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Recent articles about the Silver Jubilee

Updated December 2011

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Aden Funnel

Piracy off the coast of Somalia is hardly a modern phenomenon. In 1839, Royal Marines landed in Aden as an anti-piracy measure to protect British shipping to India. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Aden became an important coaling station and, as a transit port, quite a hub for mail.

In the Jubilee year, the Government of India Act provided for Aden’s separation as a separate crown colony. But, since this change didn’t come about till 1937, its postal service was therefore still under the all-encompassing Indian Postal Administration.

Some held that the India Jubilee issue wasn’t available in Aden but perhaps there is enough evidence to not only refute this but to show supplies of all values were available there.

Full set on a registered air cover to Welwyn Garden City (thence forwarded to St Albans), tied by Aden reg. cds for 3 No 35, with manuscript: “Via Cairo” and backstamps of Cairo and St Albans (22 No 35).

Besides the stamps, it would appear that the ˝ anna “Jubilee Fund to relieve distress and suffering” label was also available in Aden.

Fund label accompanying a definitive 3˝a tied to a commercial cover to Goodyears in Ohio by a double ring cds of Aden Camp.

To complete the availability picture, there was a “Support the Jubilee Fund” slogan cancel - in this case, one for 2pm 24 Apr 35 on a O.H.M.S. cover.

A postal service started soon after annexation. The first post office opened in Crater – known as Aden Camp at the time of the Jubilee. 1858 saw the opening of a second post office at Steamer Point in the harbour area which eventually superseded the Crater P.O. to become the General Post Office.

1a, ˝a & definitive 2a on a cover from an Aden shop to the British Consulate in Detroit, tied by Aden Camp cds for 2pm 22 May 35.

As if there was a need to confirm that the postal rates from Aden reflected those of India, this letter from the American consul contains a reference to the foreign surface rate of 3˝ annas.

3˝a on American Consular Service cover, (with Aden, Arabia h/s added), to Dubuque, Iowa, tied by clear Aden d/r cds for 18 Jly 35 and containing a Department of State crested letter, (which refers to the postage rate, Aden - USA, as 3˝ annas), and a few stamps.

 For an example of the imperial rate, (2˝ annas for the first ounce), this cover to Huddersfield bears a 9pi pair and single and a definitive 3pi, each tied by n Aden cds for 15 Aug 35.

Somaliland Jubilees on registered OHMS cover to Pamplemousses, Mauritius, tied Berbera 1 Au 1935

Another Somaliland Jubilee cover, this time to Denver, with an Aden reg. cds almost obscured

With the bunkering facilities provided at Aden, it is hardly surprising that much mail would arrive there for trans-shipping to a multitude of destinations. Mail taken direct to ships would be added to mail bags to be sorted on reaching Aden. Hence, covers from various places might receive their first postmark at Aden and stamps of East African countries, Indian Ocean colonies and many other territories can therefore be found with Aden cancels.

Somaliland Jubilees on a registered cover to Watawala, Ceylon, tied by Berbera 26 Ju 35 cds and showing the Aden registered cds for 3 Jul 35.

A Berbera commercial cover to Puerto Rico with, amongst a multitude of Backstamps, those of Aden and New York.

In addition, of course, Aden Paquebot cancels can be found on stamps from a still wider selection of countries.

GB ˝d & definitive ˝d x2 on cover to London, each tied by Aden Paquebot d/r cds for 16 Feb 36.

Other post offices still open in 1935 include Sheikh Othman and the island of Perim.

Somaliland 1a pair, each bearing Aden Paquebot double ring cds for 1 Sep 35.

AJA - Dec 2011

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