Aden: Stamps

Some final samples

  
SG 65 & 66 - essentially the same stamp reprinted with a definite difference in the face , especially the eyes - different shade of carmine/rose



  
SG 67 & 68 - slightly deeper blue on SG 68



  
SG 69 & 70 - a definite change in color



  
SG 71 & 72 - Chocolate vs black inset




A period postcard of Crater Pass

A used block of four of the 1937 Dhows issue, showing the 3½ annas value:

Here's an attempt I made at illustrating my Aden collection. This is an A4 pen drawing copied directly from the actual stamp; no digital imagery or scanning in those days; just a magnifying glass.

I also had excellent eyesight at the time. What I didn't realise though, was how difficult this was going to be. I ended up with chest pains, after spending hours hunched over the magnifier.




Here's an image of the actual stamp.

Nice little find. It's a pity that the series from which this 8 annas comes, was not printed in bi-colour in its entirety; which has much more impact in my opinion. By coincidence, I had just yesterday scanned a used block of four of that same overprinted stamp.

It's a sad reflection of Aden itself, that the colony's own stamps, with the exception of the 5/-, showed no recognisable landmarks. It had instead mainly adopted images from the nearby states of Shihr and Mukalla. The 5/- 'Crater Pass' image was only a memory a few years later, as the viaduct type structure spanning the pass was demolished.

Aden was quite simply a rather unattractive lump of rock at the bottom end of the Red Sea route. It was just a refuelling port, which attracted cruise liner passengers for a brief duty free shopping 'extravaganza'.   

  
  

I'm a little baffled by an image that was posted earlier in this thread (which I show again below), with the description 'Mukalla'. It is in fact Aden, Steamer Point. The two recognisable landmarks in the view are 'Hogg Tower' and the Prince of Wales landing pier.

Hogg Tower, known locally as 'Clock Tower' was a late Victorian/early Edwardian structure which did not fare too well once the British left the colony in 1967. Going by this postcard image, which is relatively recent, the tower must have been rebuilt. I lived about 5 minutes walk from the pier; and in fact our apartment block was named 'Clock Tower House'. 

The Prince of Wales landing pier can be seen centrally behind the two sailing craft; a rather strange, out of place pitched roof structure. To its right is a white domed tomb.



Going back in time, here is an illustration from the hill overlooking the tomb and the original Prince of Wales customs hall and landing pier:




And here is the P.O.W landing pier customs hall, as it looked when I was living there. Note the cruise liner passengers heading to the 'bazaar' and a uniformed Royal Air Force serviceman about to cross:

I lived through that too. We were amongst the final repatriation groups of families in July 1967. My father (in the RAF) had to remain until November when the colony finally ended.  

Hadn't realized many examples I'm now including have already been aired  -  but if you can stand it my pix are a smallish collection that I formed a year or two back - learned something about this former British Colony - and most of which I've now forgotten. 
I have almost nothing in the way of early material for this outpost that the British occupied from almost the beginning of Victoria's accession until some way into Q.E. II's reign.       Apparently, the Brit. East India Company were involved initially taking U.K. ordnance and soldiers to quell piracy, and according to local legend Cain and Abel are buried somewhere in the city.            The area is now the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, I think  -  mazing what you learn being here

thank you Rene - glad you like these. For sake of accuracy would just mention that the first post in this thread, on 27th April 2016 for SG 16 to 27 for Aden Protectorate - refers to these twelve stamps as George V - whereas the monarch in question was George VI.