- Handstamps
- 2
- Recorded
- 1839–1858
- Rare
- 1
A small rock In the Trichinopoly District, Madras Presidency, about a mile from Trichinopoly City, situated 10°49' N and 78°43' E. It has two prominences with a sadd le between. In the siege of Trichinopoly by Chanda Sahib and the French, the latter occupied the rock and mounted on it two 18-pounders; hence its name.
French Rocks has 2 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1839–1858 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Manuscript markings
1 markBefore handstamps were introduced, postmasters wrote postal details by hand — these manuscript markings pre-date the struck marks above.
Brown border = community submission, verified by editors
French Rocks handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
Frequently asked — French Rocks postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of French Rocks?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of French Rocks are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the French Rocks post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. French Rocks was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 2 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1839 and 1858.
- How many handstamps are recorded for French Rocks?
- 2 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for French Rocks in this census, of which 1 is graded rare or better. 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.
- What is French Rocks called today?
- French Rocks is the colonial-era name of present-day Pandavapura, India. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a French Rocks 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 French Rocks 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.
Also searched as: French Rocks, Pandavapura, French Rocks HG 1, French Rocks handstruck stamps, French Rocks pre stamp covers, French Rocks postal history.
How to cite
“French Rocks, Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/french-rocks (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026
An unrecorded mark from French Rocks?
If you hold a cover or strike from French Rocks 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 Madras Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Madras Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.