Royal Reels: Gambling

Missionaries and Religion

SAMUEL HALSTAFF COLES & THE CHURCH of CHRIST

This insignificant looking small cover with the red-brown 2½d Victoria stamp postmarked MELBOURNE/ FE 9/ 03, was sent to Mr. S. Halstaff Coles, 22 Ossinge Villas, North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, England (Figure 1). In spite of the uncommon middle name and multiple ‘hits’ on the internet he was remarkably difficult to research, in regards to country of origin (England or United States), dates of birth and death, his earliest history

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S. DUNKELBERGER, D.M. STEARNS MISSIONARY FUND, GERMANTOWN, PA.

This cover unites two remarkable women of missionary zeal and vision, but of vastly different talents and personalities. The cover is addressed to Miss Dunkelberger, The D.M. Stearns Missionary Fund, 21 W. School Lane, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa. U.S.A. and it was sent from the Sydney suburb of PETERSHAM/ 10.30 PM 17 AP 2( )/ N.S.W which cancels a single and a pair of the red 1½d KGV head stamps. The

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RIGHT REV. DR. JAMES A. GOOLD, FIRST CATHOLIC BISHOP, MELBOURNE

This cover has a red PAID mark of London, as well as a manuscript red ‘8′ and a black ‘3′ and a black horizontal handstamp that is illegible.  There is no doubt about the addressee, The right Rev. Dr. James Goold, R.C. Bishop, Melbourne, Port Phillip, Australia.  The date is given by the vendor as 185[?] (Figure 1). The only marking on the reverse is an unframed red oval PORT

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REVd J. A. MANTON, NEW NORFOLK, VAN DIEMEN’S LAND

The cover was sent from Sydney ‘per Steamer’ and franked with the yellow-green 3d ‘Sydney Views’ stamp postmarked with an obliterator, addressed to the Reverend John A. Manton, New Norfolk, Van Diemen’s Land, plus a red unframed PAID SHIP LETTER/ Crown/ JU (rosette) 5/ 1851/ SYDNEY and a manuscript ‘5″. A Launceston reception datestamp was seen on the reverse (Figure 1). I have seen several letters sent to the Reverend

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REVEREND WILLIAM BRANWHITE CLARKE, GEOLOGIST (1798-1878)

This N.S.W. 1854 2d ‘Sydney View’ warn plate stamp was cancelled with barred numeral ‘39′ (Cooma, N.S.W.) And was addressed to Revd. W.B. Clarke, St. Leonards, Sydney, and it had a manuscript ‘Answered’ at the top (Figure 1). The reverse had a distorted SYDNEY/ [crown]/ JU * 1/ (18)54/ NEW SOUTH WALES postmark, another illegible postmark and red sealing wax on the flap (Figure 2). William B. Clarke was born

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