Order of St John Centenary 1883–1983
South Africa, Cape Town · 1983-10-12
Unofficial first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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An elegant gold foil accented 1983 South African first day cover marking the centenary of the Order of St John's Priory for South Africa. This cover is postmarked on 12-10-1983 in Cape Town. It marks the centenary of the Order of St John's Priory for South Africa, part of an organisation whose roots trace back to the First Crusade of 1099. By 1983 the Order's St John Ambulance Brigade and Association had trained 710 000 South Africans in first aid and nursing, and its Mobile Eye Unit had screened and treated thousands of patients in rural areas across the country.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet is dominated by a large gold and black Maltese cross emblem, its eight-pointed shape divided into quadrants each bearing a gold heraldic creature, a lion, a unicorn and their mirrored counterparts, all rendered in glossy gold foil against a black background. "1883" and "1983" appear in gold numerals across the centre of the cross. "PRIORY FOR SOUTH AFRICA / PRIORIE VIR SUID-AFRIKA" runs above the emblem and "ORDER OF ST.JOHN / ORDE VAN ST.JOHN" beneath it, both in plain bilingual capitals. The single stamp shows a wide sandy beach scene at Plettenberg Bay, with holidaymakers scattered along the shoreline and gentle waves rolling in. The Cape Town postmark, cancelled twice on the cover, carries its own small Maltese cross motif alongside the date. This is a heraldic, foil accented design befitting the centenary of a chivalric order, standing apart from the more illustrative nature and history covers common in this collection.
Information Card
THE ORDER OF ST JOHN The Order of St John traces its origins back to the first Crusade of 1099. It is the only surviving Order of Chivalry still performing the work for which it was originally founded. It is a world-wide organisation active in Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and nearby its former British possessions. There is also a St John Society in the USA. The Order began its work in South Africa a century of the Republic of South Africa with a membership of some ten thousand men and women, who are carried out the work at the administrative and fund-raising members of St John, who are supported by the non-uniformed members of the Association. The Order has trained 710 000 South Africans in first aid and nursing since its inception. This has however increased screened and treated thousands of patients in rural areas, most of them Non-Whites. St John has a membership of some ten thousand South Africans in the St John Ambulance Brigade and Association and, through the administrative work and voluntary services rendered by the Brigade and Association, at hospitals, blood-transfusion units and agricultural shows and meet their own incidental expenses. Brigade members undertake voluntary unpaid duties at hospitals, blood-transfusion units and agricultural shows and meet their own incidental expenses. This year the Order of St John proudly celebrates a century of service in South Africa through the St John Mobile Eye Unit. This unit has screened and treated thousands of patients in rural areas, most of them Non-Whites. St John has trained its second century objectives include the widening of first-aid and nursing training, the extension of service in every race, class and creed who, through the years, have rendered selfless services to their country and fellow-men. The Brigade is an auxiliary unit of the South African Defence Force, table for service in war or during civil emergency. St John Ophthalmic Foundation is active in the field of detection and cure of prevention of blindness and the early detection and cure of visual defects. The Foundation established the St John Eye health education services and the care of the aged.
Theme: Other
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.
