Gilbert and Ellice Islands

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands were a British protectorate from 1892 and a British colony from 1916 until 1 January 1976 when the islands were divided into two different colonies which became independent nations shortly after. The Gilbert Islands have been the major part of the nation of Kiribati since 1979, and the Ellice Islands became Tuvalu in 1978.

The protectorate was generally established on this area (but not on these islands) by the Pacific Islands Protection Act of 1857, and then in 1877 for the Western Pacific Territories, but the protectorate on the Gilbert group and on the Ellice group was formal and effective only from 1892, and a High Commissioner was appointed in 1893. The islands became a crown colony on 12 January 1916.

The Gilbert Islands were inhabited by Melanesians before the discovery by Europeans between 1537 and 1826. The sixteen islands of the Gilberts were declared a protectorate by Captain Davis (HMS Royalist) between 27 May and 17 June 1892. The Ellice Islands, with a Polynesian population, were place under British administration in 1877 and were declared a protectorate by Captain Gibson (HMS Curacao) between 9 and 16 October 1892. Banaba (or Ocean Island) was included within the protectorate in 1900. In 1916 a colony was formed together with Fanning Island and Washington Island (Northern Line Islands) and the Union Islands (Tokelau, ceded to New Zealand in 1925). Christmas Island was included in 1919, the Phoenix Islands in 1937 and the five islands of the Central and Southern Line Islands in 1972.

Capital: Banaba Island (Ocean Island); after 1945: Tarawa (Bairiki)

Government: British protectorate (1892-1916); British colony (1916-1976)

Area: 971 km²

Population: 58.000 (1975)

Currency: British Pound (20 shilling, 1 shilling = 12 pence); from 14 February 1966: Australian Dollar (100 cent)

For more stamps see:

Kiribati

Tuvalu

Links

Gilbert and Ellice Islands in Wikipedia.

Flag of Gilbert and Ellice Islands in Flags of the World.

Stamp catalogue

UPU 75th anniversary

date: 10 October 1949

designer: -

printer: Waterlow & Sons, London (1 and 4), Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., New Malden (2 and 3)

perforated: 13½:14 (1 and 4), 11:11½ (2 and 3)

1 1 d Hermes, globe, letter, airplane, boat, train, text "UNIVERSAL / POSTAL UNION / 1874 1949"

purple

(cat. Michel 54/SG 59/Yvert 54)

2 2 d hemispheres, airplane, steamer, text "1874 / UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION / 1949"

grey-black

(cat. Michel 55/SG 60/Yvert 55)

3 3 d Hermes scattering letters over globe, text "UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION / 1874 / 1949"

deep blue

(cat. Michel 56/SG 61/Yvert 56)

4 1/- UPU monument, Berne, text "UNIVERSAL / POSTAL / UNION / 1874 / 1949" and "UNION

POSTALE UNIVERSELLE"

blue

(cat. Michel 57/SG 62/Yvert 57)

Freedom from Hunger Campaign

date: 1 August 1963

designer: Michael Goaman

printer: Harrison & Sons, London

perforated: 14½

5 10 d collection of 'protein foods', text "FREEDOM FROM HUNGER"

ultramarine

(cat. Michel 74/SG 79/Yvert 74)

ITU Centenary

date: 4 June 1965

designer: Michael Goaman

printer: Johan Enschede en Zonen, Haarlem

perforated: 11:11½

6 3 d globe and flash, text on telex tape "INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION /

+ CENTENARY + 1865 + 1965"

red-orange, deep bluish green

(cat. Michel 82/SG 87/Yvert 82)

7 2/6 globe and flash, text on telex tape "INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION /

+ CENTENARY + 1865 + 1965"

turquoise-blue, light purple

(cat. Michel 83/SG 88/Yvert 83)

International Co-operation Year

date: 25 October 1965

designer: Victor Whiteley

printer: Harrison & Sons, London

perforated: 14½

8 ½ d ICY emblem, text "1965 / INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION YEAR"

reddish purple, turquoise green

(cat. Michel 99/SG 104/Yvert 99)

9 3/7 d ICY emblem, text "1965 / INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION YEAR"

deep bluish green, lavender

(cat. Michel 100/SG 105/Yvert 100)

Inauguration of WHO Headquarters, Geneva

date: 20 September 1966

designer: Michael Goaman

printer: Harrison & Sons, London

perforated: 14

10 3 c WHO emblem, building, text "New Headquarters Building / 1966 / WHO"

black, yellow-green, light blue

(cat. Michel 122/SG 127/Yvert 122)

11 12 c WHO emblem, building, text "New Headquarters Building / 1966 / WHO"

black, light purple, yellow-brown

(cat. Michel 123/SG 128/Yvert 123)

UNESCO 20th anniversary

date: 1 December 1966

designer: Jennifer Toombs

printer: Harrison & Sons, London

perforated: 14

12 5 c UNESCO emblem, pen and blocks, text "20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNESCO / EDUCATION"

state-violet, red, yellow, orange

(cat. Michel 124/SG 129/Yvert 124)

13 10 c UNESCO emblem, retort and ears of wheat, text "20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNESCO / SCIENCE"

orange-yellow, violet, deep olive

(cat. Michel 125/SG 130/Yvert 125)

14 20 c UNESCO emblem, harp and temple, text "20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNESCO / CULTURE"

black, bright purple, orange

(cat. Michel 126/SG 131/Yvert 126)

UNO 25th anniversary

date: 26 June 1970

designer: Jennifer Toombs

printer: Johan Enschede en Zonen, Haarlem

perforated: 12½:13½

15 5 c nurse and family, foetus, text "25th Anniversary / of the / United Nations / 26th June 1970",

"WHO|UNICEF" and "Maternal & / Child Health / Campaign"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 157/SG 162/Yvert 157)

16 10 c surgical instruments, medicine, nurse, text "25th Anniversary / of the / United Nations / 26th

June 1970" and "WHO|UNICEF"

black, grey, red

(cat. Michel 158/SG 163/Yvert 158)

17 15 c doctor and microscope, X-ray photo, text "25th Anniversary / of the / United Nations / 26th June

1970", "WHO|UNICEF" and "Tuberculosis / Control / Campaign"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 159/SG 164/Yvert 159)

18 35 c map of Tarawa Atoll, UNO emblem, text "25th Anniversary / of the / United Nations / 26th June 1970"

new blue, black, turquoise-green

(cat. Michel 160/SG 165/Yvert 160)

UNICEF 25th anniversary

date: 11 December 1971

designer: Gyual (Julian) Vasarhelyi

printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London

perforated: 14½

19 3 cents group of young boys, UNICEF emblem, text "UNICEF / 25th Anniversary / 1946-1971"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 188/SG 193/Yvert 188)

20 10 cents young boy sitting down, UNICEF emblem, text "UNICEF / 25th Anniversary / 1946-1971"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 189/SG 194/Yvert 189)

21 35 cents young boy, UNICEF emblem, text "UNICEF / 25th Anniversary / 1946-1971"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 190/SG 195/Yvert 190)

WMO Centenary

date: 26 November 1973

designer: E.S. Cheek, adapted by PAD Studio

printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London

perforated: 14½

22 3 c man and weather station, WMO jubilee emblem, text "METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATION / IMO-WMO /

CENTENARY 1973"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 213/SG 223/Yvert 213)

23 10 c man and weather station, observing station, WMO jubilee emblem, text "ISLAND OBSERVING STATION /

IMO-WMO / CENTENARY 1973"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 214/SG 224/Yvert 214)

24 35 c weather balloon, radar, WMO jubilee emblem, text "WIND FINDING RADAR (W.F.3.) / IMO-WMO

CENTENARY 1973"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 215/SG 225/Yvert 215)

25 50 c map of Gilbert and Ellice Islands with station locations, WMO jubilee emblem, text "WORLD

WEATHER WATCH STATIONS / IMO-WMO / CENTENARY 1973"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 216/SG 226/Yvert 216)

UPU Centenary

date: 10 June 1974

designer: E.S. Cheek, adapted by John Cooter

printer: Questa Colour Security Printers, London

perforated: 14½

26 4 c stamp of 1924, canoe, UPU emblem, text "U.P.U. CENTENARY 1974" and "TE KOROBA"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 221/SG 232/Yvert 221)

27 10 c stamp of 1939, sailing vessel, UPU emblem, text "U.P.U. CENTENARY 1974" and "KIA KIA"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 222/SG 233/Yvert 222)

28 25 c stamp of 1971, airplane, UPU emblem, text "U.P.U. CENTENARY 1974" and "BAC One-Eleven"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 223/SG 234/Yvert 223)

29 35 c UPU emblem, text "UNIVERSAL / POSTAL UNION / CENTENARY / 1874-1974"

light vermilion, black

(cat. Michel 224/SG 235/Yvert 224)

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last revised: 18 October 2008