Home > Postage stamps and postal history of the Falkland Islands

Early mail service depended on occasional calls by ships connecting to the Brazil packet via Montevideo; the earliest recorded letter dates from 28 January 1827. From 1852 to 1880 a schooner (either a government boat or a contractor) called about every two months.

Before 17 July 1861 letters had to be paid for upon delivery to the ship, and from 1868 prepaid franks are known, issued by local officials acting as postmaster. The first stamps, 1p, 6p, and 1s values featuring the usual profile of Queen VictoriaVictoria (Alexandrina Victoria) ( 24 May 1819 22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. Her reign lasted more than sixty-three years—longer than any other British monarch. As well as being Queen of the, were issued 19 June 1878Events January Cleopatra's Needle arrives in London January 9 Humbert I becomes King of Italy January 23 Disraeli orders British fleet to Dardanelles January 28 The Yale News becomes the first daily, college newspaper in the United States. January 31 Turk. Unusually for a British colony, the first stamps were not on watermarkA watermark is a recognizable image or pattern in paper that appears lighter when viewed by transmitted light (or darker when viewed by reflected light, atop a dark background). A watermark is made by impressing a water coated metal stamp or dandy roll oned paper, but this was rectified in 1883Events January January 16 The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, establishing the United States Civil service, is passed January 19 The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires begins service ( Roselle, New Jersey) It was built by Thomas E. Additional values of this design appeared from time to time until 1896Events January 4 Utah is admitted as the 45th U. January 5 An Austrian newspaper reports that Wilhelm Rontgen discovered a type of radiation later known as X-rays. January 12 H. Smith takes the first X-ray photograph. January 18 The X-ray machine is exhib.

In 1880, carriage of mail was made mandatory for any ship calling at Port StanleySee also Port Stanley, Ontario. Port Stanley also known as Stanley and called Puerto Argentino by Argentineans, is the capital and only town in the Falkland Islands, located on the isle of East Falkland. It lies on a north-facing slope, south of Stanley H, and regular service was contracted to the German Kosmos Line , which operated steamships on a route from Hamburg to Callao, Peru.

The first post office opened in Stanley in 1887.

On 1 January 1891 a need for 1/2p stamps resulted in the authorization of bisection and surcharge of existing 1p stamps. 1/2p stamps arrived in September, but the bisects were allowed until 11 January 1892, in order to use up existing stocks.

In 1900, the Pacific Steam Navigation Company got the contract, which operated until 1914, when the opening of the Panama Canal made Cape Horn roundings unnecessary, and regular mail service to the Falklands was not resumed until 1927.

In 1904 new stamps of the same general design, but depicting Edward VII, were issued, and likewise after 1912 for George V. Shortages of dyes due to World War I led to considerable color variations in the wartime printings of George V stamps.

The 2p purple stamp was surcharged 2 1/2p in 1928.

In 1929 a first pictorial design appeared, featuring small images of a whale and penguins beneath the profile of George V. This was followed up by the much-admired centennial issue of 1933, a series of 12 stamps featuring local scenes and wildlife evocatively rendered; a full set is today priced at about US$3,000.

Starting in the 1930s, the Falklands took part of the omnibus issue s of the Empire; the Silver Jubilee issue of 1935, Coronation issue for George VI in 1937, and so forth. The new king also meant a need for a new definitive series, which came out in 1938 and featured scenes, wildlife, and ships, though in a somewhat plainer design than the pictorials of 1933.