This week, I am going to show readers an early combination cover from Kudat. Additionally, I was in Sabah recently and was able to make a brief visit there. Kudat was the early capital of North Borneo between 1882 and 1883 even though it was founded in December 1881. Situated near the northern most part of the country, the hopes that steamers sailing between Europe and China would call, failed to materialise. Sandakan, growing very much larger, with a rich hinterland became the capital in early 1884. Today, it remains very much a sleepy place where life drifts by very slowly. Its many nearby beautiful beaches should make it a peaceful retreat from the hustle bustle of the present state capital of Kota Kinabalu.
1883 2c plated Transfer B stamp 46 or R4/6
Between 1883 and 1891 before
North Borneo joined the Universal Postal Union, the local adhesives were only
valid as far as Labuan, the Straits Settlements and Hong Kong. Beyond that,
additional postage using stamps from the forwarding countries would be
required. About 30 or more of these North Borneo/Straits Settlements covers
have survived.
This 1887 combination cover has the unique combination of Proud D2 in
pink as well as K1, the 13 bar cancellation, also in pink. It has the rate of
2c+8c to Samarang in north Java. Samarang was an important port under Dutch
colonial rule serving the many tobacco plantations in the region. Kudat was the
capital of North Borneo until early 1884. J C Teves had been visiting North Borneo looking
for land suitable for growing tobacco. The sender was G L Davies, the then resident of Kudat.
The back stamps gave an indication of the journey taken by this cover to arrive at its destination. It was posted on 15 JA 1887 and arrived at Singapore on JA 27 87 and passed onto the Nederlands Indies Postal Agency the same day. It went in stages by the local KPM line first to Surabaya, 1 2 1887 and arrived at Samarang on 2 2 1887.
Kudat Esplanade
Kudat Clock Tower
Some nice local seafood of prawns and spicy fish at Sungai Wang restaurant.
Tip of Borneo, northwest of Kudat
Kelambu Beach paradise, south of Tip of Borneo. Why do people have to leave their rubbish here?
Tiny quiet Kudat Airport, no scanner, manual body and luggage search.
MASwings De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, a 9 sitter and only 2 flights a week to Sandakan.
