Two covers addressed to the Bishop of Hobartown have appeared in auction catalogues over the past 4 years. The first one I saw initially left some doubt whether I was dealing with the Catholic or Anglican Bishop, whereas the second cover left no doubt that the person addressed was the first Catholic Bishop of Tasmania. Further research on the first cover showed that it also was addressed to Robert William
This telegraphic message cover has postmark interest for in addition to the duplex postmark of HAMILTON/ FE 5/ 83/ VICTORIA with the barred numeral ‘46′ , there was a blue POSTMASTER-GENERAL / VICTORIA/ FRANK STAMP, as well as the faint blue double oval POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICE/ HAMILTON/ FE 5/ 1883 ‘Belt & Buckle’ cancellation. The cover was addressed to Rev. C.W. Schurmann, Hochkirk. There was also an illegible manuscript
This undated stampless entire is interesting particularly because of a rare postmark, and its early date in the colony of Van Diemen’s Land. It is addressed to Reverend William Bedford, Hobart Town, with the signature of E. Abbott, who the vendor stated was E. Abbott, Tasmanian M.L.C. The only cancellation is the rare oval undated LAUNCESTON handstamp (Figure 1). H.M. Campbell et al’s book “Tasmania: The Postal History and Postal Markings” (1962)
This cover is a problem, both in regards to my original misspelling of the town’s name as Ralauna in the address when it should have been Malauna, and the difficulty with the postmarks’ dates. The interest of the marking on the front and the excitement of the postmarks on the reverse, make up for the deficiencies. The cover has an uncertain routing, and readers are asked for their interpretation, as I
This fine cover had a price tag at auction of AUD 4,000 and was sent to the Rev. Francis Hales (1822-90) on May 8, 1850. It was described as a “Cover from Port Macquarie to Heidleberg (sic) Melbourne Port Phillip with 2d grey-blue (Sydney) View SG 23 tied by barred numeral ’80’ and oval crown Port Macquarie /(MA 8)/ 1850 /(NEW. S. WALES), backstamped Sydney cds & Melbourne Port Philip
The ‘On Public Service only’ cover was addressed to The Revd P.E. Raynor, Christ’s College, Hobart had a black duplex HOBART/ NO ( )/ 89/ TASMANIA postmark, overlying a red EDUCATION DEPARTMENT/ [Lion, Crown & Unicorn]/TASMANIA/ FRANK STAMP. On the flap there was a printed red GOVERNMENT OF TASMANIA seal, similar to that of the Frank Stamp. The remainder of the reverse was not seen (Figure 1). To-date, very limited personal
The cover was sent Via Southampton from London E.C. with a lilac 6d QV stamp of Great Britain, the date of 1865 being illegible, to a Mrs T.R.Y. Thomson, Care Revd J. Garrett, Manse West Tamar, Launceston, Tasmania (Figure 1). The reverse had a red ‘diamond’ handstamp with SHIP LETTER/ INWARDS FREE/ 13 FE 13/ 1865, which was in use from 3 September 1855 until 11 February 1875, used at Launceston
The entire was addressed to The Revd W. M. Cowper, Stroud, Carrington and it has a large black ink ms. ‘12′. It was postmarked with an oval CAMDEN/ [Crown]/ JU 1 [Rosette]/ 1842/ NEW.S.WALES (Figures 1 & 2). The reverse has an unopened letter and an oval with a large crown above with GENERAL POST OFFICE/ JU [Rosette] 2/ 1842/ SYDNEY (Figure 3). As the latter postmark is faint, the five
This fine mourning cover has been made of very thin almost translucent paper, and it is addressed to J. Price Esq., Lushingtons (sic) Gardens, Sydapett, Madras, India. It has a pair of the pale lilac 6d (perf 13) N.S.W. stamps, postmarked with 2 duplex B/ OC 5/ 78/ SYDNEY postmarks associated with the N.S.W vertically placed obliterator, within an oval of 4 rings (Figure 1). The reverse has a printed
This modest cover can introduce one into the fascinating world of hand-struck postmarks of early New South Wales. I was introduced to the exploration of this subject in my frequent visits to Sydney a decade ago when I became enamored of the subject and bought the four volumes of Hopson & Tobin’s N.S.W. and A.C.T. POST, RECEIVING, TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE OFFICES, which is the ‘bible’ (and cannot be matched by