British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia
British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia issued early
The agency in Dubai issued the Trucial States stamps on 7 January 1961. As each state took over its own postal administration, the offices closed. Closure dates were: Qatar on 23 May 1963; Dubai on 14 June 1963; Abu Dhabi on 29 March 1964; finally Muscat on 29 April 1966.
Muscat
The first
Muscat used Indian stamps from 1 May 1864 until 19 December 1947. Stamps of Pakistan were used from 20 December 1947 until 31 March 1948 and the British agency stamps from 1 April 1948 until 29 April 1966.[1]
The first stamps specific to Muscat were an
The first British stamps were nine current George VI definitives carrying surcharges ranging from one half anna to two rupees. Gibbons recorded twelve different issues of surcharged British stamps in Muscat, with varying numbers of values. These issues were mostly definitives but included some commemoratives such as the 1949 Universal Postal Union and 1957 World Scout Jubilee Jamboree sets.[2]
Bahrain
A sub-post office of
Kuwait
A post office under Indian administration was opened on 21 January 1915, having been proposed as early as 1904. The office was administered from Iraq until April 1941 and then by the Indian and Pakistani services until the British agency took over on 1 April 1948. Control passed to the Kuwaiti authorities on 31 January 1959.[5] Indian stamps were used until 1923 when they began to be overprinted KUWAIT. From May 1941 until 1945, Indian stamps without overprint were again in use. The first British issue on 1 April 1948 were George VI definitives overprinted KUWAIT with a value in annas or rupees. Stamps specific to Kuwait were first issued on 1 February 1959.[6]
Qatar
Muscat issues were introduced to
Dubai
The stamps issued in Muscat were sold in Dubai until 6 January 1961.[3] The two Trucial States types, which had eleven values, were introduced from 7 January 1961 to 14 June 1963 and were available in Dubai only.[8] Dubai had one post office which was Indian in origin, under the Sind circle, and opened on 19 August 1909. Until 1947, Indian stamps were in use and are distinguished by the cancellation "Dubai Persian Gulf". Pakistani stamps were used until 31 March 1948 and then the British agency issues as in Muscat. Dubai assumed control of the postal service in June 1963 when the British agency closed and began issues of its own stamps the same year.[3]
Abu Dhabi
A British agency post office opened in Abu Dhabi on 30 March 1963, the postal service previously having been run via the office in Bahrain. A second office opened at the oil construction site on Das Island from 6 January 1966. The overprinted British stamps used in Muscat had been introduced to Abu Dhabi and Das Island in December 1960. Issues specific to Abu Dhabi began on 30 March 1964 and local control of the postal service began on 1 January 1967.[5]
See also
- Postage stamps and postal history of Muscat and Oman
- Postage stamps and postal history of Bahrain
- Postage stamps and postal history of Kuwait
- Postage stamps and postal history of Qatar
- Postage stamps and postal history of Abu Dhabi
- Postage stamps and postal history of the United Arab Emirates
References
Bibliography
- Stanley Gibbons Postage Stamp Catalogue – British Commonwealth (various editions ed.). London: Stanley Gibbons Ltd.
- Rossiter, Stuart & Flower, John (1986). The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald. ISBN 0-356-10862-7.)
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