UMCA-Universities' Mission to Central Africa, The

The Universities' Mission to Central Africa (c.1857 - 1965) was a missionary society established by members of the Anglican Church within the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and Dublin, following a plea from David Livingstone. Source:Wikipedia
Its two main aims were to establish a mission presence and to oppose the slave trade.
Puzzle manufacture was evidently one of their ways of fund-raising and I have seen examples naming two different cutters so far, namely Claude Stert and Miss E. Smith, both from the Charlton Kings suburb of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. It seems increasingly evident that Claude Stert was the earlier of the two cutters, charging 2 shillings per piece, according to the printed labels inside the box lids. The example Equestrian Portrait also shows this cost but carries Miss Smith's name as a handwritten amendment. Other examples from her show a higher piece rate of 2 shillings and 6 pence, along with a fully printed label.

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