Stamp production for the Malaysian area: Hongkong 1937 King George VI

The new King George VI definitive postage set was first announced in December 1937, & issued on various dates in 1938, about a year after the Coronation.

The stamps were printed by typography or surface-printing, by De La Rue & Co. of London, and consisted of 13 stamps in the following denominations:-

The design consisted of a portrait of King George VI and was a reversion to the design of the Queen Victoria stamps of Hong Kong, except that the upper two swastikas in the Victorian design were replaced by crowns. The values again only appeared in English in words and not in figures, the name of the colony in English was once again written as one word and not as two as in the two previous reigns, and for the first time in Hong Kong the portrait faced the right side.

The dates of issue were: - 5th April 1938 - 2c., 4c., 25c. 13th April 1938 - 10c., 15c., 30c., 50c. 27th April 1938 - $1 24th May 1938 - 1c., 5c., $2. 2nd June 1938 - $5., $10.

In all the catalogues the date of issue of the $2 value is given as 25th May, but Webb gives it as thh Hay, and in "Gibbons Stamp Monthly" for January 1945, a reader reported possessing a first day cover of the 1c-. 5c. and $2 values. dated 9hth May 1028-

Unsurfaced, rather thin, cream-coloured paper was used for all the monocoloured cents values, but the bicoloured dollar values were printed on chalk-surfaced paper. The paper was watermarked with the standard colonial upright watermark, multiple crown and script CA, and perforated by a single row comb perforator, which measured 13% x 1# for all values.

The sheets consisted of 120 stamps, divided into two horizontal panes of 60 stamps by a vertical gutter in between, this gutter being' perforated across. The stamps in each pane were in six vertical rows of 10 stamps each.

There was no printers' imprint, and the Requisition Letters and numbers have already been described. All the stamps had Plate Number 1 below the 59th stamp of the right hand pane, in the lower right corner of the sheet. In the case of four values, the 50., 100., 15c. and 500. the same plate number also appeared in the top left-hand corner of the sheet. The Plate Number appeared in white on a solid circle of colour in the colour of the stamps, or, in the case of the high Values, in the colour of the Key or Head Plate. A single Jubilee line surrounded each pane in the colour of the Key Plate, and in the case of the bicoloured stamps there was also an outer line in the colour of the Duty or Value Plate.

The only new value to be issued before the Japanese occupation was the 8 cents, which appeared on 1st November 1941, and the appearance of the stamps was very similar to the original 1938 printings of the other values.

Soon after the liberation of Hong Kong a new 200ents value in black was issued, on 1st February 1946.

Reports of the looting of the dollar values from stocks in various post offices at the time of the fall of Hong Kong, led to a great shortage of these values (particularly the tOp three) and to a decision to change the colours, and orders were telegraphed to London for this to be done. A reversal of the different colours took place, the new $1 value took the colours of the old $2, the $2 the colours of the old $5, the $5 the colours of the old $10, and the $10 the colours of the old $1 value. According to all the authorities, the new dollar values

were all issued on 9th April 1946, and from that date the dollar values in the old colours were demonetised, (Robson Lowe states: 'under "Proclamation No 32 of 4th April 1946".')

It is stated in Webb's book that the new dollar colour changes first appeared with Requisition E, the second post-war requisition, but the Crown Agents' Records and Mr. M. Faux, confirm that all these dollar values were part of the first post-war requisition, Requisition D. As further confirmation, it was with Requisition D and not B, that all the various extra specimens were submitted to the usual official recipients of such material. i.e. British Museum. G.P.0., Crown Agents, etc. In the Requisition Book, against Requisition D, there is a note, dated 3rd November 1945, which states "It has been decided to change the colour of the dollar values. Proofs to be submitted." A puzzling aspect of this case is that the 20c black was issued on 1st February 1946, and the dollar values not until April, though in several cases the dollar values were sent to Hong Kong with Requisition D before the first supplies of the 20 cents were despatched, and also, the dollar values were given the highest priority of urgency in the Requisition Book, a higher priority in Requisition D than the 20 cents value.

The colours of two other values were reversed on 9th April 1946, the 25 cents changing from Blue to Sage-green, and the 30 cents from Yellow-olive to Blue. A left-over stock of 6,500 sheets of the 30c Yellow-olive was overprinted "100" for fiscal use, according to "Gibbons Stamp Monthly" of May 1947, perhaps contributing to the scarcity of that stamp.

The last new denomination to be added, was the 80 cents stamp, issued on 2nd February 1948, on chalk-surfaced paper.

Finally, on 1st April 1948, the 20 cents was issued in the new colour of Scarlet, and on the same day, the 15 cents Scarlet and the 20 cents Black were withdrawn. '

War-time conditions in Britain were responsible for a number of changes to the postage stamps of Hong Kong, partly due to shortage of supplies and partly to the bombing of the premises of De La Rue & Co. during an air raid on London on 29th December 1940. Different paper had to be used for the later pre-occupation printings. In the case of some of the lower values a rougher-surfaced, thicker paper appeared, and for one of the higher values, the well-known 'substitute' paper came into use, and continued in use for that, and other values, after the War.

Also, because of bomb damage to De La Rue's, other printers came to their aid in printing the stamps of Hong Kong. The two printers mainly concerned were the well-known security printers, Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. of New Maldon, Surrey, and another firm, who were not security printers for postage stamps at all, Williams, Lea & Co. of London. It also appears quite likely that another firm of security printers, Harrison & Sons of Hayes, Middlesex and High Wycombe, were responsible fully or partially for one other value. In all cases these printers used De La Rue's plates for their work.

It has been stated elsewhere a number of times, that during the War De La Rue loaned out their plates to other printers, after they had removed them to a place of safety, but it is now known that in fact all the printing plates were kept by the Crown Agents, and only loaned out very briefly to the various printers, to be returned again to the Crown Agents after use, so there is no question of De La Rue's keeping plates at their premises.

There has been considerable controversy about the two values in this Requisition, the 4 cents value, which was for the first time perforated 14% x 14, with Requisition Number 9192/1, and the 8 cents value, which was a new denomination, in the usual perforation 13% x 14, with the different Requisition Number 9192/2. All the authorities were agreed that the two stamps were printed on similar smooth paper, and that the paper of the 4 cents in no way resembled the rough paper of the other five values perforated 14% x 14, which were printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. It has also been considered by a number Of authorities, that the paper of the 4 cents, because of its measurements, was perforated by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co, but, though this is possible, there appears to be no definite evidence that this assumption is correct.

In Webb's book it is stated that Major POgson established that the 4 cents value, perforated 14% x 14, was entirely printed by Harrison & Sons of High Wycombe for De La Rue & Co., and that the 8 cents value was printed partly by Harrison & Sons, and partly by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. It is further stated that the Bradbury, Wilkinson printing of the 8 cents was in "sheets of 240, divided into panes of 60", but that the Harrison printings of both the 4 cents and 8 cents values were in sheets of 240, divided only horizontally into 2 panes of 120, consisting of ten rows of twelve stamps, instead of the usual 10 rows of 6 and that therefore " Harrison's had to lay down the matrix plates side by side, for the right and left halves of the pane of 120 are identical."

All the entries in the Crown Agents' records merely record the number of stamps in the sheet as "Set 120", and this is the case for every printing of every value for the whole reign, including this pair of stamps in Requisition B. As far as the 8 cents value is concerned, there appears to be no evidence to support the idea of a sheet of 240 divided into 4 panes of 60. However, all the authorities agree, that for the 4 cents value perforated 14% x 14, alone of the whole series, there was a different sheet arrangement, the sheets being of 120 stamps arranged 12 x 10, instead of the usual panes of 60 arranged 6 x 10 with the gutter between the 2 horizontal panes.

It is not clear if the actual sheet was of 240 stamps with two horizontal panes of 120, but it seems likely that the original 240 was

The writer has a left upper corner block of four of the 4 cents perforated 14% x 14, and the left margin is much wider than for the other values in both perforations, with a row of perforated labels the size of the stamps down the left-hand side of the sheet, which would seem to support the idea of two plates side by side with no gutter in between. This is the only corner block in the collection

The main evidence against the idea that the two stamps were printed by any printer other than De La Rue, is that there is no mention of any other printer in the Plate Book or Requisition Book of the Crown Agents, where, in the case of the Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. and the Williams, Lea & Co. printings, both printers are mentioned. Mr. Faux confirms that all their records show that Requisition B was printed by De La Rue; if it had been printed by Harrison's the fact would have been recorded; the actual machine operator was an employee of De La Rue, and finally, the plates would be unlikely to fit Harrison's machines. After further enquiries, Mr. Faux again went through the records to find still no confirmation of the contention that Harrison's printed any of these stamps, but, on the other hand, he remembered that Harrison's plant at Hayes, Middlesex, had a number of flat-bed presses, which would have taken the 240 set plates, and, very interestingly, also had their own perforating machines there. He concludes that it may well be that De La Rue's lent their letterpress manager, a Mr. Reis, to Harrison's to print the stamps at Hayes on their behalf, and consequently it was considered by the Crown Agents to have been a De La Rue printing. B-EQ'llflflfi'E'fi

This Requisition consisted of ten denominations, of which five were printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. and the other five by Williams, Lea & Co. The work of the two printers was numbered differently, Bradbury, Wilkinson's were numbered 9247/2 and Williams, Lea's were numbered 9247/3. 5

Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. printed the five lower values of Requisition C, which were perforated 14% x 14, the 20., 50., 100., 300., and 500. from De La Rue's plates, on white, thicker, roughersurfaced paper giving a coarser impression. According the "Gibbons Stamp Monthly" the paper was 1/5000 inch thick, instead of 1/4000, and resembled paper used for recess-printed stamps. The watermark stood out very clearly and the impression of the design was prominently embossed on the back of the stamps. The perforation was by a single row comb as before, with an extra perforation hole at each of the top and bottom margins, and possibly the finer gauge was needed for the thicker paper. The gutter between the two panes was no longer perforated across. The Requisition letter C was seriffed, and both the letter and numbers were 5%mm high. ,

Williams, Lea & Co. printed the other five values of this Requisition, the 1 cent, and the four dollar values, all in the original perforation 13% x 14. This further printing of the 1.0ent has never been described and is not mentioned in any of the literature at all, but appears in the Crown Agents' records, with Williams, Lea as the printers. Webb states that the two lower dollar. Values were printed oy Williams, Lea e Co., but that tne two higher dollar values were printed by De La Rue themselves. The evidence of the Crown Agents' records and ceafirmation by Mr. M. Faux is quite definite that all four dollar values of Requisition C were printed from the De La Rue plates by Williams, Lea & Co.

The $1 value appeared for the first time on Substitute paper, but the other values were on chalk-surfaced paper as before, and, in fact, the S1 was the only stamp in the original colours ever to appear on Substitute paper. The $1 and 32 values of this requisition are described by Major Pogson in Webb's book, and it is noted that the letter 'C' of the Requisition was without serifs and 4%mm high and the numbers were 3%mm high. Major Pogson describes the $1 and 32 as both having white backs and rather blurred designs, the 81 being a distinguishable shade of reddish purple compared with the dull purple of previous printings, on blotchy paper "perhaps the result of storage", and the $2 value a rather brighter orange than before. The tOp two dollar values printed by Williams, Lea & Co. were in very short supply indeed, doubtless made worse by looting, and have never been described in the literature.

All the early printings of the definitive stamps of King George VI arrived and were issued in Hong Kong (these were the Requisitions which were lettered V,W,X,Y and Z) before the Japanese Occupation of the Colony. Requisitions Y and Z were war-time printings in 1939 and 1940, and the next one, Requisition A, was reserved for the issue commemorating the Centenary of the Colony, which was issued there on 26th February 1941. All these issues from letter V to letter A were on pre-war stocks of paper, and some of the stock of these in the Colony survived the war, and were used afterwards; it is believed that these included the 20., 50., 150., 250., and 500. values, all perforated 15% x 14, and also one value of the Centenary set, the 5 cents. After the War, a search of the vaults of the Post Office" and Bank revealed a stock dating from before the capitu-ltion, some of it in the original Crown Agents' packing cases. According to Webb, the largest quantity was 750,000 of the 5 cents Centenary, with other values in smaller quantities.

It is pretty certain that the whole of the supplies of the 4 cents value, perforated 14% x 14, in Requisition B arrived in Hong Kong before the Occupation, because the supplies were despatched on 5th March 1941 and 28th May 1941, before even the first despatch of the 8 cents value. which was issued on 1st November 1941- The 4 cents value was not issued, however, until 28th September 19#5, and it seems probable that this was because of the use of the newly-issued Agents' Requisition Book, under Requisition B, the # cents value is - said to be "very urgently required". Five despatches of the 8 cents of Requisition B were sent out between 20th June and 26th November 19#1, and it seems probable that only some of this stock arrived before the Occupation, and it is known that a small stock of #,O95 sheets, which had been held in stock by the Crown Agents in London, was flown out on 23rd August 19k5, but the 4 cents value is not a believed to have been held in stock by the Crown Agents at all.

The six readily-distinguishable stem 3 of Requisition U, the 2c., 5c., 100., 30c., and 50c. perforated 143 x 14, and the $1 value on 'substitute' paper were all issued to dealers in the United Kingdom . in December 1941, but were not issued in Hong Kong until after the war. All the stamps in Requisition C were sent out between 25th August 1941 and 11th November 19h1, apart from the supplies which were retained by the Crown Agents. It is likely, therefore, that some supplies of all these stamps may have arrived in Hong Kong before the Japanese Occupation, though Webb seems to think that only supplies of the four 'dollar' values arrived there. Some of the consignments were diverted. after despatch. because of the situation in Hong Kong, and there are believed to have been 3,000 sheets each

of the 20., 5c., 10c., and 30c. values, perforated 14% x 1A, which were st0pped in South Africa, and a similar quantity of the same values which were diverted to Australia. Robson Lowe also describes

a stock flown out to India just before the Occupation and recognizable by climatic gum-staining, but Webb does not mention this stock. From the above information it seems very likely that stocks of all five of the Williams, Lea printed stamps (i.e. the 10., and the dollar values) as well as the Bradbury, Wilkinson printed 50c. in the new perforation, reached Hong Kong before the capitulation; the other four Bradbury, Wilkinson stamps may just possibly also have done.

0f the stamps in Requisition C, the following are said to have been on sale as soon as the Post Office Opened after the Occupation:- the 10c., 30c. and 50c. values, perforated 14% x 14, and all four Williams, Lea dollar values, though the tOp two dollar values were only in very limited quantities.

The stocks from South Africa and Australia were sent on to Hong Kong by sea, as the result of a request from the Colonial Office to the High Commissioners concerned, on 21st September 1945, and it is thought, did not reach the colony till the end of the year or later.

Webb lists the stocks held by the Crown Agents in the United Kingdom during the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong, buthuts the quantities in "sheets", which must only mean "stamps", because from total printings so many sheets could not exist! The quantities of Requisition C stamps are:-

30c. 467,050 50c. 473,965 51. 937,009 ' Most of this stock was flown out to Hong Kong on 23rd August 1945

by the British War Office Planning Unit. It had been intended to overprint these stamps "B.M.A.", but it was not necessary, because

Planning Unit arrived. Later the balance of the sheets held by the Crown Agents for use in their Stamp Bureau was asked for urgently by the Planning Unit, and was flown out late in September 1945. The Planning Unit also asked for a new printing, which was sent out by

air in December 1945 and January 1946, and this was Requisition D There appears to be a little bit of doubt about the release in

2 cents value, it was never released in London, but placed on sale in the Colony after the liberation".

Of the $1 value, Gibbons in "Stamp News in Brief" of July 1946 stated:- "51. The supply on sale after the liberation was a later printing than 1941, on substitute paper, shade reddish-purple".

In the light of the Crown Agents' records, which shows the Williams, Lea printing of the $1 in 1941 to be the only one which could have produced the stamp on substitute paper in the original colours, and no other printing until the end of November 1945, when the stamp was printed in the altered colours, it must be concluded that in this Gibbons were in error.

value	colour	date of issue	picture	remarks

1c	brown	24/5/38
	a deep brown	09/4/46		Williams, Lea was made in late 1941
	b light brown	04/2/52
2c	grey	05/4/38
	a pale slate	09/4/46
4c	orange	05/4/38
	a pale orange	02/46
5c	green	24/5/38
	a yellow-green	04/2/52
8c	red-brown	01/11/41
	b deep brown	09/4/46
10c	violet	13/4/38
	a reddish lilac	08/4/46
	b pale lilac	09/4/47
15c	scarlet-red	13/4/38
	b carmine-red	09/4/46
20c	black	01/2/46
25c	blue	05/4/38
	a brighter blue	/39
30c	yellow-olive	13/4/38
50c	purple	13/4/38
	a purple	09/4/46
	b bright red-purple (ch)	09/4/47
80c	carmine-rose (ch)	02/2/48
$1	dull lilac and blue (ch)	27/4/38
	a red-lilac and blue (sub)	/41		The surfacing of this stamp smears easily . A Williams, Lea production.
$2	red-orange and green (ch)	25/5/38
$5	dull lilac and red (ch)	02/6/38
$10	green and violet (ch)	02/6/38

Many of the first printings (especially the $5 and $10) usually have brown, streaky gum. Examples with white gum may occasionally be found, and are worth a considerable premium.

During the war years some printings were undertaken on behalf of De La Rue by Harrisons, Williams, Lea and Bradbury Wilkinson. The 4c (possibly the 8ct as well) was produced in single pane sheets of 120. . 1 A printing by. 1b/4a First released in Colony. and later in London on 27/2/52.

1941-45. Design as No 1, etc., but printed on rough paper by Bradbury, Wilkinson (from De La Rue plates), except 4C, which was printed on smooth paper by Harrison and Sons. Perf. 14 3/4 x 14 (C). The printing plate was set in such a way that the design appears embossed on the back of the stamp.

As far as is known, the 4c was not released in London at the end of 1941 with the other values. Supplies which were sent to the Colony were diverted to Australia and South Africa, and were not placed on sale in Hong Kong until the reopening of the Post Office under British Administration in 1945.

Hong Kong was occupied by the Japanese from December 25th, 1941 to August 14th, 1945, and throughout this period unoverprinted Japanese stamps were in use. Three such stamps were surcharged specifically for use in the Colony.

value	colour	date of issue	picture	remarks

20c	scarlet	01/4/48
	a pale carmine-red	24/4/51
25c	pale sage	24/9/46
30c	blue	27/12/46
	a bright blue	21/2/50
$1	orange and green (sub)	08/4/46
	a orange and green (ch)	21/6/48
	b red-orange and deep green (ch)	30/8/50
	c yellow-orange and green (ch)	06/11/52
$2	violet and red . (sub)	08/4/46
	a purple-violet and red (ch)	09/4/47
	b violet and red (ch)	18 .60
$5	yellow-green and violet (sub)	08/4/46
	a bluish green and violet (sub)	08/4/46
	b deep yellow-green and violet (ch)	09/4/47
	c green and violet (ch)	02/2/48
$10	deep violet and blue (sub)	08/4/46
	a pale violet and blue (sub)	08/4/46
	b red-violet and blue (ch)	09/4/47
	c red-purple and blue (ch)	21/2/50