In 1793, Belgium was occupied by the French. The mail from the Netherlands was transported via Pruissen to the French Border Post Office Maaseik.
Letter from Emden to Antwerp, Belgium, 31 May 1805. Paid in advance and sent via Zwolle: "Fr. Zwoll" is listed at the bottom left. Via Prussia and the French Border Post Office Maaseik (handstamp PRUSSE / PAR MAASEYCK) to Antwerp. Prussian share 4½ Silbergroschen (= 3 décimes de déboursé), in Antwerp totally paid 5 décimes.
In the Dutch Napoleontic era and between 1815 and 1830 (Belgium was part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands until 1830), the domestic postal rates applied, see Postal rates for domestic mail.
Letter from Zwolle to Tournai, 22 May 1830 with datestamp ZWOLLE without year. Belgium was still part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands: rate for domestic letters: 35 cents.
After the Belgian revolt in 1830, there was temporarily no postal connection via the Belgian-Dutch border. In the Staatsblad of 2 November 1830, mail with the Southern Netherlands was completely prohibited. A postal connection via Prussia was soon established. The letters sent from Belgium were not allowed to carry any Belgian postmark, that would betray the origin. On 22 May 1831 a steamer connection between Dunkirk in France and Rotterdam was established. There are some letters known that were transported to the Netherlands via France. In addition, letters were also smuggled across the border.
The postage via the Prussian route consisted of the domestic rate of the addressee country plus 4 Silbergroschen = 25 cents for the Emmerich - Aachen route.
On May 22, 1831, a steamer connection between Dunkirk in France and Rotterdam was established. There are some letters known that were transported to the Netherlands via France. In addition, letters were also smuggled across the border.
At the beginning of 1835, mail traffic on Antwerp and Groot-Zundert was allowed. The postage consisted of the sum of:
The Belgian domestic rate to Antwerp + 5 décimes +
The Dutch domestic rate up to or from Breda + 25 cents.
After the peace treaty was signed on 19 April 1839, postal traffic was restored to normal on 1 July 1839.
The postal rate then consisted of the sum of Dutch and Belgian postage to or from the relevant border office, without surcharge.
For the conversion of the postal rates 1 Belgian décime was equated with 5 Dutch cents.
On 1 April 1852, the rate for the entire route became 20 cents or 40 centimes per 15 wigtjes (grams).
Funeral letter from Heino via Zwolle to Ghent, Belgium, 3-6-1860. The two 10 cent stamps 1852 issue are cancelled with the franco-halfround ZWOLLE / 23/6/1860 / FRANCO in grotesque font. P.D. = payé jusqu'a la destination, paid up to the destination. The name handstamp of the HEINO auxiliary office is on reverse.
Rate letters to Belgium 1-4-1852 to 30-6-1865, 0 - 15 wigtjes: 20 cents.
Letter from Zwolle to Antwerp, 5 September 1863. Circular datestamp ZWOLLE with hour characters. Rate for a letter of the second weight progression (indicated upper left: 2), 15 - 30 wigtjes: 2 x 40 = 80 centimes = 8 décimes.
On 1 July 1865 the rate was reduced to 10 cents or 20 centimes.
Letter from Zwolle to Antwerp, 1 February 1867. ZWOLLE trial circular datestamp, small type cds with hour characters in red. Franked with 10 cents 1867 issue. Rate 1-7-1865 to 30-9-1907, 0 - 15 wigtjes: 10 cents.
Last update
27.09.2023 8:49 PM
Copyright © 2019 -
G.L. van Welie FRPSL
Secretary of the Nederlandse Academie voor Filatelie
Representative of the Royal Philatelic Society London for the Netherlands
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