Ondersepoort Research Institute 75th Anniversary
South Africa, Onderstepoort · 1983-10-08
Unofficial first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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A 1983 South African first day cover marking 75 years of the Onderstepoort Research Institute, the country's pioneering veterinary research centre founded after the devastating 1896 rinderpest epidemic. This cover is postmarked on 8 October 1983 in Onderstepoort, marking the institute's seventy-fifth anniversary. Onderstepoort was founded in October 1908 following the devastating rinderpest epidemic of 1896, which is estimated to have killed around 2.1 million cattle across South Africa and pushed the government toward establishing dedicated veterinary research. Arnold Theiler, appointed Veterinary Bacteriologist after the Anglo-Boer War, led the institute's early work and developed the vaccine that helped bring the rinderpest epidemic under control. On this seventy-fifth anniversary the Old Main Building depicted on the cover was declared a national monument.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet is a colour photograph of the Onderstepoort Institute's Old Main Building, a double-storey homestead with a red tile roof set among lawns and mature trees. Gold and green lettering across the lower portion of the photograph reads "Ondersepoort 75 Gedenkjaar Anniversary" together with the dates "8.10.1908 – 8.10.1983". Below the image, bilingual text names the institute as Navorsingsinstituut vir Veeartsenykunde and Veterinary Research Institute. Two Onderstepoort date stamps carry a circular design of a cow, pig, horse head and microscope, tying a single RSA 10c definitive stamp to the anniversary date.
Information Card
*English card:* ONDERSTEPOORT RESEARCH INSTITUTE The establishment of Onderstepoort as a national veterinary research institute was a logical consequence of the history of veterinary diseases in South Africa. The rinderpest epidemic which broke out in 1896 and was estimated to have annihilated about 2.1 million head of cattle, convinced the government of that time of the imperative need for veterinary research. The success achieved in terminating the rinderpest epidemic by means of a vaccine developed by Arnold Theiler after intensive research was the beginning of a series of achievements that convinced the government of the value of a research institute. Theiler was appointed Veterinary Bacteriologist after the Anglo-Boer War. As a result of his untiring zeal that the Veterinary Research Institute was founded at Onderstepoort in October 1908. After Union, Onderstepoort became the headquarters of veterinary research. Under direction of Dr Theiler and his successors, Drs P. J. du Toit, G. van der Kock, J. I. Quin, R. A. Alexander, B. C. Jansen and K. E. Weiss, research at Onderstepoort achieved great success in solving problems in connection with stock diseases in South Africa. The unravelling of the causes of botulism and the development of a highly effective vaccine against Bluetongue, African horsesickness and rinderpest are only a few of the imperative developments in the history of veterinary research. Onderstepoort will be seventy-five years old on 8 October 1983. On this occasion the first-day cover depicted on the Old Main Building will be declared a national monument. An excellent laboratory the Institute is world-famous for its achievements. Today the Institute is a world-famous name but a few of the significant research discoveries, are some examples of poisonings caused by various indigenous plants and that ticks transmit several important diseases, are some examples of breakthroughs achieved through veterinary research at Onderstepoort will be seventy-five years old on 8 October 1983. On this occasion the first-day cover depicted on the Old Main Building will be declared a national monument. Onderstepoort will be seventy-five years old this year and its achievement forms part of the anniversary programme with international participation. *Afrikaans card:* ONDERSTEPOORT-NAVORSINGSINSTITUUT Die stigting van Onderstepoort as 'n nasionale navorsingsinstituut vir veeartsenykunde was 'n logiese gevolg van die veesiektegeskiedenis van Suid-Afrika. Die runderpes wat in 1896 uitgebreek het en na raming 2.1 miljoen beeste uitgewis het, het die destydse regering oortuig van die dringende noodsaaklikheid van veterinêre navorsing. Die sukses behaal met die beëindiging van die runderpes-epidemie deur middel van 'n entstof wat deur Arnold Theiler na intensiewe navorsing ontwikkel is, was die begin van 'n reeks prestasies wat die regering oortuig het van die waarde van 'n navorsingsinstituut. Theiler is na die Anglo-Boereoorlog as Veterinêre Bakterioloog aangestel. Deur sy onvermoeide ywer is die Veeartsenykundige Navorsingsinstituut in Oktober 1908 by Onderstepoort gestig. Na Unie het Onderstepoort die hoofkwartier van veeartsenykundige navorsing geword. Onder leiding van dr Theiler en sy opvolgers, drs P. J. du Toit, G. van der Kock, J. I. Quin, R. A. Alexander, B. C. Jansen en K. E. Weiss, is by Onderstepoort groot welslae behaal met die oplossing van veesiekteprobleme in Suid-Afrika. Die ontrafeling van die oorsake van botulisme en die ontwikkeling van 'n hoogs doeltreffende entstof teen bloutong, perdesiekte en runderpes is maar enkele van die dringende belangrike navorsingsdeurbrake. Onderstepoort word op 8 Oktober 1983 vyf en sewentig jaar oud. By die geleentheid word die Ou Hoofgebou wat op die eerste-dagomslag afgebeeld word, 'n nasionale gedenkwaardigheid verklaar. Die Instituut is wêreldberoemd vir sy prestasies en verskeie belangrike navorsingsdeurbrake soos die ontdekking dat teke verskeie inheemse siektes oordra, en die ontwikkeling van 'n hoogs doeltreffende entstof teen bloutong, perdesiekte en runderpes, maak deel uit van die feesprogram.
Theme: Science & Technology
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.1 (ZAR)
Estimated value: ~US$0.1
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 248 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
