Ongzi's Stamps: James Brooke

Saturday, 27 January 2018

Sarawak ( Brooke Dynasty ) 1841-1941

“If it please God to permit me to give stamp to this country which shall last after I am no more, I shall have lived a life which Emperors might envy.”

– Sir James Brooke, K.C.B. First Rajah in 1868 at his home, Burrator in Devonshire -

Excerpt from Sarawak Postal History 1858 – 1956 by J.C.B. Fisher

The words written by the First Rajah had their tragic sequel as very unfortunately Sir James Brooke did not live to see his stamp in use.

In Sarawak stamps are issued from 1869. All issues, until WWII, portray the ruling member of the Brooke dynasty.

In WWII, during the occupation by Japan, the Japanese administration overprints available stamps from Brunei, North Borneo and Sarawak in Japanese. The overprints would read ‘Imperial Japanese Government’, ‘Imperial Japanese Post North Borneo’ or just ‘North Borneo’. The overprints exist in several varieties and in different colors as the overprint was applied both by the central authorities and by local post offices. Two sets of Japanese design have been issued in 1943. Both overprints and definitives were valid throughout the administrative area of North Borneo including Sarawak.

After WWII, the British issue stamps of North Borneo and Sarawak overprinted ‘BMA'. These overprints were also valid for use throughout all the British possessions in northern Borneo. In 1946, a set is issued to commemorate 100 years of rule by the Brooke family – ironic since the family would be deposed the same year.

From 1947 until 1963, the colony of Sarawak issues stamps. The first issue is an overprint on previous issues, the overprint being an emblem with a crown and ‘GR'. Subsequent issues are of the standard design issued in many British colonies.

The stamps of the colony of Sarawak are superseded, from 1963, by the federal issues of Malaysia, used concurrently with the state issues of Sarawak.

Brooke Dynasty