Page 198 - Sierra Leone to 1961 - The Collection

The Wilberforce Issue of 1933

Artwork from De La Rue Archives

The design of all values are attributed to a Sierra Leone based Catholic minister, Rev. Father Welch, who
produced a series of 13 sketches. These were sent to both De La Rue and Bradbury Wilkinson, who were only
allowed to keep the original sketches for two days, so they took tracings to allow their staff to produce essays.

De La Rue tracing from Welch’s original artwork Enlargement from
(ex De La Rue Archive) issued stamp

The design is most ingenious: on one side is a seated native
warrior welcoming the arrival of an old-time sailing vessel;
alongside is a palm tree representing the main export from the
country at this time; above is the Union flag as used before
1801, indicating the founding of the colony before that date.

Issued stamps, printed by Bradbury Wilkinson