1945...TRAVANCORE STATE LABOUR UNIT (T.S.L.U.) Censored & Postage Due envelopes under the command of S.E.A.C in World War 2..

The South East Asia Command (SEAC) was an Allied command established in August 1943 to direct Indian, U.S. & British forces against Japan in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II.

SEAC was responsible for strategic direction in the South-East Asian Theater, specifically managing the Burma Campaign to defeat Japanese forces, protect India, and reopen supply routes to China.

Commanded by Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, SEAC (South East Asia Command) operates primarily in Burma, Ceylon & Malaya. 

T.S.L.U. No 83 (TRAVANCORE STATE LABOUR UNIT) ....These men were hired from the State of Travancore by an agreement between the U.S. Army and the Maharaja of Travancore to work as labourers for the U S. Army in various parts of India. These men lived under military discipline in camps. Camp No: 83 was located near Lakhapani which is 7 miles from Ledo, Assam on the Indo Burmese boundary line. 

These T.S.L.U. men were permitted to send and recieve mail  free of cost, while serving as labourers under SEAC

This was a necessary privilege as the men were seperated from the families while working and the cost of sending a letter which costs 1.5 Annas (3 cents) would be high for a labourer who earn a daily wages of Rupees 3 & 5 Annas ($1.00).

 Postage Due were charged only when the labourers no longer enjoys the privileges, once the War is over.

Travancore 1939 Registered Letter with 'Not found' vernacular cancel....'കണ്ടില്ലo' for കണ്ടില്ലാ

Travancore registered letter from Kottayam PIRAVAKA with 3 ch 12 cash stamps as postage, to Poonjar.

1939..5/4/1115 M.E.  Registered letter from the District Court of Kottayam was returned from Poonjar, with vernacular marking of  'കണ്ടില്ലo' for കണ്ടില്ലാ (KANTILLA...Not found)...stamped at the delivery Anchal office, when the addressee is not traceable or found.

Registration charge..3 Ch. 

Postage...12 Cash.

Multiple manuscript notations by Anchal Man, seen on the reverse.

'കണ്ടില്ലo' instead of കണ്ടില്ലാ (Not found).

Travancore Anchal Savings Bank Pass Book...

 

1922 Cochin interstate Service Hundi (Bluish green) acknowledgement receipt from Trichur to Trivandrum, Travancore Government Press.

1922 Cochin interstate  service Hundi (Bluish green) acknowledgement receipt (to be sent back to the remitter) from Trichur via interstate transit station of Alwaye, to the Superintendent, Travancore Government Press...and later, this intimation is returned via the transit station of Ernakulam to the remitter in Trichur. Scarce. 

Hundi amount of Rs 6 remitted by the Registrar of Cooperatve Societies, Cochin Government, Trichur, to the Superintendent of Government Press, Trivandrum. 

No postage is levied on these Service Hundies, as per the prior agreement between the 2 states.

Hundi marking seen first at the Travancore interstate transit station of Alwaye, and next at the arrival station of Trivandrum.

Date of payment received..26 KAR.

It appears that the travel time of Hundi acknowledgement receipt did took atleast 14 days to be returned to the remitter.

-- KAR 97.. TRICHUR 

 20 KAR 97..ALWAYE (transit station)

 23 KAR 97.. TRIVANDRUM 

26 KAR 97.. TRIVANDRUM 

28 KAR 97..ALWAYE 

28 KAR 97.. ERNAKULAM (transit station)

32 KAR 97.. TRICHUR.

 

1935 Privileged mail... Imperial Service envelop sent free by Registered, thru' Anchal Trivandrum office to Cochin State.

Privileged mail from the allied office of the Resident.

As revised from the Travancore Anchal Regulation of 1089 M.E., in 5th Feb 1919, Rule 112 (quoted from the Regulation and Proclamations of Travancore Vol. 111) states about the free transmission of letters and other service articles from the Resident and associate administrative offices, through the Anchal Department, within the state and to the State of Cochin. 

These service articles should bear the superscription 'On Sirkar Service', and to be signed by the head clerk of the despatching office. 

And if such articles were to be sent registered, the Anchal offices used to affix the Registeration handstamp, and as stated above, free of cost.

1935 British India printed (ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE) service envelop (240x120mm), superscribed 'Sirkar' and sent through local Travancore Anchal Department (T.A.D.) of Trivandrum 

This stampless Service letter duly signed by the authorised signatory clerk (left bottom) was posted free of charge thru' Travancore Registered post (in manuscript..155/4....(No: 155 & Wt: 4 tolas) addressed to District Court Vakil, Wadakkancherry, Cochin State. 

 

TRIVANDRUM/T.A.D. 

VADAKANCHERI A.O.

Red waxed '... Office of the Resident of Madras State' seal on the reverse.

Red wax seals were commonly used during this period for securing registered, high level confidential, or official diplomatic post by the British colonial administration, particularly on covers by the British India postal service or government departments, to ensure security.

The first Hundi receipt of 1901/02, used later in 1910 from Poonjar to Nattakom

Hundi (money order) receipt used in 1910 from Poonjar to Nattakom. 

Shown here is the earliest Hundi watermarked receipt form printed in Malayalam used from 1901-'02. Not recorded in Dr N S Mooss's book of Travancore.

The Hundi receipt format presumably changed from 1910 onwards (shown page bottom). 

Type 1...1901/02 to 1910

 

Shortened version, from 1910 onwards, probably to save paper.

Interesting to note that the receipt has changed to bilingual from the vernacular language of Malayalam. 

Type 2...1910 onwards bilingual.

Type 3.. 1940 onwards..in English. 

a) Elongated type 

b)Small size.

For comparison of different type & size..of different time zones.