Page 224 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

I

The Coronation and Q.E.II definitives to 1 rupee on ls.6d. followed
between December 1952 and January 1954; and it is likely that most, if
not all, of the later reissues on St. Edward’s Crown watermark paper were
placed on sale in 1956-57. In September 1955 the first Watcrlow type­
set “2 RUPEES” surcharge appeared on the new Q.E.II 2s.6d.
The oval steel Registered canceller (Type 4) had certainly replaced
Type 3 by 1956; it had probably come into use much earlier but the
lack of recorded dates, either in the G.P.O. Impression Book or locally,
makes it impossible to give a precise date. Type 4 was later replaced
with Type 5, not later than March 1957; and two proof strikes of Type
5 A appear in the G.P.O. Impression Book on December 6th, 1961.
Type 6 was in use by early 1956.

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-5 - -T-

m Hal

Courtesy: Qatar Petroleum Company Ltd.

Umm Said Post Office

For some time the Oil Company had operated a Mail Office at the
loading terminal at Umm Said for the benefit of its own and its employees’
postal requirements. The volume of outgoing mail, especially heavy airmail
packets containing shipping documents, had greatly increased; and, on
February 1st, 1956, a British Agency Post Office was opened. The stamps
initially on sale were the same as at Doha: Q.E.II V£d. to 2s.6d. surcharged
Vl anna to 2 rupees, the latter being the type-set surcharge (S.G.56 I).

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