Indian Ocean Study Circle for Mauritius, Seychelles/BIOT, Réunion, Comores and Madagascar collectors. The Study Circle was founded in 1970 to promote and encourage the study of all aspects of the stamps and postal history of the islands of the western Indian Ocean. If you collect the stamps or postal history from any of these islands, and you are not a member of IOSC, you may be missing out on much that can help to make your hobby still more interesting. Membership offers the following: Meetings: Two in London each year and one in the country. Auctions: Two per year with 100-200+ lots of stamps, postal history, maps, literature etc. mainly from the western Indian Ocean area. Publications: The Bulletin "I0" is distributed free to all members three times a year containing research information on philatelic and non-philatelic aspects of the islands. Since 1980 the Society has published 10 illustrated handbooks/hardback - 5 each on Mauritius & Seychelles, free to paid-up members. Competitions: An annual "8 in 5" - 8 sheets with 5 minutes talk, the winner receiving a medal. Research: There is usually one member, invariably more, who can provide the answer to a relevant query.
Mauritius Captured
from France in 1810, independent within the British Commonwealth (as a
republic since 1992), was in 1847 the first British colony and the
fifth
country in the world to issue postage stamps. Mauritius was also the
first
colony to order stamps via the Crown Agents (1848), the world's first
surcharges
were prepared in 1854, though not issued until 1858. The definitive
issues
from 1860 onwards, notably the Queen's head and Arms types, are full of
interest for the philatelist and postal historian alike. Also of great
interest is the pre-adhesive postal history, of both French (before
1810)
and British (after 1810) periods.
Stamp Domain's Resource Page for Mauritius Mauritius
Local & Rural Posts 1840-1890 The Seychelles Archipelago Consists
of 115 islands permanently settled in 1770 by French Mauritians and
Réunionnais.
It became a British colony, following the annexation of Mauritius, in
1810
and gained independence in 1976. In 1890 named colony keyplates were
issued,
previously Mauritius postage stamps were used cancelled B64. The
Victorian
locally printed surcharge errors are numerous, as are the Edwardian
keyplate
errors. The maritime element forms an interesting section in any postal
history collection, The postage stamps issued since independence depict
the unique flora and fauna of the whole group of islands.
Stamp Domain's Resource Page for Seychelles "A
Hard Time in Paradise" - a Book Review
Réunion A
French
colony since 1638, becoming an overseas department in 1946,
Réunion
(formerly Bourbon) first issued stamps in 1852, the typeset locally
produced
15c and 30c, French stamps surcharged in the local currency and were
issued
1949-74. Since
1 January 1975 unsurcharged French postage stamps have been used.
Madagascar Discovered
by the Portuguese in 1500, in 1840 Diego Suarez became a French
protectorate,
in 1892 extending to the north-west of the island. Following disputes a
military expedition was sent in 1894, and the second Protectorate
existed
until 1896, becoming a republic within the French community until 1972
when the Government became under military control. During World War II,
the island under the Vichy Government of Marshal Pétain, the
British
capturing Diego Suarez in 1942 to prevent the Japanese using it as a
base.
The Comores Archipelago The
French
Colonial period began with Mayotte in 1841, Grande Comore and Anjouan
in
1886. Attached to Madagascar in 1914, becoming a French Overseas
Territory
in 1946. In 1975 all but Mayotte declared unilateral independence. Mail
is recorded from c1872 from the Comoros, and Nossi Bé sent mail
by British steamer to Zanzibar and from 1880 a French sea link existed
from Mayotte to Réunion. From 1880 the French Messageries
Maritimes
shipping line ran a link between Mauritius and Mozambique via
Madagascar
and Comoro ports.
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