Post office · Bengal Presidency
BandelPostal Covers & Pre-1854 Postal History
Bandel postal covers and handstruck postal markings of pre-1854 British India, recorded in an open census: 1 Bandel handstamp recorded between 1837 and 1839, Bengal Presidency.
- Handstamps
- 1
- Recorded
- 1837–1839
Bandel is a suburb of Hooghly town in the Hooghly District, Bengal situated 22°55' N, and 88°24' E on the right bank of the Hooghly River. It contains a Roman Catholic co nvent, said to be the oldest Christian church in Bengal. It is famous for its cheeses.
Bandel has 1 pre-1854 hand-struck postal marking dated 1837–1839 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Bandel handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
| Mark | Type | Colour | Dates | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HG 1 | Handstamp | Black | 1837–1839 | Scarce |
Bandel— postal history & markings
Bandel — a suburb of Hooghly town, and site of one of the oldest Christian churches in Bengal — leaves a single scarce handstamp, HG 1 of 1837, in black. The record is minimal, one mark only, but its scarcity gives the collector a target, and its setting beside a historic river church lends the little office a note of interest.
Frequently asked — Bandel postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Bandel?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Bandel are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Bandel post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Bandel was a post office of the Bengal Presidency, British India, and this census records 1 distinct postal marking used there, dated between 1837 and 1839.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Bandel?
- 1 hand-struck postal marking is recorded for Bandel in this census. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.
- How do I identify a Bandel postmark or cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Bandel cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.
For background on the material itself, see the guides to the handstruck stamps of India, the pre covers of India and the pre stamp covers of India, which explain how marks like those recorded at Bandel were struck, catalogued and graded for rarity.
Also searched as: Bandel, Bandel HG 1, Bandel handstruck stamps, Bandel pre stamp covers, Bandel postal history.
How to cite
“Bandel, Bengal Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/bandel (accessed 25 September 2026).
Updated: 25 Sept 2026
An unrecorded mark from Bandel?
If you hold a cover or strike from Bandel that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.
Same presidency
Other post offices in the Bengal Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Bengal Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.