North Western Provinces · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Barelly HG 3a
- Date Span
- 1847
- Colour
- Red
- Catalogue
- 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave) · p. 25
- Figure
- 3a
- Submitted by
- Chandak & Bhargave
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Barelly HG 3a handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Barelly HG 3a handstamp
Barelly City, the Headquarters of the same named District in the United Provinces, with a cantonment, is situated 28°22' N and 79°24' E, 812 miles from Calcutta and 1031 from Bombay. It was first founded in 1537, and with the decline of the Moghal empire, came under the Rohilla power until 1774, when it fell into possession of the Nawab of Oudh, supported by the British, but passed into British hands by cession in 1801. During the uprising in 1857, it was an important centre of disaffection.
Barelly HG 3a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Barelly — the present-day Bareilly — in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use 1847. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave), where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3a".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Collectors searching for barelly pre stamp covers, barelly postal history or "Barelly HG3a" material can compare HG 3a across every office or browse the rest of the Barelly marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Barelly HG 3a handstamp?
- Barelly HG 3a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Barelly (modern Bareilly) in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use 1847. The "HG 3a" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in red.
- What does a Barelly pre stamp cover with HG 3a look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Barelly is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by hand-struck marks like HG 3a. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Barelly HG 3a cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1847). If your cover is not already recorded, you can submit front and back photographs through the census form on this page; every submission is editor-reviewed before publication.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Barelly
5 marks5 other pre-1854 postal markings of Barelly are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Barelly HG 3a, Barelly HG3a, Barelly Giles 3a, Bareilly postal history, Barelly handstamp, Barelly pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Barelly HG 3a — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/barelly/hg-3a (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026