Political

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

A brown paper sack envelope with a label which had the crest of the Province of Ontario and the address of the Office of the Prime Minister, Parliament Buildings, Toronto Ontario, was sent to Honourable Mitchell F. Hepburn, c/o Right Honourable J.A. Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia, Canberra, Australia. There was a blue Air Mail sticker and a manuscript ‘VIA CHINA CLIPPER’. The total postage was $2.70, made up of

The is a fairly ordinary censored Australian cover sent from Melbourne on 4 June 1942 with a 1d green KGVI stamp and a purple boxed 3/ PASSED/ BY/ CENSOR mark, addressed to Lord Halifax, The British Embassy, Washington, U.S.A., with the sender’s manuscript “From/ Aldred F. Barker/ The University, Melbourne” (Figure 1). Lord Halifax started life as Edward Wood, the fourth son of the second Viscount Halifax, when he was

This abused mourning cover has a blue imperforate 1854 ‘Laureate’ stamp of New South Wales canceled with an indistinct barred numeral ‘57′ of Raymond Terrace and it is addressed to W.C. Windeyer Esq, University, Sydney. The vendor states that the stamp is the Plate III, being the Plate I re-engraved with the background of crossed lines (Figures 1 & 2). The reverse shows more clearly that it is a mourning

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