The History Of Postage Stamps History Essay

Introduction

As we go and relate to postage stamps and postal, the significant value that it added and nourished to the communication process is unrivalled. We can further assert that the fragment that relates to the general features of postage stamps and postal services in the history of human civilization is to make postage work for the betterment of the communication process, which is one instance. It is believed and assumed that the postage stamp was invented in the early part of the 17th century.

However, what is important to note again is the fact on the speculation making the rounds that “the postage stamps as we know of today can scarcely be said to have been invented, although wild controversy about its inventor is still making the rounds of debate. But as a matter of fact, history for that matter and historian knowledge of postage stamps laid emphasis on the fact that a postage stamp is a development of an idea.” (Melville, 2008, p. 79) In this essence and assimilation the notion of postage stamps and its inventory and as an object, it is rightly to be called that postage stamp is an invention indeed and a development of idea.

As a matter of fact historians and scholars has laid emphasis upon the fact that, “the Postage stamp originated in England in 1680, wherein it is also speculated that a man named William Dockwra stated private postal services in the city of London. Although fact of the matter is that James Calmer and Rowland Hill are claimed to be the first to use and invented self sticking stamps.” (Gupta, 2005, p. 111)This insight adds some crucial information that we can derive to trace the history of postage stamps. Together with it, as one invention of the renaissance, postage stamps and its role have been very crucial and effective enough to facilitate modern communication process.

Essay Statement and Theses

Hence from this assimilation of the facts and that which is central to the paper arguments we feel that postage stamps and its historical lineage offers a great substantial and cultural values. There is no denying these facts, given the impact that postage stamps have had and been in the human civilization over the ages in facilitating anew means of communication process is tremendous. To top it all, the nature of its evolution also have been critical in facilitating a formal and recognized tools or medium in the forms of postage stamps as one format of the communication development process in the modern history.

Keeping note of these points in contention, the object and subject of this research and its study overall is to relate on the many salient development features on the history of postage and postal stamps in particular. Together with it, the core theses of this work also is to relate and to trace the development postage stamps and postal services in UAE, where the region of concentration is in Dubai region. Driving home from the abovementioned point, this work and the attempt made herein is to relate on the theses statement as a measure to clarify and justify with the following questions that arises.

What are the many substantial value of postage stamps and postal in UAE since it was first being introduced?

Describe what has been the major development of postal and postal stamps in particular today in UAE?

Does the significant value of postal stamps and postage in particular have lost its sheen in UAE today?

Thus, before the subject matter and its arguments in context of the above these is attempted, we feel that it would be prudent that origination of postal and postage stamps is further amplified and discussed, which is as follows.

The Origination of Postage Stamps and Postal’s

To begin with, it can be comprehended that, “the establishment of complete steps of a post office was taken only in the early part of 1656, when an act was passed formally to settle the postage of England, Scotland and Ireland.” (Anonymous, 1846, p. 558)

From the above-mentioned statements, we can relate back that the historical significance of Postage stamps and Postal in particular dates back to many centuries in Europe and in particular in England where it originated. To be precise, according to available literature and historical data, the “records that can be gathered and fetched is that correspondence in tune of letter in the early part of the seventeenth century and during the reign of King John in England was highly considered. And together with it the business of the state also demanded only correspondence, wherein the King summons his court only through letters and frequent communication also was facilitated in that tune as well.” (Anonymous, 1846, p. 557)

Taking these facts into contention and tracing the history of letters and postage stamps, we feel that there is a whole of interesting historical grounds to explore the origination of postage stamps, post office and letters. It was only in the early part of “1840 and in the court of England that a prototype stamps was used to collect revenue. Although first known special printed wrapper, which is a postage stamp, was being sold to user for convenience of letter and telegram communications in Paris in 1653, and at this time, France was having its general Post office, so does England, which had set up a General Letter Office in the heart of London city.” (Melville, 2008, p. 80)

History of Postage stamps and postal in UAE

As history relates to, there is a mentioning of the fact that in the UAE the postage stamps and in particular postal and its origination is also laced with many interesting historical significance. As per available data that can be gathered, it is speculated that the “first postal office in UAE, the Manama Post office was opened on August, 1884.” (Anonymous, UAE Stamps and Postal History)

However, to begin with assimilating from the above statements there is no instance that referred as to the particular kind of potage of postal stamps used then in UAE. Such an event in the history of UAE postal further generate the interest in us and to assume that postal stamps used in UAE overall vary, that is to say, when it matter in Abu Dhabi region and in Dubai their uses and kinds of postage stamps was different from one region to another. It was only in the year 1973 that the first set of the UAE stamps were issued by the general post office in Arabic and English,” (Anonymous, The Postal History of Dubai) and that which we can comprehend composed the actual phase and example of postal and postage stamps in UAE.

Hence, what we can comprehend and relate to the aspects of postal and postage stamps in UAE is the factor that the history of UAE postal in regional wise at best can define the events. As far as Abu Dhabi postal history is concerned it is “divided into three phases or period, that is to say – the period during the British administration, Independent and when the UAE postal administrations finally took over.” (Anonymous, ABU DHABI POSTAL HISTORY)

Thus, the following paragraph that defines the nature of postal and postage stamps in Dubai and Abu Dhabi region should relate and derive some instance when postal and postage was introduced in UAE postal history and its chronicles that we can conclusively conclude.

Postage Stamps and Postal in Abu Dhabi

As far as postal and postage stamps and their introduction in Abu Dhabi region is concerned there is no mention as to where or what kind of postage stamps were used and introduced initially when postal made its mark and presence as a format of modern communication process. Although what we can assume is the fact that in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai – an altogether different kind of postal and stamps marked the period in the history of their introduction that vary accordingly.

An important to note while going back to relate on the postal history of Abu Dhabi is that “postal issued in Abu Dhabi region was an overprinted issue that was also used in UAE after the year corresponding 1973, as a means of increasing the values and significance of postage stamps” (Anonymous, ABU DHABI POSTAL HISTORY) in the region and in UAE in particular after independence. This point presents some crucial idea as to what mark the period and usage of postal and postage stamps in UAE specific to Abu Dhabi region in the year corresponding from 1920s till 1970s. In addition to it and what is important to point again is that modern instance of postal and their usage in Abu Dhabi happened aftermath when “postal was started way back in 1961 in Abu Dhabi,” (Muḥammad MursÄ« Abd Allāh, 1978, p. 135)introduced by the British postal administration that took over from Indian postal administration as a means in facilitating the communication process.

Moreover, after the introduction of the postal in Abu Dhabi by the then British postal administration, the formal recognition of postal and postage stamps in Abu Dhabi region of UAE was ushered, which set the stage in tune for all that development process of postal communication to take roots. Aftermath, the process of postal and its introduction following the year 1961 in Abu Dhabi, the process of modern communication forms also stated making the rounds in UAE as a measure to facilitate a recognized tool and medium with an identity that has a great significant values and substance.

Thus, to conclude upon the fact is that after the stage corresponding to the year “1961 overprinted stamp in English issue by British administration were considered first of its kinds in Abu Dhabi. That particular issue also was also used in UAE to meet the demand and values of postal.” (Anonymous, Welcome to my Dubai Stamps and Postal Stationery site)

Postage Stamps and Postal in Dubai

To begin with this notion, there are instances that relate that “the postal history in Dubai started in 1909, when the first of its kind postal branch was opened in the region by the Indian postal administration.” (Anonymous, The Postal History of Dubai)

Taking these points in contention we feel that the first of its kinds, that is to say postage stamps that was used in “Dubai region though was an overprinted stamps and postal stationary of India, which dates back from the early part of 1907 to 1947. To top it all, fact of the matter is that postal issue in Dubai was an Indian version that was used tremendously when postal made its presence in the region and in UAE overall.” (Anonymous, ABU DHABI POSTAL HISTORY) However, after “the partition that happened in India after that period, branch offices were taken over by Pakistan Postal Administration, which successively lead to the control to be taken over by the British Postal administration in the year 1948.” (Anonymous, The Postal History of Dubai)

Thus, what is also important to note in such an eventual developmental phase of is that postage used in Dubai then was “an overprinted one that were being issue by the British Postal administration in English, in order to meet the demand and values of postal,” (Anonymous, Welcome to my Dubai Stamps and Postal Stationery site) after the change of guards when the British Postal administration took over the reign of postal administration from the year corresponding 1961 onwards.

Conclusion

What we can conclude is that history of postage stamps and postal in UAE is interesting to note, especially the developmental processes. The idea and notion of postal in UAE also is assumed to be due to the influence of the British Administration. Indian postal administration also played a crucial role in facilitating the idea of postage stamps and postal in UAE.

Taking into consideration the discussion in the region of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in particular, which relates the history of postal in UAE we feel that the significant impact that it had in the history of UAE cannot be doubted. All these while and since the early part when postal was formalized, a great change in that regard have been initiated to make and integrate the best out of what postal services can offer to people to communicate with their near and dear one. Together with it many inventions have also come to fore, which is innately linked to postage, its history and most importantly the postage stamps – a mark of formal postage services and the emergence of modern forms of communication in UAE.

In the world of fast age communication process today, we feel that the postage and the value that it has acquired since long enough in the history of human civilization over the age and societal domains have not yet lost it sheens. As a matter of fact in the digitalized era today where communication is done at a flash of time, the value and significance of postage is still held with high regards. The digitalization of postal in many parts of the world and in UAE also mark the new development phase in deriving our understanding of the fact that postal still and is one factors of communication that registers readily with the people.