Blue Mauritius, book cover

Welcome to the Blue Mauritius Research Companion

This website contains biographical and bibliographical information about the Post Office Mauritius stamps and subjects related to them. It is based on my research for the book Blue Mauritius: The Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Stamps.

Appavou, Moutoussamy (c. 1819 - )

Born
c. 1819
Madras, India
Occupation
Postal clerk
Summary

Moutoussamy Appavou, originally from Madras, had been appointed (in the language of the day) to the position of Malabar clerk at the Port Louis post office in January 1839. Possibly one of the longest serving postal employees at this time, Moutoussamy was put forward for retirement in 1877: ‘now totally unfit for the duties required from age and impaired vision … Mr Appavou is 59 years of age, and has been 39 years in the service…’

Moutoussamy, the one employee from 1847 still working at the Port Louis post office when Major Evans began his investigations there in the mid 1870s, would undoubtedly have handled the ‘Post Office’ stamps in the course of his daily work, and I like to imagine him doing so.

Checking the births, deaths and marriages lists (at the LDS Family History Center), I found a Mootoosamy Appavoo who died in Port Louis on 18 October 1888 (register 5, folio 310). There were others of his name, but this person seems the most likely. Because of the current births, deaths and marriages department's draconian privacy laws in Mauritius it has not been possible for me to find out any more about Moutoussamy via a death certificate. I would like to! If some family member would oblige me, please do!

Related Places

Bibliography

Books

Reports

Sources used to compile this entry: Moutoussamy's history was compiled from a number of sources, including: Bolton's Mauritius Almanac, the Mauritius Blue Books (1840-78), and Mauritius Archives series RA534 and RA2368.

Prepared by: Helen Morgan