Page 141 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

In all cases the overprinting and surcharging was done on
complete sheets of G.B. stamps taken from stock; and, as the same
basic stamps were used for the various overprints, any varieties of
the basic stamp will generally be fully described only in the first
section. Varieties in the overprints or surcharges will be dealt with
under the Agency concerned.
Certain of the old Indian-type cancellers continued in use after
April 1st, 1948, and were gradually replaced by British-type cancellers.
It is unfortunate that the Date Stamp Impression Books containing
Proof Strikes of all cancellers issued to the British Agency Post Offices
between 1948 and 1959 are missing from the Records Office at
Postal Headquarters at St. Martin’s-le-Grand; and it is not possible to
give precise dates of introduction of all the cancellers. Where dates
prior to 1959 are given they have been recorded from personal
knowledge.

As the area developed commercially, new Agency Offices were
opened in Qatar (1950) and in Abu Dhabi (1963); but as early as
1959 the first of the independent postal administrations had already
replaced the British Agency Post Office. The six British Agency Post
Offices closed on the dates shown:-
KUWAIT 31. 1.59
QATAR 22. 5.63
DUBAI 14. 6.63
BAHRAIN 31.12.65
MUSCAT 29. 4.66
ABU DHABI 31.12.66

TRIAL OVERPRINTS

An overprint can rarely enhance the appearance of a stamp;
but there is no doubt that every effort was made to ensure that these
overprints were done in a style most suited to the basic design.

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