Mafeking Stamps

During The Siege of Mafeking stamps were in short supply so the local issues of British Bechuanaland and Cape of Good Hope were overprinted with a provisional Mafeking Besieged overprint. On 9 April 1900, to keep up morale, Baden-Powell set up a local Bicycle Post to enable the troops to communicate with each other. When the stamps ran out they made their own. The 1d design was drawn by Dr. W.A. Hayes, a local medico, and showed Sergeant-Major Goodyear of the Cyclist Cadet Corps riding on his bicycle. He had been entrusted with local post deliveries. The 3d value, which appeared in two sizes, was designed by Captain Greener and depicted a portrait of Colonel Baden-Powell himself.