British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia facts for kids
Long ago, Great Britain helped set up postal services in several places in the Middle East. These places included Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat, and Qatar. They used special postage stamps from these British postal agencies.
Before 1948, places like Muscat and Dubai used the Indian Postal Service. But after Partition of India in 1947, British agencies took over on April 1, 1948. In Qatar, two agencies opened: one in Doha in 1950 and another in Umm Said in 1956. Abu Dhabi got an agency on Das Island in 1960 and in Abu Dhabi City in 1963. These agencies also provided stamps to Bahrain until 1960 and to Kuwait when they ran out of stamps between 1951 and 1953.
The agency in Dubai started issuing stamps for the Trucial States on January 7, 1961. As each country began to manage its own mail, the British offices closed. Qatar's office closed on May 23, 1963. Dubai's closed on June 14, 1963. Abu Dhabi's closed on March 29, 1964. Finally, Muscat's closed on April 29, 1966.
Contents
Muscat's Mail History
The very first post office in this region opened in Muscat on May 1, 1864. It was first managed by the postal service in Bombay, India. Later, it moved under the Sind (Karachi) postal area in 1869, then back to Bombay in 1879. Muscat had only one post office until 1970.
After India was divided, Pakistan briefly managed Muscat's mail. Then, Great Britain took over. When the British agency closed, the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman started managing its own mail from April 30, 1966.
Stamps Used in Muscat
Muscat used Indian stamps from May 1, 1864, until December 19, 1947. Then, Pakistani stamps were used from December 20, 1947, to March 31, 1948. After that, the British agency stamps were used from April 1, 1948, until April 29, 1966.
The first stamps made specifically for Muscat were Indian stamps with special overprints. These were released on November 20, 1944, to celebrate 200 years of the Al-Busaid Dynasty. There were fifteen different stamps, from three paise to two rupees. They were Indian stamps from 1940–43, showing George VI, with "AL BUSAID 1363" printed over them in Arabic script.
The first British stamps used in Muscat were nine regular George VI stamps. They had extra charges, called surcharges, ranging from half an anna to two rupees. Gibbons, a famous stamp catalog, lists twelve different sets of surcharged British stamps used in Muscat. These were mostly regular stamps but also included some special commemorative stamps. For example, there were stamps for the 1949 Universal Postal Union and the 1957 World Scout Jubilee Jamboree.
Bahrain's Mail History
A smaller post office, linked to Bushire, opened in Manama, Bahrain, on August 1, 1884. It was managed by India. Indian stamps were used there. From August 10, 1933, these stamps had "BAHRAIN" printed over them.
From April 1, 1948, the British agency managed Bahrain's mail. This continued until Bahrain's own postal service took over on January 1, 1966. British stamps with "BAHRAIN" printed over them and surcharges in annas or rupees were used. The first stamps made only for Bahrain were released on July 1, 1960.
Kuwait's Mail History
A post office opened in Kuwait on January 21, 1915, under Indian management. It had been planned since 1904. This office was managed from Iraq until April 1941. Then, Indian and Pakistani services managed it until the British agency took over on April 1, 1948. Kuwaiti authorities took full control on January 31, 1959.
Indian stamps were used until 1923, when "KUWAIT" started to be printed over them. From May 1941 to 1945, Indian stamps without any overprint were used again. The first British stamps, issued on April 1, 1948, were George VI stamps with "KUWAIT" printed over them and a value in annas or rupees. Stamps made specifically for Kuwait were first issued on February 1, 1959.
Qatar's Mail History
Stamps from Muscat were used in Qatar starting in May 1950. This was when the Doha post office opened under British management. Before that, small amounts of mail went through the Bahrain post office, using Bahraini stamps.
More post offices opened in Qatar: one in Umm Said on February 1, 1956, and another in Dukhan on January 3, 1960. Muscat stamps continued to be used until 1957. Then, British stamps with "QATAR" printed over them were introduced. The first stamps made only for Qatar were issued on September 2, 1961. There were five types, from five naye paise to ten rupees. The Qatar Post Department took full control of the mail service on May 23, 1963.
Dubai's Mail History
Stamps issued in Muscat were sold in Dubai until January 6, 1961. Then, two types of Trucial States stamps, with eleven different values, were used from January 7, 1961, to June 14, 1963. These were only available in Dubai.
Dubai had one post office that started under Indian control, part of the Sind postal area. It opened on August 19, 1909. Until 1947, Indian stamps were used. You can tell them apart by the "Dubai Persian Gulf" cancellation mark. Pakistani stamps were used until March 31, 1948. After that, British agency stamps, like those in Muscat, were used. Dubai took control of its postal service in June 1963 when the British agency closed. It started issuing its own stamps that same year.
Abu Dhabi's Mail History
A British agency post office opened in Abu Dhabi on March 30, 1963. Before this, mail was handled through the office in Bahrain. A second office opened at the oil construction site on Das Island on January 6, 1966.
The British stamps with overprints, which were used in Muscat, had been introduced to Abu Dhabi and Das Island in December 1960. Stamps made specifically for Abu Dhabi began on March 30, 1964. Local control of the postal service started on January 1, 1967.
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
