Post office · Madras Presidency
Sheally
- Handstamps
- 1
- Recorded
- 1829
- Rare
- 1
Sheally was a small town five miles inland from the south-east coast of the Madras Presidency, situated 11°13' N and 79°40' E in the Tanjore District, 22 miles north of Negapatam and 153 miles south of Madras. (Giles 2000 Supplement)
Sheally has 1 pre-1854 hand-struck postal marking from 1829 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Sheally handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
| Mark | Type | Colour | Dates | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HG 1 | Handstamp | Red | 1829 | 1 example recorded |
Frequently asked — Sheally postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Sheally?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Sheally are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Sheally post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Sheally was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 1 distinct postal marking used there, dated around 1829.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Sheally?
- 1 hand-struck postal marking is recorded for Sheally 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.
- How do I identify a Sheally 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 Sheally 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: Sheally, Sheally HG 1, Sheally handstruck stamps, Sheally pre stamp covers, Sheally postal history.
How to cite
“Sheally, Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/sheally (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026
An unrecorded mark from Sheally?
If you hold a cover or strike from Sheally 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.