Post office · Madras Presidency
Madura
- Handstamps
- 10
- Recorded
- 1794–1855
- Rare
- 1
Madura, headquarters of the same named District in Madras Presidency, on the south bank of the Vaigai River, 345 miles from Madras, is situated 9°55' N. and 78°7' E. Following the defeat of Tippoo Sultan, the District of Madura came into British hands in 1801.
Madura has 10 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1794–1855 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
Madura 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 | 1827 | Scarce |
| HG 2 | Handstamp | Black | 1829 | Common |
| HG 3 | Handstamp | Black | 1837–1850 | Common |
| HG 4 | Handstamp | Red | 1837–1839 | Common |
| HG 5 | Handstamp | Red | 1839–1855 | Common |
| HG 6 | Handstamp | Black | 1848–1849 | Common |
| HG 7 | Handstamp | Red | 1848–1849 | Common |
| HG 8 | Handstamp | Red | 1849–1855 | Common |
| HG 9 | Handstamp | Red | 1854 | Very scarce |
| MN 1 | Manuscript | — | 1794 | 1 example recorded |
Frequently asked — Madura postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Madura?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Madura are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Madura post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Madura was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 10 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1794 and 1855.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Madura?
- 10 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for Madura 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 Madura called today?
- Madura is the colonial-era name of present-day Madurai, India. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a Madura 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 Madura 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: Madura, Madurai, Madura HG 1, Madura handstruck stamps, Madura pre stamp covers, Madura postal history.
How to cite
“Madura, Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/madura (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026
An unrecorded mark from Madura?
If you hold a cover or strike from Madura 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.