MISCELLANEOUS

The first cover I suspect may have been philatelically contrived by the unidentified sender. It is addressed to Mr. Walter George Rendall, Artist, Goulburn and Goulburn is crossed out probably by the sender and G. P.O., Sydney has been added. A vertically joined pair of two partial blue Two Pence 100 Years of N.S.W. stamps have been cancelled with a SYDNEY/ JU 15/ 6 30 P.M/ 91/ 27, N.S.W duplex, and a manuscript ‘2^d’ has been added probably by the sender. An indistinctly cancelled 2d green N.S.W. postage due has been added, and it is difficult to confirm with certainty that the postmark ‘ties’ the due to the envelope (Figure 1).

A BEVY OF AUSTRALIAN POSTAL CURIOSITIES, PART 2

This follows on from the original paper with the same Title of Australian Postal Curiosities. During World War 2, the Allies printed enormous amounts of propaganda, most of which was dropped over the Axis enemy lines. In addition, private individuals printed 'Patriotic labels' which could be placed on mailed covers.

AH TOY’S CHINESE GARDEN, NORTH RICHMOND, VICTORIA

An unclaimed cover in 1882 turned out to be a revelation of Australia’s past history, of which most Australians are not proud. A long cover with a green 1d Victoria stamp was postmarked with an incomplete RICHMOND/ VICTORIA, barred numeral ‘71' duplex.  The cover was addressed to Mr. Ah Toy, Chinese Garden, Appleton St., N. Richmond.  There were 2 other markings, an indecipherable manuscript (denoting a form?) and a purple boxed ‘UNCLAIMED AT/ RICHMOND’ (Figure 1).

AN AMERICAN in MELBOURNE: LETTER to HIS SCHOOLGIRL, SISTER

This cover was bought on E-bay for sentimental reasons only, and when I received it I was surprised to find a letter in it. The contents were not historically exciting, but it did provide information that was of interest. The reason for buying it was for the Menzies Hotel Melbourne insignia on the reverse of the cover, as it provided memories of the second night of our honeymoon, when we stayed there on November 12, 1954. The size of the bathroom was huge enough to accommodate a ping-pong table, something we will never forget!

AUSTRALIA & THE EARLY SWEDISH CONNECTION

I was surprised to learn of the past and present Swedish connection with Australia when I came across a very ordinary cover on Ebay listed as an advertising cover. It hardly lived up to expectations for the very plain commercial cover with the 3½d KGVI stamp was sent from Sydney in 1952 to a firm in New Zealand. An address for return was given as 'SWEDISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SYDNEY (Figure 1).

AUSTRALIAN BANK to CALCUTTA BANK with FRENCH CONNECTION, 1899

This 1891 1½d overprint on the 2d Victorian postcard with the red ‘UNIVERSAL P0STAL UNION’ overprint, deletion of the ‘FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM’ and ‘by the long sea route’ came about when Victoria joined the U.P.U.  As a result cards could be sent for 1½d to any member country of the Union, which by then comprised most of the rest of the world.  It is addressed to the Manager, Comptoir National d’escompte de Paris, it is postmarked MELBOURNE/ 50/ MR 1/ 99, there is a transit mark of TUTICORIN/ 16 MA./ 99/ (India) and a reception mark of CALCUTTA/ 20 MA. 99 (Figure 1).

BARRACLUFF'S OSTRICH FARM,

BOYD'S CITY EXPRESS MESSENGER COMPANY PTY LTD. [USA]

Three examples of this company have appeared at one Melbourne stamp auction company over several years. The messenger company was first established in New York in 1830 by John Boyd, initially as a service for tradesmen to deliver hand-bills. In 1844 it became a local post competing with Governmental postal services and it continued in this form until it was suppressed in 1883. After the service was closed by the U.S. government, Fitz A. Boyd a grandson of the founder, migrated to Australia and ca.1888 he became associated with H.S. Havling, the manager of the Express Messenger Company in Melbourne.

In 1894 Boyd became the manager of the company which went through multiple name changes over the years and Boyd was still associated with the firm until 1915, although usage of the firm’s stamps is not recorded after 1910. The exact date of issue of the first local stamp by the CITY EXPRESS MESSENGER CO. LTD. is not known, but it probably was 1894 when Boyd gained control of the firm. The American influence on the design of the stamp is obvious.

The first cover ca. 1894 shows the design of the green ‘CITY EXPRESS MESSENGER/Co. Ltd/ DESPATCH STAMP’ label (with a variety of a white line joining the ‘X’ with middle bar of the ‘E’) and is uncancelled, as is often the practice, is seen on the front. On the flap (not shown) EXPRESS MESSENGER SERVICE was embossed (Figure 1).

DELAYED ESPERANTO WWI COVER from KINGAROY QLD to TEHERAN PERSIA

I have seen surprising number of Australian covers and postcards posted interstate and particularly to the USA, but this one must be a relative rarity. It has a total postage of 2½d made up of a pair of red 1d KGV heads and a single green ½d KGV head postmarked with three copies of the KINGAROY/ T-12 NO 17/ QUEENSLAND [Type 1t (i)]. The cover is addressed to ‘Ia Esperanta, Teheran, Persia and there is a manuscript arabic notation written in indelible pencil, and there is a red OPENED BY CENSOR label folded over the left border (Figure 1).

EMPIRE DAY, CORONATION DAY & THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE

This colourful 1911 Australian Women’s National League fold-out illustrated "A Souvenir of Empire" letter-sheet promoting both Empire Day and Coronation Day, had a printed history of the Union Jack flag within, and the green ½d ‘Bantam’ entire was used at Melbourne and posted to Middle Brighton, Victoria. This was an example of the scarce ½d solo stamp use for the printed matter rate, legal in the British Commonwealth (Figure 1).

GOV. PHILLIP & CINDERELLA STAMPS for AUSTRALIA’S 150TH ANNIVERSARY 1937-38

Two covers appeared on Ebay displaying in total, on the two covers, the 15 different designs of the cinderellas stamps that are derived from a sheet of 30. The format of the sheet was six horizontally and five vertically, with the same order repetition of the first and last three stamps in each horizontal row of six (Figure 1).

JOHN CAMPBELL PTY. LTD., ELECTRIC POTTERIES, LAUNCESTON

With a modest stretch of imagination the label could be classed as postal ephemera, and it did appear several times on eBay Australian philatelic auctions. It was a label to be affixed to boxes posted with breakable Pottery Ware (Figure 1).

JOHN & ANN FRASER BON, WAPPAN STATION, DELATITE RIVER

This inward bound letter had three stamps from England postmarked with a duplex of LONDON-N/ X/ NO 25/ 60 with a barred obliterator N/ 16 addressed to John Bon Esq, Wappan, Delatite River, Melbourne Australia (Figure 1).

JOHN WREN (1871 - 1953), SELF-MADE MAN, LOCAL HERO & SCOUNDREL

This cover leads into a remarkable story told in a total of 4½ pages in the on-line Australian Dictionary of Biography (A.D.B.), a length of biography uncommon for a man of his ilk (a page more than for Ned Kelly). The front shows that it is addressed to John Wren Esqr, Bourke St., City (Melbourne). The 1d rose Victoria ‘Postage’ stamp is postmarked with an unframed sixth duplex SOUTH YARRA/ 1/ AU 18/ VICTORIA, with the barred numeral ‘200'. It is endorsed by red pen ‘Delivery prohibited/ [initials] 20/ 8/08 (Figure 1).

JOSEPH ROWE’s AMERICAN CIRCUS in MELBOURNE in the 1850's

This 1855 letter was addressed to a circus but unclaimed by the addressee and it was accompanied by a Post Office List which was advertised in the Melbourne Morning Herald of March 10, 1855. The letter had an orange-yellow 6d ‘woodblock’ stamp of Victoria postmarked with a barred oval ‘2 over V’ of Geelong and alongside there was a red butterfly cancel ‘14 over V’ . It was addressed to Mr. Jones, Rowes Circus, Melbourne and there is a red handstamp ‘ADVERTISEMENT/ AND/ UNCLAIMED, a rating of a manuscript ‘2' as well as a manuscript ‘Gone away’, with ‘M A’ initials. The figure ‘28' refers to the number used in the Post Office List as seen in the next figure, after Figure 1.

LAWRENCE ADAMSON, HEADMASTER of WESLEY COLLEGE, MELBOURNE

LETTER from a CONVICT to the GOVERNOR of TASMANIA, 1858

The entire raises more questions than answers, for aspects of the letter are in doubt, particularly the name of the convict, but the story is worth reporting. The vendor describes it as follows: "1858 (16th Nov) entire from Port Arthur to Newtown, Hobart from the convict John Lester to the Governor of Tasmania appealing for a reduction of his sentence, franked with (the imperforate blue) 6d tied by barred numeral '61' at Hobart, a fine strike of the rare 'PRISONER'S LETTER (crown) PORT ARTHUR', additional handstamp 'C.G.O./ 1 DEC 1/ 1868 (actually1858)/ RECEIVED'. A desirable exhibition item (AU) $8500". Other information is clearly visible "The Honble. ?J Burgess MLC, Newtown by Hobart," signed by an illegible 'Civil Commandant'. The C.G.O. handstamp is for the Comptroller-General's Office (Figure 1).

LETTER to the MAYOR of St. KILDA, VICTORIA 1904

This cover as a single folded sheet has a Victorian 1d red 'Postage' stamp postmarked with St KILDA/ B/ JA 11/ 04/ VIC and a reception roller postmark of MELBOURNE / 11 JAN/ 3 15 PM/ 1904/ VICTORIA. It was addressed 'To His Worship, The Mayor of St Kilda, Town Hall, St Kilda (Figure 1).

LETTER to KATE MULLIN, HOME for INCURABLES, ST. JOHN, N.B.

The letter was sent "Per 1st Steamer" with the indigo blue 2½d 'POSTAGE' stamp postmarked Melbourne 10 / PM/ 3 30/ 30.6.03, and was addressed to Miss Mullin, "Home for Incurables", Wentworth Street, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada (Figure 1).

OPENING of the SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE 19 MARCH 1932

The stamps commemorating this event were issued on the 14 March 1932, with the two red 2d stamps (single line perf. 11, for the unwatermarked recess print and comb perf. 10.5 for the letterpress stamp) with the blue 3d and the green 5/- stamps. The design featured the bridge from the south-east, with a large liner, R.M.S. Orford passing beneath to provide a perspective of size (Figure 1).

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).

SCHOOL of ARTS HOTEL, ROMA QUEENSLAND to PAPUA NEW GUINEA

This advertising cover for the School of Arts Hotel, Roma, Queensland, Proprietor: E.J. Galton was addressed to C/o The Postmaster, Port Moresby, Papua and in addition to the blue AIR MAIL vignette, there was a purple handstamp with Australia/Papua/New Guinea/ July 1934/ first Official Air Mail as well as a straight 2-line handstamp (or manuscript) stating essentially the same message. The two air mail stamps, 6d OS overprint dull brown and 3d green were postmarked BRISBANE/ 11-A 24 JY 34/ QUEENSLAND [Nelson Eustis # 390] (Figure 1).

SCOUT JAMBOREE, FRANKSTON VICTORIA, 1934-35

This illustrated cover specifically prepared for the Jamboree was postmarked with a faint AUST. JAMBOREE FRANKSTON/ 2.30 P 3 JA 35/ VIC. and it was addressed to Tom Fielding, Penguin, Tasmania. The front had a small printed AUSTRALIAN JAMBOREE FRANKSTON/ VICTORIA 1935, with a kangaroo and a boomerang in the centre, as well as a scout badge. It had a total postage of 1½d made up of the green 1d and orange ½d KGV head stamps (Figure 1).

THE HAWKEYE PEARL BUTTON CO., MUSCATINE, IOWA

This unpretentious cover was sent by William Lewis, Sydney to the Hawkeye Pearl Button Co., Muscatine, Iowa, U.S.A., and it has quite a story behind it. The blue 2½ d Roo on map of Australia stamp is postmarked with a roller cancel, SYDNEY/ DE 19/ 1917/ NOON/ N.S.W. (Figure 1).

THE BARQUE ELEANOR LANCASTER and W.D.P. SWAIN Esq.

When I first considered this paper I could not find any information on the addressee of this letter, so I decided to discuss this ship which had a short but interesting sailing history, with journeys to and from Australia, and finally its demise on the coast of New South Wales. Its association with Australia is shown on this cover which is addressed to W.D.P. Swain Esq, Barque Eleanor Lancaster, Port Office, Sydney. It has a 2d blue imperforate stamp, the first N.S.W. stamp with a portrait of the young Queen Victoria, issued initially in 1851. The reverse was not shown on eBay, but the vendor states that the cover was dated 1852 (Figure 1).

THE CHARITY STAMPS of NEW SOUTH WALES

The Post Office in New South Wales was responsible for several innovations in the philatelic area, and the two Charity Stamps of June 1897 influenced other countries to issue similar items. This included the two Charity stamps of Victoria which were issued in October 1897. The 1990 issue of the Australasian Stamp Catalogue (A.S.C.) gives the best historical information of these stamps which were designed by C. Turner and typographed by the Government Printing Office in Sydney.

THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION of 1880 - 1881

The cover was addressed to Syracuse, New York, United States and the blue 6d Laureate stamp of Victoria was canceled with the barred numeral MC/97 (Type 11A which was in use from 20.8.1880 until 30.6.1881) and the cover was also postmarked with an unframed EXHIBITION/ MY 17/ 81/ VICTORIA (Figure 1).

TINY TOWN & ZEYNARD’S AMAZING MIDGET CIRCUS

The present postcard cannot be called postal history as my card has not been through the post. It shows a group of longitudinally challenged individuals in fine formal ware, five ladies and six gentlemen. The group are described as Zeynard’s Amazing Midget Circus. Tiny-Town. The Big Show and the reverse simply has Post Card, without any identification as to the maker or country. (Figure 1).

VINCENT PATRICK TAYLOR a.k.a. CAPTAIN TAYLOR PENFOLD

A postcard was sent on July 2nd 1910 from Sydney to the Minister of Defence and the contents were as follows: "Dear Sir, Kindly advise me if final time has closed, for entering a machine for the Commonwealth Aerial Prize. To oblige, truly yours, Captain Penfold, The Australian Aeronaut, Box 1564, G.P.O." There is a blue double ringed DEFENCE ( )/PM-1 16 OC 10 mark applied top centre - the delay in reception cannot be explained (Figure 1).

WALLAROO & MOONTA MINING & SMELTING COY LTD, YORKE PENINSULA, S.A.

This cover was addressed to The Secretary, American Electrochemical Society. South Bethlehem, PENN, U.S.A. and the green3d ‘Roo on the Map of Australia’ stamp was postmarked with WALLAROO/ 7-A 13 MAY 18/ S^TH AUSTRALIA. There was a purple oval PASSED BY / 4 TH MD/ CENSOR handstamp (Figure 1).

WARREN & ROWN: MELACHRINO’S EGYPTIAN CIGARETTES

This 1d advertising postcard has a SYDNEY/ AP 20/ 7 A.M/ 91 / 26 postmark with the three ring oval N.S.W. duplex obliterator, and it is addressed to Mr. Max Rown. Box 325, G.P.O. (Figure 1).

WOMEN’S WORK EXHIBITION, MELBOURNE 1907

The reverse of the postcard showed it was an ‘Empire’ postcard, the left hand of which the manuscript message gave good wishes for Christmas and a Happy New Year. The 1d red Victoria stamp was postmarked with a duplex FRANKSTON/ DE 26/ 07/ VIC barred numeral ‘142' (Figure 1).