Royal Reels: Gambling

Explorers

LETTER to HAMILTON HUME J.P. about WILLIAM HILTON HOVELL

This fine cover has a vertical pair of the 1850 vermilion One Penny ‘Sydney Views’ (S.G. 7) tied by an indistinct cancel, addressed to Hamilton Hume at Yass (New South Wales). Not only is the pair of imperforate stamps superb, but the letter brings together four men important in early N.S.W. history. The vendor gives information about the contents of the letter, as follows: “refers to (William Hilton) Hovell (explorer)

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JOHN STUART HEPBURN, SEA-FARER, PASTORALIST/LANDHOLDER, VICTORIA

The entire is addressed Captain Hepburn of the Loddon, 17th Feby. 1850. It is stampless and has an oval framed postmark of MOUNT MACEDON/ [CROWN]/ FE 20/ 1848/ PORT PHILLIP. The entire is headed ‘Smeaton Hill’ and is signed ‘John Hepburn’ and it was sent to the Supreme Court, and was rated ‘4′ (Figure 1). John Stuart Hepburn was born in Scotland in 1800. And initially became a sea-faring man from

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JOHN SEPTIMUS ROE (1797-1878), W.A. SURVEYOR GENERAL & EXPLORER

This 5 Oct 1850 stampless entire inwards letter from India, has a framed Calcutta datestamp on the reverse and is addressed to J.S. Roe Esqre R.N., Surveyor General, Swan River Settlement. It has a manuscript per Lady Margaret -via Adelaide plus a mss. ‘8’. On the right, there is a vertically written ‘Calcutta. 5 October 1850. W. Bubly/Recd. 25 Oct 1851 p. “Unknown” via S Australia. The provenance of the

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HUGO ZOLLER, GERMAN JOURNALIST, AUTHOR & WORLD TRAVELER

The South Australian postcard had a purple ‘ONE PENNY’ stamp postmarked by SHIP MAIL ROOM/ S2/ AU 2/ 88/S. A and it was addressed to Hugo Zöller Esq, Poste Restante, Melbourne. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1). Hugo Zöller was born on 12 January 1852 near Schleiden to a Rhenish family in Germany of foundry owners and died in 1933 in München, and he became an explorer and journalist.

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