Royal Reels: Gambling

Political

SIR J. MACARTHUR, MADRAS GOVERNOR to W.E. GLADSTONE, BRITISH M.P.

This cover was listed on eBay auctions and the addressee is a most important person. The sender has not been found in spite of an extensive search, even though there are clues as to his identity. It is addressed to “The Right Honble W.E. Gladstone Esq MP., London” and the sender is named as J. Macarthur. In red, there is a manuscript ‘2/6′ (2 shillings and 6 pence), as well

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MANCHESTER UNITY I.O.F. FRIENDLY SOCIETY to HON. JOHN HENRY LEWIS

The cover was sent from Sydney in April of 1876 to The Hon. John H. Lewis, Knoxville, Knox Co(unty) Illinois, U.S. A., and there was a ms. ‘Via San Francisco’. The cover was franked with a triple strip of the blue ‘TWO PENCE’ QV stamp of New South Wales.  There was a red transit postmark of SAN FRANCISCO/ MAY 6/ PAID ALL  (Figure 1). The reverse had a confirming originating SYDNEY/

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THE ADELAIDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL & DR. ALLAN CAMPBELL

The cover from The Children’s Hospital (Incorporated), E.A. Smith, Lay Superintendent has additional information ‘HELP SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST CHARITY. It is addressed to The Secretary. Local Board of Health, Town Hall, St. Peters. The green 1d KGV Head stamp is postmarked with a slogan cancel PREVENT / BUSH FIRES and ADELAIDE/ 4.40 AM/ 22 FEB/ 1936/ S.A. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1). Allan Campbell, medical practitioner and administrator,

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ADYE & O.G. DOUGLAS, DOUGLAS & COLLINS FIRM of LAUNCESTON

For the past 1½ years this cover has been lying fallow, for research was unproductive, then the floodgates opened over a period of 1 hour. The cover was addressed to O.G. Douglas Esqre, Messrs Douglas & Collins, Patterson Street, Launceston, Tasmania. There was a pair of the pink 1d ‘Postage’ Victoria stamps postmarked with the double ring MELBOURNE/ AM/ 4.30/ 28.7.O7 (Figure 1). The addressee was identified as Onslow Gordon

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GEORGE ROBERT NICHOLS, LAWYER & POLITICIAN (1809 – 1857)

Three stampless N.S.W. covers appeared at the same auction site dated 1833-1835 addressed to George Nichols. The first was sent from INVERMEIN/ NSW/ POST OFFICE (the rare double-circle undated handstruck postmark used from 1833-39, when P.O. was removed to Scone) with a reception [Crown]/ GENERAL POST OFFICE/ 23 AP 23/ 1833/ SYDNEY, rated ‘10d’ and it was addressed to G.R. Nichols Esq, George Street, Sydney (Figure 1). The second was

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W. H. MOULE, MELBOURNE SOLICITOR, JUDGE, POLITICIAN & CRICKETER

The red printed ‘TWO PENCE’ Victorian stamp is postmarked with the GEELONG/ 17/ DE 24/ 94 and the barred numeral ‘2′, and the cover is addressed to Messrs Moule & Seddon, Solrs, 55 Market St, Melbourne (Figure 1). The reverse has a reception postmark of MELBOURNE/ 5A/ DE 2( )/ 94 as well as an illegible purple oval handstamp on the flap of another firm of Melbourne solicitors (Figure 2).

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SIR WILLIAM MANNING, BARRISTER & POLITICIAN, LETTER to FUTURE WIFE

The stampless cover has a red handstamp with a Crown over a circular FREE/ MY 16/ 1849 and it is addressed to Miss Sowerby, The Parsonage, Goulburn and the signature of the sender is seen as W.M. Manning. The reverse had only red sealing wax (Figure 1). William Montagu Manning was the second son of John Edye Manning, of Clifton, England, and he was born at Alphington, near Exeter, on

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SIR WILLIAM H. BUNDEY, BARRISTER, JUDGE, POLITICIAN & YATCHSMAN

The cover has an orange ‘TWO PENCE’ QV stamp of South Australia cancelled with the squared circle postmark of PT ADELAIDE/ 2/ DE 16/ 93/ S.A and is addressed to his Honour Judge Bundy (sic), Supreme Court, Adelaide, and the reverse was not seen (Figure 1). Sir William Henry Bundey, lawyer, was born on 30 January 1838 at Blacklands Farm, Hampshire, England, the second son of James Bundey, yeoman farmer, and

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SIR WILLIAM CHARLES WINDEYER, POLITICIAN & JUDGE (1834-97)

This incoming newspaper wrapper from Great Britain (H&G #E9) was issued in 1889 with the brown Half Penny QV indicium. It was postmarked ‘57′ with an 8-barred elliptical obliterator from Beaconsfield, Buck., and it had a handstamp ‘DEFICIENT POSTAGE ½/ FINE _______4d, as well as a large handstamp ‘4½d. It was addressed to Hon W.C. Windeyer M.A., Tomago, Hunter River, N.S .Wales (Figure 1). William Charles Windeyer was born at Westminster,

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SAMUEL JAMES WAY, CHIEF JUSTICE, LT. GOVERNOR S.A., & GRAND MASTER

This is the first time I have seen a ‘CIRCULAR & CARTNOTE ONLY’ and it looks like a Newspaper Wrapper. It was sent from R.J. COOMBS & Co., Woolbrokers, Adelaide to The Right Hon. S.J. Way PC, Montefiore, Port Adelaide. The printed green 1d South Australian stamp was postmarked G.P.O. ADELAIDE/ AU 2 ( )/ S.A., but the year date was not seen. However he was made a Privy Cuncillor

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