FAMILY HISTORY

This fine cover is addressed to Mrs Macarthur, Camden, New South Wales and it has an imperforate strip of four dark blue two pence English stamps each with a numeral ‘131' in a square grid postmark and it also has a manuscript ‘5^d’. There is a transit mark SHIP - LETTER/ [CROWN]/ AU 27/ 1853/ = LONDON=, as well as a manuscript ‘Dec^r 15/ 53' (Figures 1 & 1A).

ADMIRAL BERTIE CORNELIUS CATOR of BECKENHAM, LONDON (1787 - 1864)

This entire has a strip of three of the 1855 Perkins Bacon, London printing rose-carmine TWO PENCE (S.G. # 20) imperforate stamps of South Australia postmarked with 2 strikes of the ‘empty’ circle & bars cancel of Adelaide as well as alongside the PAID/ MR 24/ 1855/ ADELAIDE S A in red. It is rated with a manuscript ‘3', and unusually it has no transit or arrival markings on the reverse. It is addressed to Admiral Cator, Mess^rs Hallett & Robinson, 14 Great George Street, Westminster, London (Figure 1).

ALEXANDRA, VIC. SOLICITOR to R.S. APPELBE, MILTON BARRISTER, CANADA

ARTHUR MIDGLEY, 'LARCHMOUNT', LONDON RD., SAFFRON WALDEN, ESSEX

BARON KARL von SWAINE, ORCHARDIST at LANCASTER via KYABRAM, VIC.

BARONESS de KOENNERITZ of SAINT CLOUD

A single newspaper wrapper is unlikely to excite me, but this one did because of the recipient's name and her address. There can't be too many foreign baroness in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, but Rose Bay would be a likely locale for finding one. The wrapper, without any identifier of the sender, is postmarked twice by BENDIGO/ 2/ 6-P/ 20 NO 19/ VIC on the 'No Inscription' type ½d green plus ½d green KGV head (with the 2 stamp images printed at different levels) wrapper issued in 1918. It is addressed to Baroness A.N. de Koenneritz, "Saint Cloud, Collins Avenue, Rose Bay, Sydney (Figure 1).

CAPTAIN RONALD EDGAR SMITH, 2ND SON of JAMES “PHILOSOPHER” SMITH

A large number of covers have been seen at stamp auction sites addressed to Westwood Forth, Ulverstone Forth or Ulverstone either to Lieutenant, Captain or Major R.E. Smith over the past 3 years, but none compare with the present one sent by Captain R.E. Smith to his mother. The cover has a blue garland of ribbons and leaves, surrounding a monogram of EPH, with the words Excelsior Palace Hotel, A. Percy Trewhella Proprietor, Palerme (Palermo), a manuscript ‘On Active Service/ with A.I.F. From/ Capt. R.E. Smith’ and the blue Italian stamp is postmarked 24. 12. 15. It has a PASSED (by censor) hand stamp and it is addressed to Mrs. James Smith (Westwood Forth, crossed out), Main St. Ulverstone, Tasmania, Australia.. The vendor does not mention any markings on the reverse, but states it enclosed a long interesting letter from the officer wounded at Gallipoli and mentions the withdrawal of the troups from Suvla Bay , on the Aegean coastline of the Gallipoli peninsula in European Turkey (Figure 1).

CLAUD FARIE: SHERIFF OF MELBOURNE

Part I: Biography

COCHRANE FAMILY MEMBERS, NOTABLE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL NAVY

Although the recipient or sender of the attached four covers, Captain The Honourable E.G.L. Cochrane, never rose to the naval heights that other family members ascended, he was responsible for much of the family mail, at least 10 covers at last count. He is shown as Captain of the H,M,S. Peterel, at the Cape of Good Hope. The two green 6d Queensland stamps are cancelled with the unframed duplex BRISBANE/ 2/ FE 24/ 69/ QUEENSLAND, there is a red not deciphered postmark (not typical of Cape Town) dated 27 AP 69 as well, and the reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

COMMANDER THEOPHILUS MOULTRIE KELSALL, R.N. & HIS SON CONRAD

It is not often that one sees more than 30 covers addressed to the same person over a period of 50 years from 1850 to 1900, particularly from 10 different countries including: Ascension Island, Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain (addressed to 6 different addresses) and Lagos, as well as to several ships in the Royal Navy, including the H.M.S. Alecto.. Two covers from Melbourne which are addressed to T.M. Kelsall, and relate to his elder son Conrad Moultrie Kelsall, are featured in this paper.

The first cover is addressed to Capt. T.M. Kelsall R.N., Youngaton , Westward Ho’, Devon, England and the two stamps are both Victorian ‘Stamp Duty’, a green Half Penny and a pale mauve Two Pence, both cancelled with MELBOURNE/ 12 P/ OC 31/ 99, and the reverse was postmarked with a Bideford receiver (Figure 1).

COMMANDER THEOPHILUS MOULTRIE KELSALL, R.N. & SON CONRAD

DALTON BROTHERS, HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, from & to DUNTRYLEAGUE

Two relatively unpretentious covers dated 27 years apart reveal, on their reverse, how the fortunes of the Dalton Brothers changed from humble beginnings in Ireland to riches in New South Wales. The first cover, a printed to private order envelope with the embossed blue 1d ‘Emu’ stamp of N.S.W. was postmarked with the duplex SYDNEY/ FE 11/ 11-A M/ 95/ 36 and was addressed to a firm in Melbourne (Figure 1).

DENNYS, LASCELLES & CO., GEELONG WOOL MERCHANTS

EMANUEL SOLOMON (1800-1873) CONVICT, MERCHANT & POLITICIAN

The cover is addressed to Messrs E. Solomon & Co., Adelaide and has the pale red 2d South Australian stamp (S.G. 24a) cancelled with the diamond numeral ‘106' of Woodchester, and there is a manuscript ‘Private’ at the lower left (Figure 1).

GEORGE ARTHUR CHARLES FANE De SALIS (1851 - 1931)

Over the past five years I have seen at least 5 covers addressed to one of the De Salis family members, but I have not felt that I could do justice to the Australian family members until now. This was not because of insufficient information, of which there is an abundance, but because much of it is difficult to access by way of the internet. However with 2 covers addressed to George or his wife, I felt that I should make an attempt to chronicle some aspects of their lives.

GEORGE BRUCE, SHEEP BREEDER, LOOMBAH STATION, YULLUNDRY

I have seen 10 covers addressed to George Bruce over the past 2 years, and it has taken me all this time to come up with a coherent story about him. In the meantime, I had destroyed most of the scans. Recent covers have kindled my interest again, and my search led me to a researcher for Molong Historical Society and thence to Joan Marriott’s book The Crossroads. The History of Cumnock.

GRACE BROS, JOSEPH NEAL & ALBERT EDWARD GRACE: END of an ERA

GREGORY BROTHERS, EXPLORERS & FRANK PEDLEY, CANADIAN POLITICO

HIGGINS FAMILY, BURNT OAK, CURRENCY CREEK, S. A.

The E-bay seller had more than 40 covers posted to several family members over a period of 50 years. The present cover was addressed to Mrs. H.M. Higgins, Burnt Oak, Currency Creek, South A/lia with a Melbourne/ -2 AP-6-P/ 1925 postmark, with a complete roller cancel: BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION/ ALWAYS ASK FOR/ AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTS, on a KGV 1½d red stamp (Figure 1).

INDIGO VICTORIA to JAMES BREWSTER, NEW BRUNSWICK, BRITISH NORTH AMERICA [CANADA]

This cover was addressed to James Brewster Esq., Harvey, Albert County, New Brunswick, British North America, and a manuscript ‘Per Overland Mail’ and the perf. 12 greenish-blue One Shilling stamp of Victoria was postmarked with an indistinct barred numeral ‘230' (of Indigo). There was a red transit stamp of LONDON/ J(U?) 16/ 60/ PAID. In addition there was a manuscript rating mark which could not be determined, plus a manuscript ‘# 2(5 or 8) which may denote the number of letters in a correspondence (Figure 1).

JAMES & ROBERT BURNS CUMING, ADELAIDE CHEMICAL WORKS COMPANY

JAMES HENRY BRETT WALCH of J. WALCH & SONS PTY LTD, HOBART

JANE & HENRY RUSSELL, MR. BARFF, & the UNIVERSITY & OBSERVATORY, SYDNEY

A series of covers on Ebay addressed to two of the three above- named persons, all of whom were interrelated, opened up an interesting story about all three persons as well as two long-standing important Sydney institutions. The first cover to Mr. Barff, 48 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney with the blue N.S.W. 2d QV stamp postmarked with the Type D4 duplex (in use1894-1901) COWRA/ JU 20/ 6 15 PM/ 00/ N.S.W with numeral ‘12' obliterating the stamp, hardly inspires any confidence that it might be an entry point into a group of interesting stories (Figure 1).

JOHN BARKER, PASTORALIST & PUBLIC SERVANT in VICTORIA

This entire is another example of an inadequately addressed cover that was delivered in the 19^th century. It is addressed to Barker Esqr, Clerk of Council, Melbourne and it has an olive-drab 2d ‘Half Length’ stamp of Victoria tied by a Barred Oval ‘2', paying the inland letter rate from Geelong to Melbourne. The reverse was not seen but showed the date of sending and reception of 10 January 1852 (Figure 1).

KWONG, SING & CO. LTD, GLEN INNES N.S.W. A FAMILY DYNASTY

This cover has been described as very rare by the vendor on account of use of regular postage as postage due. It is addressed to Messrs. Kwong, Sing & Co. Ltd, Grey Street, Glen Innes and the red 2d Kingsford Smith stamp is cancelled with T.P.O 2 NORTH/ UP 21MY31/N.S.W. It has a fine double ring LATE FEE/ 1^D/ TO PAY, as well as a green 1d KGV Head stamp cancelled with a purple manuscript between horizontal bars of ‘Postage Due’ (Figure 1).

LADY JANE SHELLEY, BOSCOMBE PLACE, RINGWOOD HANTS, ENGLAND

MELBOURNE MAIL to McALPINE FAMILY, NEW BRUNSWICK, B.N.A. 1864 -1904

Six covers from Victoria including one mourning cover were seen on philatelic auction sites, and a seventh was found in my own collection of mourning covers, all addressed to members of the McAlpine family of Queens County, New Brunswick, British North America over a period of 40 years.

OTIS CLAPP, HOMEOPATHIC PHARMACIST, SWEDENBORGIAN & PUBLISHER

RICHARD ERNEST MINCHIN (1831-1893), ADELAIDE ZOOLOGICAL DIRECTOR

A cover posted to R.E. Minchin Esqr, Government Offices, Adelaide had a strip of three dull violet Two Pence Victoria Laureates with four copies of the Melbourne duplex, MELBOURNE/ 2 C/ DC 1/ 68 as well as a reception postmark an unframed G.P.O/ K/ DE 4/ 68/ ADELAIDE. The reverse, not seen had no postal markings (Figure 1).

ROBERT ROBERTSON'S LETTERS to his FATHER & BROTHER in SCOTLAND

Within one week I found three stampless entires from three different sources sent by the same soldier in two different Australian colonies to his family in Scotland, spanning the years 1845 to 1856. The covers will be described in order of the dates, from earliest to latest, rather than in the order of their researching.

THE BRANSON FAMILY of BINDA N.S.W.: FROM LACE to WOOL

Prologue: The appearance of 17 covers at one Australian philatelic website sparked my interest in the Branson family. The amount of information concerning this family on the Internet was surprisingly minimal, considering what was eventually learnt from a local source. All 17 covers were addressed to family members at Binda N.S.W. over a period of 29 years, from 1883 until 1912, and unfortunately no letters were still enclosed. The stamps on the covers were very ordinary and the postmarking was relatively unexciting, but the addresses, addressees and senders hinted at a story worth reporting.

THE SMYTHE BROTHERS, HENRY & GEORGE, SURVEYORS IN VICTORIA

The cover is addressed to H.W.H. Smythe Esq. J.P., Commissioner of Crown Lands, Murray District, Broken River, Sidney Road and it was sent by Sam^l Watson, June 30/(18)46. There is a fine MELBOURNE/ [crown]/ JU 30/ 1846/ PORT PHILLIP postmark, a red manuscript 1/8 rating as well as red boxed PAID AT/ MELBOURNE. The reverse was not seen and the vendor supplied the following information: "The Broken River crosses the (present day) Hume Highway (Sidney Road) near the town of Benalla, Victoria (Figure 1).

THOMAS PROUDFOOT’S BOATHOUSE on HOPKINS RIVER, WARRNAMBOOL

The postcard displays a colourful scene on the Hopkins River with the beflagged boathouse, the boats at moorings, with much people activity in the foreground (Figure 1).

TIN CAN ISLAND MAIL, TONGA to MASTER W.M. SCRYMGOUR, ADELAIDE

Philatelically inspired mail of this type is not uncommon, but this cover is somewhat unusual for the addressee is a good starting point for researching a family that was associated with a printing company that had a history of 100 years, from 1875 to 1975. The front is adorned with a total of four hand-struck stampings, one in black script, another in green made up of three parts, a purple circular and also a purple 2-line strike. Although the black script states that it was put in the sea on the 11^th August 1938, the only legible part of the cancel is a ‘25' on the blue 2½d ‘TOGA’ Queen Salote stamp, issued in 1934. The cover is addressed to Master W.M. Scrymgour, C/o Messrs. Scrymgour & Sons, 115 King Wm. Street, Adelaide, S.A. (Figure 1).

WILLIAM JAMES FARRER, WHEAT BREEDER & SURVEYOR

WILLIAM JAMES FARRER, WHEAT BREEDER & SURVEYOR

This O.H.M.S. cover was sent from the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Richmond, 27-3-1904 to W. Farrer Esq, Wheat Experimentalist, Lambrigg, Tharwa Via Queanbeyan (NSW). The blue 2d N. S.W. stamp is perfinned OS/ NSW and it has an illegible ‘Rays’ cancel, probably numeral ‘4' of the originating Richmond N.S.W. In addition there is a RICHMOND/ MR 28/ 1904/ N.S.W , as well as a reception postmark of THARWA/ MR 29/ 1904/ N.S.W . There is also a transit postmark of GRANVILLE/ MR 28/ 1904/ N.SW, all three being Type 1D (i) (Figure 1).

WILLIAM THOMAS MOLLISON J. P., PYALONG, KILMORE, VICTORIA

WUNDERLICH BROTHERS: ERNEST (1859-1945), FREDERICK (1861-1951) & ALFRED (1865-1966)

This advertising cover for Wunderlich Durabestos, Asbestos-Cement Building Sheets, The Ideal Lining for Exterior Walls, Interior Walls, Partitions, Ceilings, Gable Ends, Eaves, Soffets was sent in 1934 from Wunderlich Limited, Perth to the Comptroller of Stores, W.A. Government Railways, Midland Junction (Western Australia), with a Perth 2d meter cancel (Figure 1).