Postage stamps and postal history of Togo

Last updated

Stamp of Togo, 1961. TGO 1961 MiNr0298 mt B002.jpg
Stamp of Togo, 1961.

This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Togo .

Contents

Togo is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately 57,000 square kilometres (22,000 sq mi) with a population of approximately 6.7 million.

Pre-stamp era

The first posts in Togo were established by German traders in the 1880s who operated from the coastal towns and used German West African mail boats. Mail entered the German postal system at Hamburg. There were 17 German post offices before the 1914 invasion. [1]

A German key type stamp for Togo, postmarked LOME 1911 Stamp Togo 1900 10pf.jpg
A German key type stamp for Togo, postmarked LOME 1911

German stamps

The first stamps used in German Togo were unoverprinted stamps of Germany used at "Klein-Popo" from 1 March 1888 and at "Lome" from 1 March 1890. They may be recognised by the cancellations used. Beginning in June 1897, German stamps with "Togo" overprint were made available. In November 1900, the key type stamps known as the Yacht issue were introduced. Water-marked versions of "Yachts" became standard in 1909, and they remained in use until the First World War. [2]

Allied occupation

In August 1914, Togo was invaded by British and French troops which occupied the territory until 1919. [2] The German post office was closed and the occupying forces used German stamps at first, with "Anglo-French Occupation" overprints. From 1915, overprinted British stamps of the Gold Coast and overprinted French stamps of Dahomey were in use. The country was divided into two zones during the occupation with the east bordering Dahomey, a French territory, being run by the French and the west, bordering the British Gold Coast, being run by the British.

After 1918

A French colonial stamp of Dahomey overprinted for use in French Togoland, 1921. Stamp Togo 1921 2c.jpg
A French colonial stamp of Dahomey overprinted for use in French Togoland, 1921.

In 1922 The League of Nations confirmed the division of the territory into two Mandate territories of British Togoland and French Togoland.

Stamp of French Togoland, 1940. RFTogo.jpg
Stamp of French Togoland, 1940.

French Togoland issued its first set of stamps in 1921, overprinting stamps of French Dahomey. In 1955 French Togoland was made an autonomous republic within the French community. [1]

British Togoland was administered as part of the adjoining territory of the Gold Coast, and used stamps of Gold Coast. A plebiscite was held in 1956 resulting in British Togoland being merged with Gold Coast, making Togo the tall, thin, country it is today, and enlarging the current Ghana. [3]

Independence

Togo became independent on 27 April 1960 and joined the Universal Postal Union on 21 March 1962. [1] Togo was one of the first clients of the Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corporation. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Togoland</span> German protectorate in West Africa (1884–1914); now part of Ghana and Togo

Togoland was a German Empire protectorate in West Africa from 1884 to 1914, encompassing what is now the nation of Togo and most of what is now the Volta Region of Ghana, approximately 90,400 km2 in size. During the period known as the "Scramble for Africa", the colony was established in 1884 and was gradually extended inland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of German East Africa</span>

This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of German East Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of French Sudan</span>

French Sudan was established in the late nineteenth century and occupied roughly the same territory as modern Mali.

Each "article" in this category is in fact a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries themselves are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

Each "article" in this category is a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

Each "article" in this category is in fact a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries themselves are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

Each "article" in this category is a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries themselves are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

Each "article" in this category is a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

Each "article" in this category is a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

Each "article" in this category is a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

Each "article" in this category is a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

Each "article" in this category is a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yacht issue</span> Series of German postage stamps

The Yacht issue was a series of postage stamps, bearing the image of German Kaiser's yacht, SMY Hohenzollern II, that were used in all of Germany's overseas colonies. Millions of stamps were produced and they were the principal means of postage for all German imperial overseas possessions in the years 1900–1915. German colonies at that time were German Samoa, Kiautschou Bay, Togoland, Kamerun, German New Guinea, German South-West Africa, and German East Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of New Guinea</span>

The postage stamps of New Guinea, part of present-day Papua New Guinea, were issued up to 1942.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of the German colonies</span>

This is a survey of postage stamps and postal history of the German colonies and part of the postage stamps and postal history of Germany, as well as those of the individual countries and territories concerned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of Ghana</span>

This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Ghana, known as the Gold Coast before independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of the British Cameroons</span>

The postal history of the British Cameroons falls into two essential parts: the occupation of German Kamerun by Anglo-French forces in 1915, when German Colonial stamps were issued with an overprint and surcharge; and the situation following a 1961 plebiscite, after which the former British Cameroons, today known as Ambazonia, was divided between Cameroon and Nigeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Togoland campaign</span> 1914 French and British invasion of the German colony of Togoland

The Togoland campaign was a French and British invasion of the German colony of Togoland in West Africa, which began the West African campaign of the First World War. German colonial forces withdrew from the capital Lomé and the coastal province to fight delaying actions on the route north to Kamina, where the Kamina Funkstation linked the government in Berlin to Togoland, the Atlantic and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affair of Khra</span> 1914 conflict between Anglo-French and German colonial forces

The Affair of Khra [Chra] was fought by British and French troops against German Polizeitruppen in the village of Khra, near the Khra River on 22 August 1914, during the Togoland Campaign of the First World War. The German defenders mined the approaches to the river, blew the bridges and dug in around the village on the far bank, ready to defend the crossing with rifles and three concealed machine-guns. The British–French attack was repulsed and then a German counter-attack was ordered but many troops refused the order and the attack was not delivered.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rossiter, Stuart & John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald, 1986, p.311. ISBN   0-356-10862-7
  2. 1 2 Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue Part 7 Germany. 7th edition. London: Stanley Gibbons, 2005, pp.389-390. ISBN   0-85259-598-0
  3. "Togo | Stamps and postal history | StampWorldHistory". Archived from the original on 2017-08-28. Retrieved 12 August 2018.[ title missing ]
  4. "IGPC". Archived from the original on 2012-04-15. Retrieved 2010-11-08. IGPC - Company History. Retrieved 17 April 2010.

Further reading