Stamps the World – Angra

Where is Angra?

The District of Angra do Heroísmo (after 6 October 1898 the Autonomous District of Angra do Heroísmo), was a district of the Ilhas Adjacentes (the former collective name for the Azores and Madeira), consisting of the dependent central islands of the Azores.

• The district of Angra, not to be confused with the modern municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, which existed until 1976 when it was abolished in the favour of the autonomy charter of the 1976 Portuguese Constitution.

Angra was created in 1835, with its seat in the city of Angra do Heroísmo, and included the islands of Terceira, São Jorge and Graciosa. Like its counterparts in Horta and Ponta Delgada, it was extinguished on 22 August 1975, with the creation of the Junta Regional of the Azores.

• With constitutional autonomy of the Azores, the districts were extinguished
• The constitution of the Portuguese Republic of 1976 installed a politico-administrative statute that invested power in a regional government

Stamps of Angra do Heroísmo

The first stamps used in the Azores were Portuguese stamps issued in 1853 depicting the effigy of Queen D. Maria II and these were also issued in Angra – as evidenced by the barred numeral obliterator cancels used there at the time.

1853 Portugal, Queen D. Maria II, 50 reis green, tied by a 20-bar ANGRA “48” obliterator cancel

The first stamps issued for Angra arrived in 1892 and were followed by sets of the same basic colonial ‘key plate’ design with new values to reflect changes in postage rates.

1897-1905 Angra (Azores) mixed short sets

• 1892 -1893 King Carlos I (No watermark, perf. 11½-13½) – 12 values
• 1897 King Carlos I (No watermark, perf. 11½-12½) – 14 values
• 1898 King Carlos I (No watermark, perf. 11½-12½) – 4 new values
• 1899 King Carlos I (No watermark, perf. 11½-12½) – 2 new colours

1905 Angra ‘re-prints’ (a scarce set of 12 mint stamps)

On 2 January 1980, the use of separate stamps for the Azores (and Madeira) were revived. The modern stamps are inscribed both “PORTUGAL” and “AÇORES”. Personalized and regional stamps began to be emitted from 2008 by the Portuguese postal service.

• These stamps have no special purpose beyond the expression of local pride
• About 5-10 are issued each year, generally with themes relating to the Azores
  • All are sold and valid in Portugal

2001 – Portugal, Azores, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, World Heritage set

Postal History of Angra do Heroísmo

The district of Angra do Heroísmo included the northern central islands of the Azores: Graciosa, Terceira and São Jorge. This region includes a land area of 239 km², and the following municipalities:

• Santa Cruz da Graciosa
• Angra do Heroísmo
• Praia da Vitória
• Calheta
• Velas

In the Azores, then known as the Ilhas Adjacentes (Adjacent Islands), stamps were cancelled with circular postmark between 1853 and 1869 (referred to as the First Reform) that included numerals corresponding to the localities:

• 48 – Angra do Heroísmo (Terceira)
• 49 – Horta (Fayal)
• 50 – Ponta Delgada (São Miguel)

Between 1869 and 1878 oval postmarks began to be used (the Second Postal Reform), with new postal designations:

• 42 – Angra do Heroísmo (Terceira)
• 43 – Horta (Faial)
• 44 – Ponta Delgada (São Miguel)

Early postal history of Angra comprises early Portuguese stamps cancelled by Angra barred numeral obliterators and these are quite scarce. There is also a range of pre-printed postal stationery and later picture postcards. All of these may have Angra stamps and postmarks on them, if postally used.

1892 Angra (Azores, Portugal) postal stationery cards (unused)

1905 An early undivided back postcard (commemorating 1498-1898 India) used late in 1905 from Praia da Vitória, Angra to Stockholm, Sweden, with a Praia da Vitória c.d.s.

After the brief postal independence of Angra, Horta and Ponta Delgada between 1892 and 1906, the postal history of these three administrative districts comprises covers with the overprinted stamps of the Azores rather than that of Portugal.Collectors should be on the look-out for Azores covers with Angra postmarks.

 

---

Other Stamps / Envelopes / Postcards in this series:

• Stamps of the World – a list of stamp issuing countries (past & present)
• Irish Diaspora Letters – an A-Z list of incoming mail to Ireland from abroad
• Rare Stamps – a list of the rarest stamps in the world (old & new)

 

---