The cover is addressed to Mr. F. Smail (sic) Tailors, Murray St., Hobart, Tasmania and the lilac ‘TWO PENCE’ stamp of Victoria is canceled RYE / AU 7/ 07/ VICTORIA. It has the telltale spike puncture of Tattersalls, but not the lilac label. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).
A registered cover destined for the same person was correctly addressed to Mr. Fred Smale, Taylor, 97 Murray Street, Hobart, Tas and the two stamps of Victoria, a ‘THREE PENCE’ and a ‘TWO PENCE’ had 2 registration marks of ‘R’ in a circle, as well as an unframed WARING RY STN (Railway Station) postmark as well as a ms. registration number of ‘1663′. The reverse was not seen (Figure 2).
The second cover was found in David McNamee’s book ‘Catalogue and Handbook of Tattersall’s Covers, 2006’ on page 153 which describes the addressee as Fredrick William Smale who started his tailor shop after the 1902 postal ban on Tattersall was already in effect. The Smales lived on the Main Road in Newtown (a suburb of Hobart) and a Miss Smale at that address was the Postmistress. Messrs Smale Bros., Murray Street, Hobart was proscribed by the Commonwealth Government in 1909. His brother, Fred Smale died in Hobart in 1939 at the age of 65.
Other variations of these aliases are shown in Figure 3.
‘The Mercury Hobart’, 31 August 1903, on p. 3 had an advertisement for Smale Bros. at 37 Murray-Street, Hobart and this is shown in Figure 4.
At a later date ‘The Mercury Hobart’ advertisement showed that the Smale Bros. were located at Collins Street, Hobart (Figure 5).
The ‘Advocate’ Burnie, Tasmania 27 January 1939, page 2 was headlined: OBITUARY/ MR. F.W. SMALE. HOBART. Well known Business Man and Philanthropist. Hobart, Thursday. I will summarise the one column Obituary: the business man, , philanthropist and sportsman died at a private hospital this morning at the age of 63. He became ill while on holidays at Christmas, and since then he had steadily declined. He was engaged in the mercery business and tailoring trade from an early age. He with his brother, Mr. J.P. Smale traded as Smale Bros. Hobart,which became one of the leading businesses of its kind in the State. On the death of his brother in 1932, Mr. Smale took over the management of the business and also became associated with other businesses, and also other public institutions in the south of Tasmania. He was a director of Messrs. Heathorn & Co., and a member of the executive committee of Stowell Private Hospital as well as a member of the Tasmanian Amateur Jockey Club, a vice president of the Royal Auto Club and the Hobart Rotary Club.
Of a generous disposition, he gave considerable financial support to various charitable institutions and became associated with the Tasmanian Consumptive Sanatorium and the Boy Scout movement. He also took an interest in yachting and was a member of the Royal Yacht Club.
Although his association with the Tasmanian turf as an owner dates only from 1932, he brought a number of good horses to Tasmania and enjoyed success with the majority of them. The obituary listed the names of the horses which he bought from New Zealand and Melbourne, as well as some of the winnings and failures.