Postmarks of Experimental Post Offices of India & States An Introduction (1886-1976) by Carol j. Edholm ISC-ROMPEX, May 2018
The cover that started it all.
India Postal Circles (British India) A -- North West Province Circle 1839 B -- Bombay 1774 C -- Bengal 1774 D -- Bihar 1877 I -- Central India 1879 J -- Rajputana (Rajpootana) Circle 1871 K -- Sind Circle 1869 L -- Punjab Circle 1860 M -- Madras 1774 N -- Central Provinces Circle 1866 O -- Oudh Circle 1870 R -- Burma Circle 1861 S -- Assam Circle 1873 (changed to G in 1875)
By 1914, Circles were merged, and others added: C -- Bengal & Assam P -- Bihar & Orissa B -- Bombay (including Sind) R -- Burma N -- Central Provinces West L -- Punjab & North M or MS -- Madras (Chennai) O -- Uttar Pradesh
2 necessary Books Excellent information for anyone studying postal history.
What is an Experimental Post Office? An Experimental Post Office is opened for a period of 6 months in areas where it appears services are needed. If it gets enough business, it becomes permanent. If it does not, it can be extended up to 2 years before it is made permanent, or closed. In 1950 s, 800 1,000 offices were opened each year; less now.
Types of Experimental Cancels P.O. = Post Office (Head), regular with delivery S.O. = Sub Office (subordinate), accounts to Head Office A.O. = Anchal Office; only in Travancore & Cochin States, which later merged with India Post B.O. = Branch Office; lower status than S.O. Operated by shopkeepers, schoolmasters, hospital attendants, etc., found in Village offices, grocery stores, etc.
Early 19 th century Experimental Cancels E = Experimental #1 Is this an Experimental? Still in dispute. C = Bengal Circle, 60 Contai or Hidjele town #2 -- M = Madras Circle, 133 Quilon #3 -- 114 Conjeevarum #4 -- A = North West Provinces Circle, 79 Boodhana #5 -- O = Oudh Circle, 7?? * Expt l Cancel samples by Mr. Northey; ISC News Bulletin; January 1961, p 4
Unusual early experimental cancel from Nawanshahr. Known as Office date stamp, for receipt and despatch, and used on Unregistered articles (but not unpaid, registered, insured, money orders or other postal business). India Post, No 048, Vol 10, pg 57
Book of Postmarks Cancels as shown in post office books (Rajputana Postal Circle experimental postmarks) Cancel impressions must be clear and distinct. Postmaster must initial book daily. Notice several varieties of experimental cancels.
No initials on back of page, but some dates were corrected by postmaster or clerk EXPTL P.O. J-1116 = Rajputana Postal Circle; post office city unknown
Experimental P.O. P.O. = A regular Post Office, run by Postmaster, with a regular support crew Includes all types of Mail delivery Includes all services of an Indian Post Office, including Financial services
My earliest cover Experimental P.O. / S-40 / 1-26-86 (1886) S = Assam Postal Circle 40 = Tonpong Plantation Post Office (NE India) 40 = Tingkong Tea Plantation post office in Dibrugarh, Assam
Experimental P.O. 18 / NO. 9 / 87 (1887) Second cancel: Nagaur / NOV 13 / 87 Nagaur, Marwar, British East India, Rajputana Postal Circle (J).
Experimental P.O. / B-6 / 30 AUG 98 (1898) Assam is in Assam Postal Circle (S) B = Bombay Postal Circle 6 = Parihar
Experimental P.O. / C-21 / 16 DE 07 (1907) C = Bengal Postal Circle incoming Lenzie, NO 28 07 --??? To Sathi, India; West Champaran in Bihar Postal Circle (D); Bengal used C in 1907
Lenzie, N.B.
Lenzie, N.B. North British Railway serving Lenzie and Kirkinteilloch in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Experimental P.O. / M-681 / 31 May 08 (1908) M = Madras Postal Circle
Rasipuram 3 JU 08 receiving cancel Tamil Nadu State, Madras Postal Circle (M)
Experimental P.O. / A-463 / 28 JUL 41 A = NW Provinces Postal Circle
463 = Ghaziabad
Experimental P.O. / MS-103 / 29 APR 42 MS = Madras Postal Circle 103 = Bangalore
Plenty of postmarks showing stops along the way.
Experimental P.O. / / 23 Oct 42 Poonjar, Travancore/Kerala State in south India. Still a Feudatory state. Per President Line = series of American President ocean liners
EXPTL. P.O. / 30 JUN / 1948 / N-110. To Indore City from Amraoti in Berar/Nagpur, Central Provinces Postal Circle. Reverse cancel: Indore City/DELY/ JLY 48
EXPTL P.O. / 18 SEP 51 / N-159 N = Central Provinces Postal Circle Military cover with Tombstone Postage Due 56 Base Post Office cancel Experimental is now abbreviated EXPTL Post Independence Experimental Cancels
EXPTL P.O. / C-2251 / 4 JAN 57 C = Bengal Postal Circle 2251 = Howrah, West Bengal Registration label = Dhalasimla in Howrah district, West Bengal
Experimental P.O. B-545 / 9 SEP 65 B-545 = Poona, Bombay Postal Circle X = send item via Surface Route, not Air Mail
Re-used EXPTL cover EXPTL P.O. 38 or 39 / 10 Feb _2 New usage from Jammu in Kashmire in Oudh Postal Circle (O) Other markings: FPO No. 1652, FOA and Central Reserves Police Force trained in guerilla warfare for counter-terrorism
Experimental S.O.
Experimental S.O. / 5 Nov 1947 / MS -100 MS = Madras Postal Circle 100 = Reddypalayam Reddypalayam Village Branch Office of Avadi Post Sub Office in city of Madras, Tamil Nadu State, Madras Circle
Experimental S.O. / 8 APR 1948 / MS-103 MS = Madras Postal Circle 103 = Mysore, Princely state in British India
Experimental S.O. / 19 Oct 48 / MS-95 MS = Madras Postal Circle
Experimental S.O. / 6 DEC 49 / MS-123 MS = Madras Postal Circle
Experimental S.O. / 6 JAN 1950 / MS-199 MS = Madras Postal Circle 199 = Rajahmundry, South India, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad State, Madras Postal Circle
EXPTL. S.O. / BG-83 on Registration label. Bangalore, Madras Postal Circle REG / 28 2 63 / Jaipur City Registration Label and Canceler are different size type, but both are BG-83. Both out for repairs? What Postal Circle normally uses BG? For this cover, Madras Postal Circle.
EXPTL. S.O. / 18 SEP 71 / MS-2218 2218 = Tiruchirappalli District, State of Tamil Nadu, Madras Postal Circle (MS)
Experimental A.O. A.O. = Anchal Office (means Area/Circle in Hindi or POST in Malayalam). All from Cochin/Travancore/ Kerala in Madras Postal Circle (M/MS)
Experimental A.O. / No. / 24 CHI 118 Reverse: Quilon 23-1-118 All A.O. cancels have T.A.D. at bottom of cancel = Travancore Anchal Department
Experimental Anchal Office / No. 16 / 11 MEF 112 / Travanacore Reverse written: 12 / 10.8.112 Village (or Branch) Office
Experimental A.O. / 23 SEP 50 / T.A.D. After Travancore no longer Feudatory State. Cancel all in English
Pakistan First Pakistan Exptl PO cover = Guadur 4-17-1868 under Bombay Circle. Permanent Post Office 1-30-1869 Guadur was transferred to Sind Circle April 1869, then back to Bombay Circle 1879 India stamps used until 1947, then Pakistan stamps when it became a separate country. No reports of Experimental cancels Oct 1947 Sept 1958. K-1 Disbursing Office (Karachi) of Sind Circle 4 = Guadar Head Office under control of Karachi L = Lahore K = Karachi C = Calcutta; later became D = Dacca
Experimental P.O. / 4 JUL 57 (Looks like 54, but is 57) No Postal Circle designation Mailed from Jaranwala, Lyallpur/Faisalabad District, West Pakistan (KP)
Experimental P.O. DA-206 DA = Dacca, East Pakistan Gair / B.O. / 8 FEB 59 / Chittagong = SE Bangladesh
Experimental P.O. KP-61 / 21 FEB 64 Quetta, West Pakistan