Page 32 - DILMUN 11

Extracts From “The

Postal Agencies In

Eastern Arabia And

The Gulf”

Neil Donaldson

BAHRAIN’S POSTAL HISTORY
FROM 1884 - 1971

The First Post Office

Bahrain's recorded postal history begins on ingly, at this late date — did not include the year
August 1st, 1884, when a Post Office was opened (Type 1) : it has been possible to ‘date’ one of the
in Manama, the capital and port of the island. It very rare examples only by other references on the
was a sub-office of the Indian Post Office at cover. This was followed by the ‘squared circle’
Bushire, under the administration of the Bombay (Type 2) which remained in use until after the turn
Circle; and it remained Bahrain’s only post office of the century.
for 62 years.
Indian Queen Victoria stamps and postal
stationery were placed on sale. It was not until
1933 that overprinted stamps were issued. Most
values of the issues from 1882 - 1900 are known
used in Bahrain; but certain denominations such as
the V/2 annas are rare, and values above 4 annas 27IYIY. 7 JU 07
are not frequently seen. 02

Type 3 Type 4
i r 1

The next cancellation (Type 3) was undoubtedly
intended for back-stamping inward mail, but is
known used to cancel stamps on outgoing mail
Type 1 Type 2 between 1902 and 1912. The ‘squared circle’ was
followed, for the specific purpose of cancelling
stamps, by the small double circle with date-band
The first cancellation consisted of a ‘B’ in small across (Type 4), which is found almost exclusively
*
circle of horizontal bars used in conjunction with on the King Edward VII and early King George V
(not Duplex) a small date-stamp which — surpris- Indian stamps.
i
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