Royal Reels: Gambling

Family History

HAMILTON EWELL VINEYARDS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA & VICTORIA

The first airmail cover was underpaid with a single blue 5½d ‘Emu’ stamp which was canceled with a slogan cancel about preventing accidents, associated with an ADELAIDE/ 22 MAY/ 1948/ SOUTH AUST. postmark. It was addressed to Messrs. Hamilton Ewell Vineyards (Vict.) Pty. Ltd., 114 King Street, Melbourne. It was sent from the parent company in Glenelg, S. Aust and a 6d Postage Due stamp was applied. The reverse was

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GEORGE BARNARD & E.G. LOVE, A TALE ABOUT TWO ENTOMOLOGISTS

The UNION POSTALE UNIVERSELLE CARTE POSTALE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA has a black 1½d stamp cancelled by an illegible postmark, and it has a photo of the ‘Charleville Bore’. It is addressed to E.G. Love Esq Ph.D., 80 East 55 St., New York, U.S.A. and there is a reception postmark NEW YORK, N.Y.-STA. H/ JUN 15/ 8 – PM/ 1901 (Figure 1). The reverse has four postmarks, an incomplete originating postmark ROCKHAMPTON,

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GEORGE & LEO WHITNEY’s ELECTRIC STUDIO & LUNA PARK, MELBOURNE

There is no evidence that this postcard has ever gone through the post. However there are certain intriguing reasons to spin a tale about it for the 2 American brothers who were photographers in Melbourne for perhaps a decade had a significant role to play in the formation of Melbourne’s Luna Park. The postcard advertises the Whitney Bros. Electric Studios, Bourke Street, Melbourne. It also has 2 additional advertising features

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GEORGE ARTHUR CHARLES FANE De SALIS (1851 – 1931)

Over the past five years I have seen at least 5 covers addressed to one of the De Salis family members, but I have not felt that I could do justice to the Australian family members until now. This was not because of insufficient information, of which there is an abundance, but because much of it is difficult to access by way of the internet. However with 2 covers addressed

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FREDERICK VON STIEGLITZ, PASTORALIST & POLITICIAN, TASMANIA

This stampless ‘complete’ is addressed to Frederick L. Steiglitz Esquire, Fingal (Van Diemens Land) and the cancellation has no name of the town, but is dated 28 MY 28/ 1847. The letter was rated ‘4′ (Figure 1). Such un-named Tasmanian cancels originated from Hobart and were used only for local mail. There were 2 such Hobart cancels struck in black, both 28 mm diameter, and classified as Figure 19 used

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EMANUEL SOLOMON (1800-1873) CONVICT, MERCHANT & POLITICIAN

The cover is addressed to Messrs E. Solomon & Co., Adelaide and has the pale red 2d South Australian stamp (S.G. 24a) cancelled with the diamond numeral ‘106′ of Woodchester, and there is a manuscript ‘Private’ at the lower left (Figure 1). The reverse has a transit mark of MOUNT BARKER/ (   )/ 1859/ S-A and a manuscript on the right side, written vertically, of ‘P.O./ Woodchester/ 28.5.59 plus a

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CONSTANCE ENID RADCLIFFE, THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

After researching this unusual postcard for a year, I realised that the postcard was not addressed to Constance but to her mother, Emily for it was addressed to Mrs. Radcliffe, Theosophical Society, Victoria Square, Adelaide, S.A., whereas Constance never married. However both parents and their 3 children were greatly involved with Theosophy, particularly Constance over her long lifespan. The postcard is inscribed vertically along its left border ‘Copyright: The Colombo

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S. BENJAMIN, TEMPLE HOUSE, HOBART TASMANIA

Two covers destined for Tattersalls came up on Ebay auctions, both addressed to S. Benjamin Esq. at Temple House, Hobart. Both showed the presence of a filing hole and one showed the tell-tale lilac label, usually applied by Tattersalls on receipt. The first showed two 2d Victoria stamps cancelled by two barred numerals ‘836′ of Whitfield, Victoria with an additional framed WHITFIELD/ OC 20/ 05/ VICTORIA, and there was a

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RUTLEDGE PIONEER FAMILY, WILLIAM &THOMAS, BRUSH FARM P’MATTA

The cover is addressed to Mrs Thomas Rutledge, Brush Farm, Parramatta and the blue 2d QV ‘Laureate’ Plate 1 stamp of New South Wales is cancelled with a ms. ‘37′ of Bungendore, N.S.W. The cover is said to be unique by the vendor (Figure 1). The reverse has 3 postmarks, top left an unframed PARRAMATTA/ [CROWN]/ AP 1( )/ NEW S. WALES, bottom left an unframed CAMPBELLTOWN/ /[crown]/ AP 12/

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