cancellation which has been ascribed to Shanghai.

It reads Received from letter box on board steamer and is apparently very rare and only seen on piece otherwise. It was recorded by Wing Commander Peter Padget in his book The Postal Markings of China. It is also included in the Addenda section of the latest edition of Paquebots Of The World And More by Mike Dovey and Keith Morris.  

Dr Guy Gibson Campbell was a well known personality who worked in North Borneo between 1916 and 1932. Details of his life and work there can be found in a recent article in the Sarawak Journal.

                                                              P&O Heritage Collection

This remarkable cover was posted while he was on the SS Arufura in 1922 which sailed between Manila and Yokohama via Hong Kong and Shanghai. The Arufura was part of the Eastern & Australian Steamship Navigation Company, flying the British flag and so the GB stamp was valid. E&A was taken over in 1918 by Lord Inchcape who was also chairman of the British company, Peninsula & Oriental. On arrival at Yokohama, he would have changed over to the Japanese NYK line to Seattle or San Francisco on his visit back home to USA.