Postage stamps and postal history of the Ross Dependency
Encyclopedia
Ross Dependency
stamps have been issued by New Zealand
postal
authorities for use on mail from Scott Base
since 1957.
Overprinted New Zealand stamps had been used for mail on two earlier
expeditions to the region.
Before leaving New Zealand on the 1908 British Antarctic Expedition, Captain Ernest Shackleton
was appointed as a New Zealand Postmaster, and provided with 23,492 New Zealand “Penny Universal” stamps, overprinted “King Edward VII Land”, for use on the expedition.
Postmaster Shackleton was provided with a circular date stamp, “BRIT. ANTARCTIC EXPD.”, with “N.Z.”, and time, date, year on four lines in the centre, which used to postmark mail from the continent.
Due to ice conditions, Shackleton was unable to reach King Edward VII Land, and established his base in McMurdo Sound
.
Before leaving New Zealand on the Terra Nova Expedition
in 1910,
Captain Robert Falcon Scott
was appointed as a Postmaster. 24,000
New Zealand “Penny Dominion” stamps (200 sheets) were overprinted
“VICTORIA LAND.”, of which 23,171 were carried by Postmaster Scott on
the expedition.
During 1912, an additional 2,400 Edward VII ½d stamps were overprinted,
and 1,940 of these were carried aboard the Terra Nova when it returned
to Antarctica in the 1912-13 summer season.
The first stamps inscribed Ross Dependency were issued on January
11, 1957, in conjunction with the New Zealand Antarctic Expedition, led
by Sir Edmund Hillary
(part of the
Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition
). Before the expedition left
New Zealand, on 23 November 1956, Hillary had been appointed postmaster.
When the expedition chose the site for Scott Base, a post office was
established, initially in a tent.
The initial set of stamps consisted of four stamps, in the denominations 3d, 4d, 8d, and 1s 6d. When New Zealand adopted a decimal currency in 1967, the stamps were reissued in denominations of 2c, 3c, 7c, and 15c.
A new definitive set, consisting of six stamps denominated 3c, 4c, 5c, 8c, 10c and 18c was issued in 1972. The next set, issued in 1982 to mark the 25th anniversary of Scott Base, consisted of 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 40c and 50c stamps.
The post office at Scott Base was closed in 1987 as part of the rationalisation of New Zealand Post
. Mail from the base was handled in Christchurch
, and the issuing of “Ross Dependency” stamps ceased.
in 1994, “due to local and international demand.”
A definitive set was issued in 1994, and pictorial sets of five or six
stamps have been issued annually since then.
The denominations match those of contemporary New Zealand stamps.
However, the stamps are not generally valid on New Zealand mail.
Mail from the Ross Dependency is processed by the “Ross Dependency Agency”,
located at a post office in Christchurch. Members of the public
(mostly philatelists and stamp dealers) are able to post items bearing
Ross Dependency stamps at this office.
Mail is canceled with the inscription “Ross Dependency Agency, Christchurch.”
Ross Dependency
The Ross Dependency is a region of Antarctica defined by a sector originating at the South Pole, passing along longitudes 160° east to 150° west, and terminating at latitude 60° south...
stamps have been issued by New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
postal
authorities for use on mail from Scott Base
Scott Base
Scott Base is a research facility located in Antarctica and is operated by New Zealand. It was named after Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Royal Navy, leader of two British expeditions to the Ross Sea area of Antarctica...
since 1957.
Overprinted New Zealand stamps had been used for mail on two earlier
expeditions to the region.
King Edward VII Land
Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
was appointed as a New Zealand Postmaster, and provided with 23,492 New Zealand “Penny Universal” stamps, overprinted “King Edward VII Land”, for use on the expedition.
Postmaster Shackleton was provided with a circular date stamp, “BRIT. ANTARCTIC EXPD.”, with “N.Z.”, and time, date, year on four lines in the centre, which used to postmark mail from the continent.
Due to ice conditions, Shackleton was unable to reach King Edward VII Land, and established his base in McMurdo Sound
McMurdo Sound
The ice-clogged waters of Antarctica's McMurdo Sound extend about 55 km long and wide. The sound opens into the Ross Sea to the north. The Royal Society Range rises from sea level to 13,205 feet on the western shoreline. The nearby McMurdo Ice Shelf scribes McMurdo Sound's southern boundary...
.
Victoria Land
Terra Nova Expedition
The Terra Nova Expedition , officially the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, was led by Robert Falcon Scott with the objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole. Scott and four companions attained the pole on 17 January 1912, to find that a Norwegian team led by Roald...
in 1910,
Captain Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
was appointed as a Postmaster. 24,000
New Zealand “Penny Dominion” stamps (200 sheets) were overprinted
“VICTORIA LAND.”, of which 23,171 were carried by Postmaster Scott on
the expedition.
During 1912, an additional 2,400 Edward VII ½d stamps were overprinted,
and 1,940 of these were carried aboard the Terra Nova when it returned
to Antarctica in the 1912-13 summer season.
Ross Dependency: 1957-1987
11, 1957, in conjunction with the New Zealand Antarctic Expedition, led
by Sir Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
(part of the
Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition
Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition
The 1955–58 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition was a Commonwealth-sponsored expedition that successfully completed the first overland crossing of Antarctica, via the South Pole...
). Before the expedition left
New Zealand, on 23 November 1956, Hillary had been appointed postmaster.
When the expedition chose the site for Scott Base, a post office was
established, initially in a tent.
The initial set of stamps consisted of four stamps, in the denominations 3d, 4d, 8d, and 1s 6d. When New Zealand adopted a decimal currency in 1967, the stamps were reissued in denominations of 2c, 3c, 7c, and 15c.
A new definitive set, consisting of six stamps denominated 3c, 4c, 5c, 8c, 10c and 18c was issued in 1972. The next set, issued in 1982 to mark the 25th anniversary of Scott Base, consisted of 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 40c and 50c stamps.
The post office at Scott Base was closed in 1987 as part of the rationalisation of New Zealand Post
New Zealand Post
New Zealand Post, commonly referred by its acronym, NZPost is a State owned enterprise responsible for providing postal service in New Zealand.-History:...
. Mail from the base was handled in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, and the issuing of “Ross Dependency” stamps ceased.
Ross Dependency: 1994-present.
New Zealand Post resumed the issue of stamps inscribed “Ross Dependency”in 1994, “due to local and international demand.”
A definitive set was issued in 1994, and pictorial sets of five or six
stamps have been issued annually since then.
The denominations match those of contemporary New Zealand stamps.
However, the stamps are not generally valid on New Zealand mail.
Mail from the Ross Dependency is processed by the “Ross Dependency Agency”,
located at a post office in Christchurch. Members of the public
(mostly philatelists and stamp dealers) are able to post items bearing
Ross Dependency stamps at this office.
Mail is canceled with the inscription “Ross Dependency Agency, Christchurch.”
See also
- Postage stamps and postal history of New ZealandPostage stamps and postal history of New ZealandPostage stamps have been issued in New Zealand since around the 18th to 20th of July 1855 with the "Chalon head" stamps figuring Queen Victoria. The design was based on a full face portrait of the Queen in her state robes at the time of her coronation in 1837, by Alfred Edward Chalon...
- New Zealand Antarctic Covers