To Celebrate Autonomy

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30633, 26 December 1964, Page 5

To Celebrate Autonomy

[Specially written for “The

Press” by

KENNETH ANTHONY]

r THE Somaliland Protectorate on the southern shore of the Gulf of Aden, has the reputation of having advanced to self-government more rapidly than any other African territory. This advance was naturally reflected on the country’s stamps. But events moved so rapidly that two of the important stages to independence were marked not by distinctive new designs as might have been expected, but simply by overprinting the existing stamps.

The British protectorate in Somaliland was established in 1885, and the country was at first administered from Aden as a dependency of India. This is why Indian stamps were used there until 1903, and why even then Somaliland’s first stamps consisted of Indian issues overprinted. Soon afterwards the Colonial Office in London assumed control. But it was not until 1957 that the protectorate was given its own legislative council—two overprinted stamps celebrating the occasion.

Less than three years later, the council’s new establishment provided for an overwhelming majority of “unofficial”—i.e. elected—members. Hence two more overprinted stamps, one of which is illustrated here. About three months after the stamps appeared the British protectorate came to an end, full independence was achieved, and the country amalgamated with a neighbouring territory, the former