British post offices in China facts for kids
The British post offices in China were special places where people could send mail. The United Kingdom set up these offices in different treaty ports (cities open to foreign trade) in China. This happened in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
After a special agreement called the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, Britain opened its first five post offices in China. This was on April 16, 1844. Five more offices opened later.
- Amoy (1844)
- Canton (1844)
- Foochow (1844)
- Ningpo (1844)
- Shanghai (1844)
- Swatow (1861)
- Hankow (1872)
- Kiungchow (1873)
- Tientsin (1882)
- Chefoo (1903)
At first, letters from these cities were sent to Hong Kong to be stamped. Later, in the 1860s and 1870s, each office got its own special stamps for marking mail.
Stamps Used in China
The British post offices in China first used Postage stamps from Hong Kong starting in 1862. However, after January 1, 1917, these Hong Kong stamps were changed. They had the word "CHINA" printed over them, which is called an overprint. This made them unique for use in China. Many different types of these overprinted stamps were made over the years.
Most of these British post offices in China closed on November 30, 1922. However, some offices stayed open longer.
Weihaiwei Post Offices
The British also had post offices in the Leased Territory of Weihaiwei. This area was occupied by Britain in 1898. Mail from Weihaiwei was first sent to Chefoo for processing.
In March 1899, a Chinese post office opened in Liu Kung Tau, Weihaiwei. This was soon replaced by a British post office on September 1, 1899. A second British post office opened in Port Edward in 1904.
The Hong Kong stamps with the "CHINA" overprint continued to be used in both Weihaiwei offices. These offices stayed open until October 1, 1930, when the territory was returned to China. Weihaiwei also had its own special revenue stamps for collecting taxes.
British Railway Administration Stamps
On April 20, 1901, a special Chinese stamp was used by the British Railway Administration. This was for the North China Railway. The stamp had "B.R.A." and "Five Cents" printed over it.
This special stamp was only used for 30 days. It was for a 5-cent fee if a letter was sent late. The late fee was stopped on May 20, 1901, and the stamp was no longer used. These stamps can be found with either black or green writing printed over them.
