Malta Village Postmarks
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Still Under Construction
Used both at the Central Office in Valletta and at the larger Branches as these were being opened after 1885, and more oftenly after 1900 at the smaller Postal Agencies usually located at the corresponding Village Police Stations (from where they derive their name). Most of these date stamps were dispatched from the G.P.O. in London on the 10th July 1900, and were put into use the following September. Many of these postmarks remained in use till November 1921 while those used at the Branch Post Office Continued to remain in use.
The rarer village postmarks, normally corresponding to the smaller postal agencies, are usually found on the lower values of Queen Victoria, King Edward and early values, obviously required to frank parcels and other heavy material, these bear either the Valletta mark or that of one of the larger (and hence more common) branch post offices.
We stock a large variety of stamps which were used by the following Village Postmarks. Should you require any in particular do not hesitate to email us.
A detailed description of the Village Postmarks and population figures for 1901 and 1921 follows.
ASCIAK
Diameter
21.5mm & 22mm. Time codes AM or PM. Population 1518: Closed on the 17th
November 1921, Population 1629. (Two different designs of 'K' exist)
ATTARD
Diameter
23mm. AM only. Population 1837: closed during King Edward's reign, population
2058.
BALZAN
Diameter
23mm. AM or PM. Population 1250: Opened around 1918, closed in 1921, population
1313.
BIRCHIRCARA
Diameter
21mm. A, B or C. Population in 1901, 8417: in 1921, 8565. Opened as a Branch
Post Office on the 1st April 1898, and closed on the 30th April 1899. Re-opened
using this cancellation, most probably in September 1900, closing down again in
November 1921. Re-opened as a Sub Post Office in December 1939 and as a Branch
Post Office in 1943.
CACCIA - GOZO
Diameter 23mm. AM only: population 2562: closed 1920, population 3562.
CASAL - LIA
Diameter
19mm. A, B or C. Population 1540: closed in 1921, population 1612.
CHIRCOP
Diameter
21mm. AM only. Population 633: closed before 1921, population 707.
COSPICUA
a)
Diameter 23mm. A, B, C, D, E, F or G.
b)
Diameter 20mm - Used in Queen Victoria and King Edward's time - A, B, C, D, E, F
or none.
Opened as a Branch Post Office on the 1st August 1890 and remained functioning till 19th June 1946. Although the Office was destroyed during the Second World War, the cancellers remained in use at other Offices. Re-Opened temporarily on the 8th September and 8th December 1954. Officially re-opened as a Branch Post Office in November 1955 with another type of Postmark. Population in 1901 was 12,148 and in 1921 11,536
CRENDI
Diameter
21mm. AM only. Population 1333: closed in 1921, population 1526.
CURMI
Diameter
21mm. AM or PM. Population 8,187: closed in 1921, population 9,286. Opened as
sub post office on the 10th September 1973.
DINGLI
Diameter
20mm. AM only. Population 807: closed in 1921, population 1,087.
GARBO
Diameter
23mm. AM only. Population 1,734: closed before 1921, population 1,402.
GARGUR
Diameter
21mm. AM only. Population 1,377: closed before 1921, population 1,327.
GHAIN-SLIELEM
Diameter 23mm. AM only. Population including that of Migiarro 1,121: closed
before 1921. Population including Migiarro 1,239
GUDIA
Diameter
22mm. AM only. Population 1,131: closed in 1921. Population 1,167
HAMRUN
a)
Diameter 20mm, A or B or C
b)
Diameter 24mm, AM or PM or nil.
Opened 1900. Population in 1901 10,393: Closed in 1921, population 10,434. Re-opened as a branch office in 1963 with another type of postmark.
LUCA
Diameter
22mm. AM only. Population 3,670: Closed in 1921, population 3,607.
MARSA
Diameter
23mm. AM or PM. Opened around 1918 population figure in 1901 not recorded:
closed in 1921, population 4,838
MELLEHA
Diameter
21mm. Population 2,537. Opened in late 1900 using letter code A. On 29th March
1902 a branch post office was opened and letter codes A or B or C or D were
used. The branch office was closed on 10th May, 1903 and thereafter continued in
use with letter code A only. Closed in 1921, population 2,637
MICABBIBA
Diameter
21mm. AM only. Population 1,228: closed in 1921, population 1,282
MIGIARRO GOZO
a)
Diameter 21mm, A or B. Used upto 1900.
MIGIARRO B.O. GOZO
b)
Diameter 25mm, Time proper. Used from 1900 to 1936.
Opened 1st December 1885. Closed after August 1936. Re-opened as a branch office in 1957 with a different type of postmark. For population figures see GHAIN-SIELEM
MISIDA
Diameter
22mm. AM or PM. Used between 1908 and 1910 code 'A' was mainly used: population
3,826: closed in 1921, population 3,373.
MUSTA
Diameter
21mm. AM or PM or Nil. Population 4,269: closed in 1921, population 4,866.
Re-opened as a branch office proper 1956, using a different postmark.
NADUR
Diameter
23mm. AM or PM. Population 4,167: closed before 1921, population 3,460.
NAXXARO
Diameter
21mm. AM only. Population 3,429: closed in 1921 population 2,886.
NOTABILE
a)
Diameter 19mm, A,B,C,D,E & F used upto 1930.
b)
Diameter 24mm, time proper used from October 19113 to December 1934
Opened 15th November 1987. Population in 1901, 7,515: that of 1921 was 8,801. The office never closed down and is still in function, with a different postmark.
PAULA
Diameter 21mm. AM or PM. Population 2,815: closed in 1921, population 5,474.
Reopened in 1940.
RABATO
Diameter 22mm. A, B or C. Opened 1885. Remained in use till mid 1887, when it
was changed to Victoria.
SAFI
Diameter 21mm. AM. Population 367: closed soon after 1901, population 459
SANNAT-GOZO
Diameter 23mm. AM. Population 1,116: closed soon after 1901, population 1,228.
SIGGIEUI
Diameter 21mm. AM or PM. Population 3,265: closed in 1921, population 3,355
SLIEMA BO
Diameter 27mm, and proper time shown. Opened on 1st May 1895 as a Branch Office.
Never closed down, and is still functioning.
ST PAULS BAY
Diameter 21mm. A population not recorded, closed in 1921. population 1,685.
Opened as a Sub Post Office on 11th July 1973.
TARXIEN
Diameter 21mm. AM or PM or A or M. Population 2,605: closed 1921, population
2,865
VALLETTA
a)
Single ring with 'VALLETTA (C.O.) MALTA' with time and date in one line.
Diameter 29mm, used between 1897 and 1909.
b)
Single Oval 'VALLETTA/MALTA' with time and date in one line, introduced in 1899:
32mm by 24mm
c)
Double Ring 'VALLETTA/MALTA' with Maltese Crosses as spacers, time above date at
centre. Diameter 30mm. Used from 1909 to 1921.
d)
Single Ring with arched 'MALTA' and code letters A to R, diameter 20mm, used
from 1847 to 1922 - e) Similar to (d) but 22mm diameter.
f)
Single ring with arched 'MALTA' and no code letter, diameter 24mm,. Used between
1918 and 1922.
g)
Maltese Cross in single ring with G.P.O. in the inner circle with no date.
Diameter 27mm. Used from 1894 to 1922.
VICTORIA
a)
21mm. A, B, C, D, E, F & G
b)
23mm. Time Proper
Substituted the Rabato cancellers a few weeks after the city was re-named Victoria on the 10th June 1887. Still operating and never closed down.
XECHIA - GOZO
Diameter
23mm. AM or PM. Population 1762; closed before 1921, population 2,314
ZABBAR
Diameter
23mm. AM or PM or nil. Population 5,750; closed in 1921, population 7,044.
Opened as a Branch Post Office on the 21st May 1976.
ZEBBUG
Diameter
21mm. AM or PM. Population 5,454; closed in 1921, population 5,361
ZEITUN
Diameter
21mm. AM or PM. Population 7,234; closed 1921, population 7,701. Reopened as a
Branch Office proper 1956.
ZURRICO
Diameter
21mm. AM or PM. Population 3,654; closed in 1921, population 3,609. Reopened as
a Branch Office proper in 1956.