Political

A cover with two baronets in the address is not a common finding, and in this case both are of interest. The cover is a stampless ‘On Her Majesty’s Service’ London cover of 1895 with a purple Colony of Tasmania handstamp applied to mail sent from the Agent General for Tasmania in London. This Departmental cachet was applied to show that the correspondence was properly entitled to be sent free.

The 1899 long cover from the UK had a blue 2½d stamp and was addressed to the Hon. Sir Philip Oaklt Fysh KCMG, Highbury, Hobart, Tasmania. There was a ‘tombstone’ boxed ‘T’, a ms. ‘1/3′, an oval handstamp ‘1/3d/ MORE TO PAY’ as well as a boxed ‘REFUSED’ handstamp. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1). Sir Philip Oakley Fysh, politician and merchant, was born on 1 March 1835 at

This official stampless cover, ‘On Public Service’ was addressed to The Hon. Malcolm Fraser C.M.G., Colonial Secretary’s Office, Government Buildings, Perth and was postmarked with a duplex PERTH/ NO 19/ 1885/ WESTERN AUSTRALIA, G.P.O. There were several manuscript additions, with a handstamp [Crown]/ PAID marking (Figure 1). Sir Malcolm Fraser (1834-1900), civil engineer and administrator, was born in Gloucestershire, England, son of William Fraser of Clifton. He was a surveyor

The printed to private order envelope of Victoria with the printed purple head of QV stamp ‘TWO PENCE STAMP DUTY’ is cancelled by an unframed EUROA/ JE 7/ 00/ VICTORIA postmark. It was addressed to The Hon. Sir J.P. ABBOTT, K.C.M.G., Australian Mutual Provident Society, 87 PITT STREET. SYDNEY. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1). Joseph Palmer Abbott was born on 29 September 1842 at Muswellbrook, New South Wales,

The cover was simply addressed To The Honble, The Postmaster General, Melbourne and the pair of the green 1d ‘Laureate’ stamps of Victoria were canceled with two indistinct barred numerals (Figure 1). The reverse had the originating unframed BENALLA/ AP 20/ 68/ VICTORIA, which not only supplied the date of 1868, but proved the barred numeral as ‘18′ of Benalla. There was also a reception postmark of MELBOURNE/ 8 A/

This simple looking cover is significant not only on account of its important addressee, Sir Henry Parkes K.C.M.G. (Knight Commander St. Michael & St. George), but also for the originating postmark, for while Thursday Island postmarks are common from 1898-on, earlier mail is rarely seen. The reverse was not seen, but the flap was embossed with a crown with ‘SUNBEAM’ below. The significance of the flap embossing was also of

This political postcard is a prelude to not one but three bitterly fought Federal election battles over a three-year period from March 1901 to March 1904 in the Electorate of Melbourne between the above-mentioned rivals. The postcard reads: Federal House of RepresentativesMelbourne ElectorateSir Malcolm D. McEacharnRespectfully Solicits YourVOTEPolling Day: Friday, 29th March, 1901,From 8 o’clock a.m. to 7 p.m.At St. James’ School, 349 Bourke St. West, Melbourne        (Fig. 1) The 1901

This cover has been in research for over 2 years, for research of S.B. Chase was relatively unrewarding, but once I found his first name and the Independent Order of Good Templars, information started to fall into place. The registered letter has a ms. ‘1220′ and red crayon crossed lines is addressed to Hon. S.B. Chase M.A., Chancellor, Halstead, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. The 2 Queensland stamps, a brown-grey ‘THREE PENCE’ and

The cover has a red 2d KGV head OS perfin stamp with a roller cancel Sydney 1931 and is posted to J. Parkinson, Esquire, Crystal Fountain Aerated Water Works, Kenny Street, Wollongong. The reverse has the black crest of the Attorney General, N.S.W. (Figure 1). The enclosed letter has the same Attorney General, N.S.W. crest, now in blue. The letter reads: SYDNEY. 31st March, 1931. Dear Mr. Parkinson, I am in