Page 184 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

Types 40 and 41 were typical of the ordinary and registered
cancellers which came into use as these sub-offices opened.

S H A R Q

2 5 MAR 1959
AUI.
REGISTERED

O W A

Type 40 Type 41

The Registration Labels used during this period were British type
inscribed ‘KUWAIT’ with or without a suffixed number or letter; and
similar labels inscribed in English only for ‘Ahmadi’, ‘Mena al Ahmadi’,
‘Mubarakiya’, ‘Jewan’, ‘Sharq\ ‘Mirgaab’, ‘Hawalli’, ‘Airport’ and ‘Sief.
A label inscribed ‘QIBLA KUWAIT’ was used from 1959 at the new
G.P.O., but the word ‘Qibla’ was always deleted.
During the latter part of 1958 British type labels inscribed in
Arabic as well as English were gradually introduced. Locally-printed
labels, inscribed in English and Arabic also came into use with the
‘Local’ stamps in February 1958.

POSTAL INDEPENDENCE

At the close of business on January 31st, 1959, the G.B. over­
printed stamps were withdrawn from sale and were invalidated, and
Mabarakya Street Post Office closed. The following day, the State took
over entire responsibility for its postal services, and the former “Local”
stamps became valid for external use. The new G.P.O. was opened at the
west end of Kuwait Town in a district known as Qibla (its first registration
labels were so named); and the old British Agency “Kuwait” Post Office
was renamed “Sief’.

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