IO,
there were two distinct areas, firstly the area under the jurisdiction of the Royal Niger Company which was inland and which later became Northern Nigeria when it was transferred to the Crown in 1900 and the Oil Rivers Protectorate which was formed in 1885 which later became Niger Coast Protectorate and was along the southern coast of Nigeria which was under the control of the British Government. This area later became Southern Nigeria in 1900 and also absorbed Lagos which was a separate colony.
The Royal Niger Company opened Post Offices at it's offices in Abutshi, Akassa, Burutu & Lokoja and at first mail was sent without stamps with the Company's handstamps and later British stamps were supplied to the various offices. Not all values were supplied, only 1/2d., 1d. 2 1/2d., 5d., 10d., 1s. & 2s.6, all other values were not sold by the PO's but could have been procured on board ships or by travellers. Normal usage from the main offices Akasssa, Burutu & Lokoja are not scarce although covers are keenly sought after especially if rarer markings or the values not sold locally. Virtually all of the correspondence known is Royal Niger Company internal mail, French Missionary correspondence & letetres from Militay personnel in the various campaigns which occurred during the period.
The Oil Riveres Protectorate never had any Post Offices until late 1891 and Post Offices were opened in the consular offices in Benin River, Bonny River, Brass River, Forcados River, Old Calabar River & Opobo River and some GB stamps would have been supplied from stocks in the Niger Territories but no one knows how many and which values. As far as I know there are only 3 covers known from that period, two in one collection in UK and another in another collection in UK, none have been sold in the last 50 years. It is not known how much mail was sent through these offices but it would have been very little as there were no traders in the area at that time, no philatelic mail and no missionaries.
David B.
|
) 
on Jun-10-07
at 23:16:19 PDT
)
on Jun-10-07
at 22:52:51 PDT
)
on Jun-10-07
at 22:50:48 PDT
) 
) 
member
