Saudi Arabia: Development Of The Postal Service (1801 - 2001)

Introduction | Pre-Stamp | Free Franking Ottoman Official Mail | Ottoman Mail 19th C | Ottoman Mail 20th C | Ottoman Mail WWI | Hijaz - King Hussein | Hijaz - King Ali | Najdi Sultanate Post | Hijaz and Najd | Saudi Arabia | Map

6 Hijaz - King Husein (1916 - 1924)

Open hostilities had started between the Sharifian forces and the Ottomans on 10 June 1916 with a declaration of independence for the Hijaz by Sharif Hussein Bin Ali. Jeddah fell on 16 June and the last Ottoman forces surrendered in Makkah on 4 July. When the post offices reopened, the Hijazis tried unsucessfully to handstamp Ottoman stamps and then decided on the use of "FEE PAID" h/s's. Until these were introduced, postal clerks made m/s markings to indicate Number, Weight and Fee Collection. "MEKKE 3" 26/6/16 via JEDDAH 29/6 to P. TAUFIQ and CAIRO 6/7. Makkah postmaster's m/s "No. 70, 17 Grams, FEE COLLECTED" at lower left. Jeddah transit has "27/8/34" A.H. calendar used for first time instead of Turkish Civil Calendar.

Sent by "LAWRENCE of ARABIA" from JEDDAH 16/10/16 on 1 qirsh FOREIGN RATE of the first Hijaz issue, whose use was authorized by King Hussein on 14/10/16. With no other markings, it presumably went via private or military channels (possibly Royal Navy vessel).

New Hijazi Arabic-only "MAKKAH 16/1/17", Type MK-27in use until 1924, tying ¼q + ½q + 3 x 1q for 3¾ q via JEDDAH 18/1 (back). M/s endorsement "FROM MAKKAH THE REVERED TO UMM LUJ VIA YANBU, BY COURTESY OF SHEIKH ABDULQADIR ABDUH, GOVERNOR OF H.M. KING OF THE ARAB LANDS, TO SHARIF NASSER BIN ALI". Ottoman Reg. and A.R. handstamps with Control No. "48". No other postal markings although part of the flap is missing. As the DOMESTIC A.R. RATE was 2½q, the difference of 1¼q would have been for extra weight. Abdulqadir Abduh was Postmaster-General of the Hijaz from June, 1916, then made Governor of Yanbu after its capture in late July of that year. Sharif Nasser of Madinah was described in Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" as "The man who fired his first shot in Medina, and was to fire our last shot... on the day that Turkey asked for an Armistice".

Previously unrecorded use of the Taif "FEE PAID" h/s on a letter from TAIF 23/8/17, Type TF-6, to MAKKAH 25/8; "FEE PAID" h/s Type TF-I similar to MK-I and JD-I, with m/s Control No. "25"; as with most recorded "FEE PAID" covers, the weight is not noted under "Grams" (lower left corner of TF-I). As Taif was only captured in late September, 1916, the authorized use of TF-I should only have lasted about 3 weeks until mid-October when stamps were authorized for use. This usage of the h/s some eleven months later once again demonstrates the problems the postal administration had in keeping a steady supply of stamps available to the operating post offices. The besieged Ottoman forces led by Ghalib Pasha, the last Ottoman Vali in the Hejaz, held out in the fort of Taif within the walled city from the 10th of June until the 22nd of September, 1916. Surrender was to the Hashimite commander Sharif Abdullah, second son of King Hussein and future ruler of Transjordan.

WAJH c.1/8/22 on NEW FOREIGN RATE 1 ½ q of February 1922 Sherifian Arms issue via PORT TAUFIQ to LONDON. All Wajh cancels have unclear dates. Ottoman archives indicate the Wajh P.O. opened in 1875 but no early covers are known, only a c.1912 octagonal PTT proof impression of " ELVEDJIH (EL-OULA)". The cancel shown above appears to be an adopted Ottoman type, recorded used c.1917 to 1926 in the early Saudi period.