Shortened to GBOS, the society was founded in 1970 and is a study group for the stamps and postal history of the regions and occupation post offices abroad that used the stamps of Great Britain and were overprinted for use. The society continues to explore the ways in which, and reasons why, British stamps and other postal material have been overprinted for use outside the UK or for special functions within the UK.
The GBOS specialises in the study of the stamps and postal services of the British Postal Agencies in the Arabian Gulf, Bechuanaland, British Levant, British Occupied Italian Colonies, Cyprus, Ireland, Morocco Agencies, Nauru, Oil Rivers and Zululand. We also have members specialising in the GB Departmental issues and Commercial overprints.
From the first officially produced G.B. Overprints for Cyprus in 1880, right through to the closing of the very last Overseas British Post Office, at Abu Dhabi in the Arabian Gulf on 31st December 1966, we find not only stamps, but many of the other services, offered by the British Post Office. Registered Letter Envelopes, Printed Postcards, Parcel Labels, Postal Orders and Airletters; all overprinted or used in one or more of the Overseas BPO’s.
The Society can offer support and knowledge on these collecting areas of interest in a friendly and informal way whether you are an experienced collector or just looking to branch out into a new area. We welcome new members.
Contents
| Title | Article Author | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial and Front Cover | Editor | 31 |
| Officers’ Reports and Messages | Officers | 32 |
| Obituary for Barrie Cook | Tony Stanford FRPSL | 34 |
| A comment on the parcel tag shown in the Overprinter 2025/1 | Marius Wlodarczyk | 34 |
| De La Rue Seahorses | Tony Smith | 35 |
| Bechuanalands: The David Spivack collection of Queen Victoria Overprinted for use in the Bechuanalands Auction Report, | Ricky Verra | 40 |
| British Levant: Twin Halfpenny Postal Stationery Post Cards from Smyrna | Alexios Papadopoulos & Tony Crowther | 42 |
| British Levant: Stamboul sub-Post Office and Antoine Doursoun | Melville Trimble | 42 |
| BOIC: B.M.A. SOMALIA 15c on 1½d pale red-brown with missing top marginal arrow | Mike Sanders FRPSL | 43 |
| M.E.F. 3d postage dues used on incoming mail from Italy to Rhodes | Mike Sanders FRPSL | 44 |
| BOIC: Sample Bag | Eric McFarlane | 46 |
| BOIC: Unusual Usages of Italian Period Postcards | Ron Winter | 47 |
| British POs in Eastern Arabia: New QEII Cylinder Discovery | Nail Burr | 48 |
| The Postmarks and Registration Labels of the British Postal Agencies in the Gulf | Thomas Johansen | 49 |
| Morocco Agencies: A Comment on GV Silver Jubilee stamps | Marius Wlodarczyk | 54 |
| Morocco Agencies: Cover franked with Spanish Currency Overprints on Gibraltar issue | Dr Peter V Taberner FRPSL | 55 |
| Niger Coast: Royal Niger Company Lokoja Depot Datestamp | Ricky Verra | 55 |
| Niger Coast: Usage of Provisionals on Cover | Malcolm Hughes | 56 |