Queen Elizabeth II 25th Anniversary Coronation First Day Cover, The Seychelles postmarked on August 21, 1978.
The Seychelles
The Seychelles consist of 92 islands and islets situated about 1000 miles east of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean. When dis- covered by the Portuguese in 1505, the islands were uninhabited, and remained that way, except for a few pirates, until settled by the French in the mid 18th century. French domination was shortlived, however, the islands falling under British control in 1794. After changing hands several times British hegemony finally came to be accepted in the early 1800s. The economy relies mainly on tourism and agri- culture, the principal exports being copra, cinnamon, vanilla and dried fish.
This issue of the Seychelles consists of four designs:
40c — Edward VII, George V and George VI. Edward VII, born in 1841, has the longest apprenticeship of any English monarch, acceding to the throne in 1901. His associations with leading beauties contributed to his popularity, but his reign was soon over, lasting only nine years. George V, born in 1865, chose a naval career early in life. As a king he supported the reform of the House of Lords, and is often called the first constitutional monarch. George VI, coming to the throne on the abdication of his elder brother in 1936, helped build the nation into a cohesive force in the struggle against fascism. He died in 1952.
R1.50 — Victoria and Elizabeth II. Crowned in 1838, Victoria was tutored in politics by Lord Melbourne and became very partisan in favour of the Whigs. Hostile to the newly emerging democratic forces in Europe, she opposed Palmerstone and Gladstone. Her reign was the longest in British history. Elizabeth, by way of contrast, had a wide education rooted in the modern world (her father, for example, had a deep interest in jazz) and has done much to dispell the Victorian concept of monarchy.
Rs.3 — Queen Victoria Monument Built in 1913 by Sir Aston Webb, this famous monument stands in front of Buckingham Palace at the beginning of the Mall. A dignified statue of Queen Victoria sits beneath figures representing Victory, Courage and Constancy.
Rs.5 — Queen's Building. Completed at the time of the Coronation in Victoria, Seychelles, the architects decided to name this building the Queen's Building. It houses the Ministry of Finance.
