British Central Africa 1896 postcard JO Bowhill revenue collector Chikwawa. Rare.

Dated 21 Nov 1896, addressed to “Messrs. Wiese & Co. Chiromo” from J. O. Bowhill, a colonial revenue Collector at Chikwawa, inscribed “Please send me 1 barrel wine (Vinhio) of best quality.” Marked “P” (for paid?).

Note spelling variants of the towns (with Tsh … being replaced by Ch …).

There is an interesting “sip” of history in this card. It talks about wine. I wonder if that was a barrel of Portuguese port or fortified wine? If you are a partaker of wine, you might ponder over this item and note that the postcard’s originator, J. O. Bowhill, was a very historical figure in British Central Africa, based on some research which I obtained from

https://www.academia.edu/en/68082791/A_history_of_contestations_over_natural_resources_in_the_Lower_Tchiri_Valley_in_Malawi_c_1850_1960

In his October 1893 report, ‘A Statistical Account of the West Shire District,’ Bowhill noted that “… The main occupation of the people is agriculture, and they find ready markets for their produce, in the disposal of which they show a keen appreciation of its value. The Shire and Mwanza basins are fertile, and many valuable products might be raised without difficulty; …people are contented with what nature grants them at little labour and cost, and they evince no desire to gain more."

Perhaps the valuable products that could be raised there included grapes for making wine?

Further, I learned from

https://zh-cn.facebook.com/1645320812357206/photos/pb.1645320812357206.-2207520000../2673392636216680/?type=3&eid=ARBjop_CZQfqc6A-t0-4Hrbqq333bTTiWzL_Q6G9jaDoF6UOqHitLsgqNEInkalkRuIfMeqHt0KF4swc

that in 1899, J. O. Bowhill DC of Upper Shire moved the Liwonde town from the Island to where the barrage is now which is 3 miles down the shire from the old Fort Liwonde Island.

A vary rare historical item providing insight into some of the personal appetite of its historical sender.