British East
Africa
FIRST STAMPS ISSUED
Imperial British East Africa Co. 23 May 1890 Protectorates 1 July
1895.
CURRENCY
16 annas = 1
rupee (parity with India).
The coastal strip
from Mogadishu to Lindi was under the protection of the Zanzibar sultans. The
earliest European settlement (from 1844) was confined to a handful of
missionaries in an area extending from Mombasa towards Mt. Kilimanjaro. The
reputation of the Masai protected the interior from visitors until Thomson's
journey of 1883. The Imperial British East Africa Company started operations
under concession of the sultan in 1888. Territory administered by the company
from 1888 to 30 June 1895 theoretically included Uganda from 1890 to 1893. With
the company facing bankruptcy, the British government proclaimed a protectorate
on 1 July 1895. The former eastern province of Uganda was transferred to
British East Africa in 1902. Control passed from the Foreign to the Colonial
Office in 1905 when the capital was moved from Mombasa to Nairobi, but the
protectorate was not made a colony until 23 July 1920 when its name was also
changed to Kenya.
Postal History
Early
letters ('forerunners') are known (mostly in archives) from early missions
(Rabai from 1848, Freretown from 1874); these were handled by forwarding agents
at Zanzibar. POs were opened at Mombasa (HQ) and Lamu in May 1890; also
agencies c. 1892 at Malindi, Takaungu and Wasin. The protectorate joined the
UPU in November 1895. The inland runner service of the transport department
became a full postal responsibility when PAs were provided at Machakos and
Kikuyu on 1 January 1897. Expansion followed the building of the Uganda Railway
to Kisumu (1896-1902). Postal union was affected with Uganda in 1901, after
which stamnps of British East Africa can be found used in Uganda.
During an acute shortage in
August-September 1890, stamps of India were used.
On issue of protectorate
overprints, the company stamps were demonetized (and stocks held in London
remaindered in mint condition to the philatelic trade).
Protectorate stamps were
overprinted locally overnight.
Used stamps inscribed EAST AFRICA
AND UGANDA PROTECTORATES (see below) from 1903 (the King Edward VII registered
envelope appeared before the stamps). |
