100 Years of the New Hebrides

What is the New Hebrides and where is it?

The New Hebrides is an archipelago of some 80 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, west of Fiji and north-east of New Caledonia. It is the continuation of the Solomon Islands to the south-east.

It was ruled jointly by Great Britain and France as a condominium until it gained independence as Vanuatu in 1980. The capital is Port-Vila, but it is often called Vila, especially by the British.  The languages spoken are English, French and Bislama (a type of pigeon English).

Why is it a condominium?

In the late 1800s, Britain and France were both reluctant to take ownership of the New Hebrides islands because of the tough climate and the savage inhabitants. However, each ended up doing so to prevent the other from having total authority over their settlers, in 1906 forming a Condominium government, colloquially known as the "Pandemonium".

      

The controversial 1893 Military Franchise essays exemplify just one of the power struggles
between French and British interests, in their efforts to gain supremacy in the archipelago.

What exactly are these webpages about?

This series of webpages tells the story of the New Hebrides using material from my collection, from the relocation of the NSW postal agency to Vila in 1892, till its independence as Vanuatu in 1980 and beyond (to 1992).

The pages will be based on information in my exhibit pages, but with more of a Social Philately (Display) slant.

How are they organized?

British, then related French issues are shown within each general time period. The contrast of the British and French influences is shown through the dual printings of the stamps by the two governments, the currencies, watermarks and overprints, and the rates and routes of mail. 

How did I come to collect the New Hebrides?

• My local stamp club members had been at me to specialize.
• I had been there (admittedly it had become independent as Vanuatu by then).
• It was a dead country, so I wouldn’t be plagued with having to keep up with a plethora of new issues. 
• The early sets were affordable, although still a stretch for my housewife’s budget.
• I was already collecting the 1980 map definitives of Vanuatu, and that had led me backwards into the New Hebrides.

Other notes

Cancellation and registration type numbers used refer to the New Hebrides Cancellation Study 1892-1980 by P. Phillips, J. Crompton , W. Holland.
Specimen type numbers used are those from the Specimen Stamps of the Crown Colonies 1857-1948 by Marcus Samuel.

Click on any thumbnail or link.

Plan

1.  Pre-condominium

1.1.  New South Wales Postal Agency 1892-1908 1.2.  New Caledonia Postal Agency 1892-1908 1.3.  Military Franchise Essays 1893 1.4.  Australasian New Hebrides Company (ANHCo) Local Issues 1897 1.5   Syndicat Français des Nouvelles-Hébrides (SFNH) Local Issues 1903

2.  Provisional Condominium Overprints

2.1.  First British Condominium Overprints 1908 2.2.  French “NELLES HÉBRIDES” Essays 1907 2.3.  First French Condominium Overprints 1908 2.4.  Second British Condominium Overprints 1910 2.5.  Second French Condominium Overprints 1910

3.  First Definitive Series and Provisional Surcharges

3.1.  First British Definitives (MCA and Script CA) 1911 3.2.  First French Definitives (MCA and RF) 1911 3.3.  British and French Provisional Surcharges 1920 3.4.  British and French Provisional Surcharges 1921 3.5   British and French Provisional Surcharges 1924

4.  Dual Currency Definitive Series

4.1.  British Dual Currency Definitives	1925
4.2.  French Dual Currency Definitives	1925

5.  Gold Currency Definitive Series and France Libre Overprints

5.1.  British Gold Currency Definitives	1938
5.2.  French Gold Currency Definitives	1938
5.3.  France Libre Overprints	1941

6.  Issues of the 1940s and 1950s

6.1.  UPU and Coronation Issues	1949, 1953
6.2.  1953 and 1956 Issues	1953, 1956
6.3.  1957 Definitives	1957

7.  Issues of the 1960s

7.1.  1962 Definitives	1962
7.2.  Omnibus Issues	1965-1968
7.3.  Other Issues	1963-1969

8.  Issues of the 1970s

8.1.  1972 Definitives	1972
8.2.  1977 Overprints	1977
8.3.  1977 Map Definitives	1977
8.4.  Other Issues	1970-1980

9.  Other Items

9.1.  1970s Stampless Items	1970s
9.2.  Ship Mail	1940-1980
9.3.  Censored Mail	1940-1945
9.4.  Historical Items and Ephemera	1892-1980

10.  Vanuatu Early Issues

10.1.  1980 Map Definitives	1980
10.2.  1980s Omnibus Issues	1980-1992
10.3.  1989 Flower Definitives	1989
10.4.  Other Issues	1980-1992

Afterword

If you have any questions about these pages, please drop me a line at .