British Central Africa Protectorate

The British Central Africa Protectorate existed in the area of present-day Malawi between 1891 and 1907.

The Shire Highlands south of Lake Nyasa and the lands west of the lake had been of interest to the British since they were first explored by David Livingstone in the 1850s, and commercial interests began moving in during the 1880s. In 1889, the Anglo-Portuguese Crisis erupted over control of the area, and Britain declared a Shire Highlands Protectorate, extending it to a Nyasaland Districts Protectorate in 1891, and renaming to British Central Africa Protectorate in 1893.

Sir Henry Hamilton Johnston was commissioner from 1891 to 1897. In addition to establishing the administration and police force, he granted land to plantation farmers, and mining companies, gradually dispossessing the natives, who were not familiar with the legal process. Coffee became the chief cash crop.

Blantyre was the economic and cultural center of the protectorate, while Zomba in the Highlands was the governor's residence and administrative center.

The protectorate was changed to the Nyasaland Protectorate on 6 July 107.

Postage stamps and postal history of British Central Africa

The first postage stamps of the protectorate were issued in April 1891, produced by overprint the Rhodesian stamps of the British South Africa Company with B.C.A.. Further surcharged stamps followed in 1892, 1893, and 1895. 1895 also saw the introduction of stamps printed for the protectorate, featuring the protectorate's coat of arms and inscribed BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA. The 1895 issue was printed by De La Rue on unwatermarked paper, but from February 1896 on the paper had either the Crown over CC or Crown over CA watermarks.

In August of 1897 a new design was introduced, still using the coat of arms, but with a clear instead of a lined background.

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