British Commonwealth Stamps  »  Somaliland protectorate

British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia

During 1876 Egyptian post offices were opened in Somaliland using stamps of Egypt until 1884 when the garrisons withdrew

From 1st January 1887 until 1903 stamps of India were used

On 1st June 1903 the Protectorate Post Office was established when control of the British Somaliland was transferred from the Indian Government to the British Foreign Office  The first stamps issued, in 1903, were stamps of India overprinted

In 1904 the protectorate issued its own stamps, featuring a profile of King Edward VII, and inscribed "SOMALILAND PROTECTORATE". Issues of George V used the same design with George's profile

After George VI ascended the throne, the new series of 12 values used three pictorial designs; a Berbera blackhead sheep, Greater Kudu antelope, and a map. The 1938 series included a 3/4 portrait of the king; in 1942, with the restoration of civil postal service, new stamps used a full-face portrait, and the sheep design was re-engraved