MISSIONARIES AND RELIGION

This cover couples Launceston Merchant ‘Prince’, William Johnstone and the Reverend Doctor Adam Turnbull of Campbell Town in 1874, a year before Turnbull retired from the Presbyterian ministry to one of his several properties, Winton in Campbelltown, Tasmania. Turnbull was the sender of the letter (as evidenced by the manuscript penned by Johnstone at the left hand border of the cover, dated ‘11 Jany1876', the year an error?). The green 2d Tasmanian ‘Side Face’ stamp was cancelled with the ‘16' numeral and the CAMPBELL TOWN / JA 10/ 1874 postmark was alongside (could this year be in error?). The reverse was not seen, but the cover front and Johnstone’s ms. concerning Revd. Dr. Turnbull are seen in Figures 1 & 2.

ANNIE BRIGHT, JOURNALIST, EDITOR, TEACHER & SPIRITUALIST

At top left, this cover has a partially obscured (by a roller cancel:  Melbourne Vic JA 29  2-30P  1909) The Harbinger of Light, Editor: Mrs. Charles Bright, 117 Collins Street, Melbourne.  It has a blue Victoria 2½d stamp and it is addressed to Mr. Victor L. White, 32 Johnson Avenue, Richmond Hill, Long Island, New York State, USA (Figures 1 & 2).

ARTHUR HENRY VOYCE (1899-1984) [PAPUA-NEW GUINEA]

Missionary, Philatelist, Conchologist, Hymenopterist & Horticulturist:

B.H. ALSTON, MELBOURNE TOBACCONIST, IMPORTER HAVANA CIGARS

More than one year ago the first cover was seen addressed to B.H. Alston in Melbourne, and this was followed in short order by an interesting letter which Alston wrote to Dr. Max Nordau, totally irrelevant to this cover, dated 30 years later.   Then further research was quite unrewarding and my occasional return to researching Alston produced no more information.  The cover was put on the ‘back burner’ and a proposed paper was destined to be discarded when I came across a second cover, which piqued my interest again.

The first cover originated in England and it had 2 copies of the 1d brick red QV and the 6d grey QV postmarked with the duplex MIDDLEBOROUGH/ C/ NO 19/ 78 with the ‘946' barred numeral obliterator.  It was addressed to B.H. Alston, 25 Bourke Street West, Melbourne, Victoria (at top left), Australia.  The cover was taxed with an unusually figured handstamp: DEFICIENT POSTAGE 8d)/ FINE______6d/ ½, as well as an oval ½/ MORE TO PAY handstamp .  The reverse of the cover was not seen (Figure 1).

BEATRICE ISABEL HASSALL, AUSTRALIAN MISSIONARY in PALESTINE

The Air Mail cover has two KGV Head stamps, the 2d red and 4d olive, as well as a pair of the dull claret Hermes 1 shilling 6 pence stamps, for a total postage of 3 shillings 6 pence. They are all cancelled with the 3 AIR MAIL 3/ 5-P21 DE 36/ SYDNEY N.S.W. postmark. The cover is addressed to Miss Beatrice I. Hassall, Church Missionary Society, Jerusalem, Palestine, and both the Society and Jerusalem are through-lined and it is readdressed to Ramallah (Figure 1).

BROTHER FRANCIS XAVIER, The BENGALESE, WASHINGTON D.C.

Two covers caught my eye because of the unusual address of the recipient, Brother Francis Xavier, c.s.c.*, The Bengalese, Washington, 17, D.C., U.S.A. The first had a red '3 Opened by Censor label' and a purple diamond '3 /PASSED/ BY/ CENSOR/ 237' and the green 1½d queen Elizabeth and the red 2½d KGVI stamps were canceled by a MELBOURNE / 3 PM/ 21 OCT/ 1944/ VIC AUST roller cancel (Figure 1).

CHARLES HINCKLEY WETMORE M.D., HAWAIAN MISSIONARY

This cover was seen at auction for an amount that was surprisingly high, namely a reserve of AUD 600. In addition it was described as a commercial cover, but I found evidence that suggested that this was probably an incorrect surmise. The quality of the cover suggested that it was a philatelically inspired registered cover with 4 strikes of REGISTERED/ A/ MY 27/ 98/ SYDNEY, N.S.W, plus a large 'R' in an oval. The cover bears 5 N.S.W. stamps, a single grey ½d, two single 2d and a pair of the same ½d at the lower L.H. side. The two 2d stamps were distinctly different in colour, one deep dull blue and the other ultramarine (both of these were issued in the 1897 to 1899 period). There were two double ringed rosine HONOLULU/ JUN / 22/ 1898/ HAWAII rubber transit cancels on the front. The letter was addressed to C.H. Wetmore Esq M.D. Hawaiian Island (Figure 1).

CHURCH ARMY IN AUSTRALIA, ‘SERVICE TO ALL’, LARGS, N.S.W. to SYDNEY

The advertising cover has a blue shield with THE CHURCH ARMY, and SERVICE TO ALL, in the ‘ribbon’ below. It is addressed to the Director of State Lotteries, Corner of Barrack & York Sts., Sydney. It has a purple handstamp ‘Department of the Army/ Concession Postal Rate’ and a green 1d QE stamp of Australia is cancelled with a LARGS/ 27 NO 41/ N.S.W. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

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).

FIRST CATHOLIC BISHOP of TASMANIA

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 Willson, the Catholic Bishop, and not the first Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, Frederick Russell Nixon.

FITCHETT BROS., PUBLISHERS MELBOURNE to WHITTAKER & CO., LONDON

This advertising cover has a boxed FITCHETT BROTHERS Propriety Limited PUBLISHERS, Managing Director: T. Shaw Fitchett, 167-9 Queen Street, Melbourne, Telephone 1206. It has a lilac 2d ‘Postage’ stamp of Victoria cancelled with a roller MELBOURNE/ JUL 7/ 5 45 PM/ 1908 with a ‘waving flag’ VICTORIA postmark. It is addressed to Messrs Whittaker & Co., 2 White Hart St, Paternoster Sq., London E.C. The reverse was not seen (Figure1).

GERMAN MISSION at CODACAL, MALABAR, INDIA 1907

This red 1d N.S.W. ‘Shield’ postcard has a green ½d stamp added, and both are postmarked ‘THE ROCK/ 8 JA/ 1907/ N.S.W’ [Type 1D (i), in use 1896-1914)]. It is addressed to Mrs.F. Straub, German Mission, Paraperi - Codacal, Malabar, and a vertically placed ‘East India’ has been added by the sender. There is a third example of ‘The Rock’ postmark as well as a transit mark of ‘TUTICORIN/ 1 FE./07' and an arrival postmark of ‘CODACAL/ B.O. (Branch Office)/ + 2 FE +/ O7/ MALABAR’ (Figures 1 & 2).

HADLEY ROWELL, NORTH BONDI to DR & MRS HOMER CURTISS, WASHINGTON D.C.

The cover was sent to Dr & Mrs Homer Curtiss M.D., The Universal Religious Fellowship, 5130 Connecticut Ave., Washington D.C., U.S.A. The blue KGVI 3d stamp was overprinted 3½d and it was postmarked with a roller cancel SYDNEY/ 5- PM/ 9 4 JUN 9/ 1942/ N.S.W AUST. There was a red 2/ OPENED BY CENSOR label as well as a boxed purple handstamp 2/ PASSED/ BY/ CENSOR. The sender was identified as Hadley N. Rowell, ‘Bethara’, 101 Murriverie Rd., North Bondi, N.S.W., Australia. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

HIS EMINENCE, CARDINAL SAMUEL STRITCH, HOLY NAME CATHEDRAL

This airmail cover had the full set of the Sesquicentenary of the City of Newcastle, N.S.W. stamps, the red 2½d Lt. John Shortland, the blue 3½d Steel Foundry and the green 5½d Coal Carrier Cranes. Additional postage were the orange ½d Roo and the brown 6d Kookaburra, and all were cancelled ADELAIDE/ 4 NO 47/ STH. AUST. It was addressed to His Eminence, Cardinal Stritch, Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. The rverse was not seen (Figure 1).

JAMES JOSEPH CARBERY, CATHOLIC BISHOP of HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA (1823-87)

This 1885 cover was addressed to The Right Rev. Dr. Carbery, O.P., Bishops House, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and has a manuscript ‘Via San Francisco’. The green 6d and blue 2d Queensland stamps have a superb ‘79'Rays (Type 1e; 23 rays, each of 4 segments) as well as the unframed HERBERTON/ MR 20/ 85/ =QUEENSLAND= (Type 3b). The reverse, not seen, has back stamps of Cairns QLD, Sydney NSW and HAMILTON ONT. (Figure 1).

JOHN THOMAS, WESLEYAN METHODIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY, TONGA

This entire appeared on eBay auctions, listed by a German vendor. The address side has a manuscript ‘1305' and is addressed ‘To the Secretaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, 77 Halton Garden, London’ and in the lower left hand there is a manuscript ‘/Tonga/’. The large obliquely placed manuscript superimposed on the address is the cost of sending the letter, but it is difficult to be sure of the amount, perhaps ‘1/7' [one shilling and 7 pence] (Figure 1).

JOHN DEWHURST BODGER, PAPUA NEW GUINEA MISSIONARY

My interest in Reverend Bodger was stimulated by acquiring an interesting cover addressed to him. It was addressed in particularly fine manuscript to The Revd Canon Bodger, C/o Australian Board of Mission, 14 Spring Street, Sydney and was sent by airmail, as shown by a boxed purple stamping, and was faintly postmarked LAE/ 25 SE 51/ PAPUA NEW GUINEA on the blue 5½d emu definitive stamp of Australia, issued 12 February 1942. There were no other post markings nor any identification of the sender on the reverse (Figure 1).

JOHN JAMES VIRGO, ADMINISTRATOR & EVANGELIST (1865-1956)

The front of this unpretentious cover has nothing to do with the story that will unfold. It was sent from the G.P.O. Adelaide on November 18, 1896 with two South Australia stamps, the orange 2d and the ½d brown, a Mr. Kenton in Brooklyn New York (Fig 1).

JOSEPH BENSON MATHER, DRAPER, QUAKER, HOBART TOWN, V.D.L.

This indistinct cover front only, introduces an early immigrant to Tasmania. It has a blue VDL imperforate ‘FOUR PENCE’ stamp cancelled by a manuscript three curved strokes and there is also a manuscript applied at the left border by the postmaster ‘Swansea/ 24/11/59'. It is addressed to Joseph Benson Mather, 98 Liverpool Street, Hobart Town (Figure 1).

JULIA LORE, MEDICAL MISSIONARY, MORADABAD, INDIA 1874

This cover was sent to Dr. Julia Lore, American Mission, Moradabad, N.W.P., India and the blue on blue paper One Shilling laureate of Victoria was cancelled with a duplex of MELBOURNE/ 1K/ DC 30/ 74 with VICTORIA as the obliterator (Figure 1).

KIMBERLEY, TASMANIA to ALEX NORTH F.R.V.I.A., ARCHITECT LAUNCESTON

This Tasmania Post Card with the red 1d King Edward VII head was the third Tasmanian type of official postcard issued with this sovereign’s head, the 2-line inscription having been removed from beneath the crest of the previous issue. It was issued on a buff colored card with an early date of 4 September 1906 and reissued on a white card, with an early date of 1 June 1912, the latter being scarce.  It was postmarked with a fine KIMBERLEY/ OC 4/ 10/ TASMANIA cancel and it was addressed to Alex North Esq., F.R.V.I.A., A.M.P. Chambers, Cameron St., Launceston (Figure 1).

KOONIBBA LUTHERAN MISSION STATION, WEST COAST SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The orange Two Pence octagonal KGV head envelope with no ‘Postage’ under the head was introduced in 1920 was postmarked with the squared circle EUNDUNDA/ MY 4/ 21/ S.A (a relatively late use of this type of postmark), and it was addressed to The Superintendent, Koonibba Mission Station, West Coast, S.A.  The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

L. KIERKELS, INDIA, LETTER from APOSTOLIC DELEGATION, NORTH SYDNEY

This registered letter from the Apostolic Delegation, 40 Edward Street, North Sydney, N.S.W. has a distinctive purple handstamp of the APOSTOLIC DELEGATION/ NORTH SYDNEY and the blue Australian 5½d stamp is postmarked NORTH SYDNEY/ 30 AU 43/ N.S.W. It is addressed to His Excellency The Most Rev. Mgr. L. Kierkels, C.P., Apostolic Delegate, Bangalore (Mysore), India. There are 2 additional handstamps, a black octagonal ‘D/ 3' and a purple ‘2’ in a circle. The former is probably a tax mark for underpaid postage (Figure 1).

MARONITES CHURCH, REDFERN: REV. YAZBECK’S LETTERS to AMCHIT

The addressee of the cover is Rev. A. Yazbeck, St. Maroun’s Church, Elizabeth Street, Redfern, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia and the 3d green ‘Roo on Map of Australia’ stamp has a roller cancel REDFERN/ 11 A.M.– SP 28/ 1920. It is addressed to Mrs Fares Walla Caram, Amchit via Beyrouth, Djubell, Mont Liban, Syria, and the address is also recorded in Arabic script. The reverse was seen and there was an ALEXANDRIA, (Egypt) transit but the arrival postmark was illegible (Figure 1).

MARY RIVETT, ‘THE FEDERAL INDEPENDENT’ to REV. J.H. HOLMES, NEW YORK

This rather insignificant cover involves an interesting multi-talented Australian woman, Mary Rivett, the editor of The Federal Independent of Sydney and Dr. John Haynes Holmes of New York, Unitarian minister, and pacifist, noted for his anti-war activism. The cover has the blue 3d KGV head stamp cancelled with a roller cancel SYDNEY/ 8 MAR/ 1930/ 11 AM/ N.SW. with the slogan COMMONWEALTH LOAN/ NOW OPEN/ APPLY AT ONCE. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

MONTAGU JOHN STONE-WIGG, ANGLICAN BISHOP of the SEE of NEW GUINEA

The ‘Four Corners’ blue Queensland 2 penny stamp was cancelled with the 9-bar B.N.G. and the unframed SAMARAI/ 25 JUN 00 postmark was nearby. The envelope was addressed to Rev. F.A.C. Livingston, St. John’s Church, Milson’s Point, Sydney, N.S.W. (Figure 1).

MOSES MOSS COMPANY, MERCHANTS SYDNEY from VAN DIEMEN’S LAND

The entire was franked with a blue 4d imperforate ‘Chalon’ Van Diemen’s Land stamp and there was a framed red GENERAL POST OFFICE/ HOBART TOWN/ [Crown]/ 10 FE 10/ VDL/ 1857 postmark. There was a ms. per ‘Tasmania’ and it was addressed to Moses Moss Esq., Sydney. The reverse was not seen, but the vendor stated that there was a ‘SHIP LETTER SYDNEY FE 19 1857' arrival backstamp. The contents of the letter related to the price of tea (Figure 1).

MOST REV. JOHN F. O'HARA C.S.C. D.D. (1888-1960) [USA]

A purchase of some 30 WW II censored covers mostly to the University of Notre Dame included 2 covers that were sent to the Most Rev. John F. O'Hara, C.S.C., D.D. The markings on one of these covers were not out of the ordinary with a boxed BRISBANE/ Q'LAND/12-MA / 2 1 OCT 2/ 1944/ POSTED IN/ PILLARS (12 MA was an error for 12 AM) plus a red '1. OPENED BY CENSOR' label and a purple boxed stamping '1/ PASSED/ BY/ CENSOR/ 122'. There were no markings on the reverse and I wondered how this cover fitted in with the other Notre Dame covers (Figure 1).

PASTOR ROY ALLAN ANDERSON, AUSTRALIAN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST

The registered airmail cover has 3 Australian definitives, a green 3d Q.E, brown-purple kookaburra and a brown 2s crocodile, totalling 2 shillings and 9 pence. It was sent in the early 1950s from Manly, Queensland and it has a blue MANLY E2/ QUEENSLAND registration label as well as the red crayon cross-hatching. It is addressed to Pastor Roy allan Anderson, C/O The Headquarters of the Seventh Day Adventists, London, England, with additional postal directions in blue crayon. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

PETTY'S HOTEL: A SYDNEY SITE with a LONG PROVENANCE

This registered cover shows the full set of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester stamps which were issued on 19 Feb 1945. It was postmarked G.P.O. SYDNEY/ R.C.S./ 5-P 20 FE 45/ 1/ N.S.W. AUST. There is no registration label, but the blue crossed lines front and reverse clearly show it was registered.. The cover is addressed to Lt: T.B. Harrop./ R.N.V.R./ R.N.O.Q. (Petty's Hotel)/ York Street. Sydney./ N.S.W. Australia (Fig. 1).

RABBI ISRAEL BRODIE, MELBOURNE RABBI & CHIEF RABBI of the BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

This printed to private order mint 1d green sideface KGV postcard cannot be strictly called postal history, and the front gives no hint as to the contents of its other side (Figure 1).

RECHABITE LODGE, S. A. DISTRICT NO. 81, SENT TO Dr. J. BERG ESENWEIN

This cover has a strip of three ½d green ‘Roo on map of Australia’ stamps plus a single red 1d stamp of the same design.  The stamps are cancelled with four examples of the LAMEROO/ JY/  11/ 13/ S.A squared circle postmarks.  There is a printed red illustration with at least half of the diagram obscured by the three green stamps.  The cover is addressed to Dr. J. Berg Esenwein, Correspondence School, Dept. 348  Springfield Mass., United States America.  The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

REV. FELLMAN, RALAUNA, NEW BRITAIN, SO. PACIFIC OCEAN

This cover is a problem, both in regards to the misspelling of the town’s name in the address, 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 present the postmarks with minimal comment on the routing. The auction house made no attempt to chart the routing: 1902 commercial cover to “RALUANA/NEW BRITAIN” but with ‘MISSENT TO NEW YORK’ h/s in purple, “So Pacific Ocean” added in red, array of transit backstamps, toning.

REV. GEORGE HUNN NOBBS, NORFOLK ISLAND

This 1868 stampless cover is addressed to Revd G.H. Nobbs, Norfolk Island Australia, has a LOMBARD-STREET/ F.O./ OC 30/ 68/ PAID cds in red and has a large faint manuscript '6' rating as well as manuscripts 'Via Southampton' across the top, 'ans(wered) to Mr. Glennie, July 27th 1869' on the left side and 'Consignee's letter/ (indecipherable)' on the right. The vendor states that there is a colorless embossing on the cover front "BETHAM & BLACK/ TRANSIT AGENTS/ COX'S QUAY/ LOWER THAMES ST LONDON', the forwarding agents, plus an unusual transit 'B/ DE 25/ 1868/ SYDNEY' postmark on the reverse (Figures 1 & 2).

REV. WILLIAM BEDFORD, VAN DIEMEN’S LAND (1781 - 1852)

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).

REV. C.W. SCHURMANN, HOCHKIRK, LUTHERAN MISSIONARY & PASTOR

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 which may have been the name of the sender on the front, as well as an unframed HOCHKIRK/ VICTORIA on the reverse, which was not seen (Figures 1 & 2).

REV. DR. ALLAN HAUCK, PROFESSOR, PHILATELIST & P-NG POSTMARKS

Some 60 covers were posted from Papua-New Guinea with Australian definitive stamps in the 1950s at the Printed Matter Rate of 3 pence. There was some duplication in the postmarking and a selection was made of post offices that were uncommon in personal experience. They were all addressed to Dr. Allan Hauck, 730 Park Avenue, Newport, Kentucky, United States of America. The first cover front is the only one showed in its entirety, and the reverse was not seen in any of the covers. It had a block of 6 of the orange kangaroo ½d stamps, and it was cancelled with 3 strikes of the Papuan post office [P] DARU/ 23 JY 52/ PAPUA-NEW GUINEA postmark (Figure 1).

REV. FRANCIS ROBERT M. WILSON, PIONEER AUSTRALIAN LICHENOLOGIST 

This very ordinary local cover has a pink ½d stamp of Victoria, canceled with a MELBOURNE/ 11 A/ MR 6/ 97 postmark, and it was addressed to Rev. F.R.M. Wilson, Kew, (Melbourne). The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

REV. J. FLIERL, SENIOR MISSIONARY, NEW GUINEA & J. FERGUSON, JUDGE

The cover has a manuscript ‘From Senior Missionary Joh. Flierl, Finschafen New Guinea, via Rabaul and was addressed to Mr. J.A. Ferguson, University Chambers, 167 Phillip Str., Sydney, N.S.W., Australia. It has 3 violet handstamps, with 2 straight line ‘PASSED BY CENSOR’ as well as an oval ‘CENSORED BY/ DISTRICT OFFICER/ WM OGILVY’ cachet. There are 5 green ½d ‘Roo on Map of Australia’ stamps, a single and block of four, all perfined with the official O S. The stamps have several cancellations, described by the vendor as ‘the defaced court seal of Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen’ in 1915. The reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

REV. JAMES EGAN MOULTON, MISSIONARY, TONGAN BIBLE TRANSLATOR

Two covers were sent to the Rev. J. Egan Moulton at Tupou College (both spelt incorrectly as Tubou), in the capital city of Nuku’Alofa, Tonga. The first had a pair of the red 1d N.S.W. ‘Shield’ stamps cancelled with the barred numeral obliterator of ‘1204' and in addition the origin was confirmed by a cds of ENMORE/ NO 17/ 1897/ N.S.W (Type 1D (i) 1896-1906). In addition there was a blue crayon tax manuscript of ‘T5' (Figure 1).

REV. JAMES FONG KEM YEE, CHINESE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NEWCASTLE

The first cover was addressed to Rev. James F. Kem Yee, Doonass Terrace, Hamilton Road, New Castle (sic) and it was sent from MOGIL MOGIL/ NO 1/ 1907/N.S.W, as well as the ‘Rays 604' of Mogil Mogil, which cancelled the blue 2d New South Wales stamp (Figure 1).

REV. JAMES GARRETT, MINISTER & NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTOR

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 Thomson, Care Rev^d J. Garrett, Manse West Tamar, Launceston, Tasmania (Figure 1).

REV. LACEY HENRY RUMSEY, ST. PAUL’S ANGLICAN CHURCH IPSWICH, QLD

Four covers became available addressed to the Rev. Rumsey at 2 different sites almost simultaneously, and he has proved to be difficult to research, particularly at a distance. The first appears to have a mint copy of the blue two pence (rough perf. S.G. 15) Queensland stamp. It is addressed to The Reverend Lacey Henry Rumsey, Care of the Reverend J. N. Moffatt, Brisbane (Figure 1).

REV. PROF. GRAEBNER, CONCORDIA COLLEGE, UNLEY SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The Commonwealth of Australia Letter Card (H & G #A9) was addressed to Reverend Professor Graebner at Unley via Adelaide, and the printed brown 1½d KGV head stamp was cancelled by a ROSENTHAL/ ( ) AP 17/ S^TH AUST postmark (Figure 1).

REV. THEODOR NICKEL, LUTHERAN MINISTER, EUDUNDA, S.A.

The Post Card with the printed red 1d KGV stamp was postmarked with the squared circle PINAROO/ JY 27/ 11/ S.A and was addressed to The Rev. Th. Nickel, Eudunda, (South Australia.). The reverse has not been translated from the German, and is dated Pinaroo July 16, 1911 (Figures 1 & 2).

REV. WALTER LAWRY, METHODIST MINISTER, MISSIONARY IN TONGA

The lengthy 1818 entire is headed Sydney, New South Wales, May 1818, it is signed Walter Lawry and was addressed to the Methodist Missionary Committee, City Road, London and is postmarked with an undated SYDNEY/ NEW.SOUTH.WALES handstamp. It has a boxed SHIP LETTER/ DOVER handstamp and the reverse has red sealing wax (Figures 1 - 3).

REVD SYDNEY G. FIELDING, WINDSOR N.S.W. & THE WINDSOR MAGAZINE

This advertising cover from The Windsor Magazine has an interesting ‘stamp collar’ which reads ‘BUSIEST, BRIGHTEST & BEST/ MON 6^D THLY’ for placement of the violet 2d Victoria stamp which is postmarked with the double circle MELBOURNE/ PM/ 4 30/ 29 3 00/ 14. It is addressed to Revd S.G. Fielding, St Matthew’s Parsonage, Windsor, N.S.W. (Figure 1).

REVEREND GEORGE KING & BISHOP WILLIAM GRANT BROUGHTON

The mourning cover (with no insert) has a manuscript ‘On Service” and a rectangular boxed ‘FREE’ and is addressed to the Rev^d Geo: King, Liverpool Street West, Sydney. The sender signed his name as ‘W: G: Sydney’. There is no date (but the vendor listed the cover as circa 1840's) and there are no markings on the reverse (Figures 1 & 2).

REVEREND FRANCIS HALES, HEIDELBERG NEAR MELBOURNE, PORT PHILIP

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 oval cancel, (with a) Halcombe Certificate 9588/99" (Figure 1).

REVEREND GEORGE NAPOLEON WOODD, DENHAM COURT, N.S.W. 1867

This mourning cover was sent from England to Mrs. Earl, Care of Revd  G.N. Woodd, Denham Court, New South Wales with a 6d lilac Great Britain stamp (S.G. 97, Scott 45) cancelled with a duplex C/ PENRITH/ JU 18/ 67 with the numeral ‘606' (Figure 1).

REVEREND HASKETT SMITH M.A., SANDHURST CLUB, BENDIGO

The 1d orange brown ‘Reading’ postcard of Victoria is postmarked with the fifth duplex PRAHRAN/ B/ JA 29/ 06/ VICTORIA with the barred numeral ‘69' as obliterator, and it is addressed to the Rev. Haskett Smith M.A., Sandhurst Club, Bendigo (Figure 1).

REVEREND HERMANN HERLITZ, LUTHERAN PASTOR in MELBOURNE

This New South Wales postcard has the 1d ‘Shield’ impression cancelled with a faint barred numeral ‘1529' of Pleasant Hills and an even fainter reception postmark of Melbourne. It is addressed to Rev. H. Herlitz, Gisborne Str, East Melbourne, Vic (Figure 1).

REVEREND THOMAS COOPER SEARLE (1820-1876) MOURNING COVER

The small mourning cover that initiated this search to find out more about Cooper Searle was addressed to Mrs. Cooper Searle, and it has a copy of the 2d double lined outer oval dull violet-mauve perf. 13 (Bell design, Type II) Victorian stamp of 1878. The postmark is the barred numeral 21, Type A2 which shows that it originated from Broadmeadows, 20 km north of Melbourne's G.P.O. (Figure 1).

REVEREND WILLIAM BRANWHITE CLARKE, GEOLOGIST (1798-1878)

This N.S.W. 1854 2d ‘Sydney View’ warn plate stamp was cancelled with barred numeral ‘39' (Cooma, N.S.W.) And was addressed to Revd. W.B. Clarke, St. Leonards, Sydney, and it had a manuscript ‘Answered’ at the top (Figure 1).

REVd J. A. MANTON, NEW NORFOLK, VAN DIEMEN'S LAND

The cover was sent from Sydney 'per Steamer' and franked with the yellow-green 3d 'Sydney Views' stamp postmarked with an obliterator, addressed to the Reverend John A. Manton, New Norfolk, Van Diemen's Land, plus a red unframed PAID SHIP LETTER/ Crown/ JU (rosette) 5/ 1851/ SYDNEY and a manuscript '5". A Launceston reception datestamp was seen on the reverse (Figure 1).

RIGHT REV. DR. JAMES A. GOOLD, FIRST CATHOLIC BISHOP, MELBOURNE

This cover has a red PAID mark of London, as well as a manuscript red ‘8' and a black ‘3' and a black horizontal handstamp that is illegible.  There is no doubt about the addressee, The right Rev. Dr. James Goold, R.C. Bishop, Melbourne, Port Phillip, Australia.  The date is given by the vendor as 185[?] (Figure 1).

ROBERT BEAR, PUBLISHER/IMPORTER & REV. DELAPORTE, NAURU MISSION

Five covers, dated 1901-1910 were addressed to ‘Sir’ Robert Bear at 16 Park Street, Sydney from British New Guinea and from Nauru. The first is a printed cover with a vertical pair of the 1d carmine with black centre British New Guinea stamps, postmarked with the ten bar obliterator (as well as blue crayon strokes) and there is an unframed WOODLARKS/ 1901/ B.N.G. cancel nearby. The reverse (not seen) showed transit marks of Samarai B.N.G. and Cooktown, Queensland (Figure 1).

SAMUEL HALSTAFF COLES & THE CHURCH of CHRIST

This insignificant looking small cover with the red-brown 2½d Victoria stamp postmarked MELBOURNE/ FE 9/ 03, was sent to Mr. S. Halstaff Coles, 22 Ossinge Villas, North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, England (Figure 1).

SELWYN AMOR NATHANIEL OXLEY, ENGLISH EDUCATOR of the BLIND

This cover has several points of interest, the English couple that were addressed, the printed kangaroo in the top left corner and the unusual name of their house in the address.  There is a red King George V Silver Jubilee stamp depicting the King on the horse “Anzac” postmarked with a slogan cancel of ADELAIDE/ 1 JUN/ 430 AM/ 19(35) ‘AIR (MAIL)/ SAVES (TIME).  The cover is addressed to Mr. & Mrs Selwyn Oxley, Ephphatha, 5 Grange Rd, Ealing, London W5, England, and the reverse was not seen (Figure 1).

SIGMOND HOFFNUNG, INTERNATIONAL WHOLESALE MERCHANT, SYDNEY

Two postal items associated with Messrs S. Hoffnung, Sydney were found in the same week. The first was a cover addressed to an individual care of Mess S Hoffnung & Co, Sydney NSW, Australia, sent from New York via San Francisco and the pink pair of the 6 cent Lincoln stamp (Scott #186, issued 1879) was postmarked with a NEW YORK/ JUL 22/ PM/ 1881 postmark (Figures 1 & 2).

SIR SAUL SAMUEL, NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICIAN AND MERCHANT

The cover has a blue N.S.W. diadem ‘TWO PENCE’ as well as the orange and prussian blue 6d ‘REGISTERED’ stamp of New South Wales, the latter canceled by an indistinct ‘Rays’ postmark. There is a manuscript ‘Registered letter’ at the top, as well as ‘Registered’ at bottom left and the ‘263' refers to the registration number. It is addressed to Messrs L. & S. Samuels, Sydney. The reverse had an indistinct unframed oval postmark of Molong, N.S.W.. The vendor provided a date of December 1858 for the cover (Figure 1).

THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, SYDNEY to SMYTHE, THEOSOPHIST, POET, EDITOR [CANADA]

Seven covers appeared on Ebay addressed to Albert E.S. Smythe at several locations in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in the 1920's and 1930's, six from Sydney Australia and one from Auckland, New Zealand. The fronts of two of these covers will be shown, as they show that Theosophical Societies existed in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, in addition to many other countries.

WAY COLLEGE UNLEY, THE BIBLE CHRISTIANS, HOLLIDGE & WHEATLEY

This South Australian Post Card with a brown ONE PENNY imprinted stamp was canceled with a squared circle ROSEWORTHY, S.A. postmark (vendor states 1894). It was addressed by typewriter to eight men as follows: D.H. Hollidge Esq. A.M.; W. Trudinger A.B. Esq.; F.W. Wheatley Sc.B.; J.H. Royce Esq. J.G.F.; W.H. Williams Pro. Ag. Esq.; L.H. Nicholls Esq. B.A.; Fred W. Russack B.F. Esq.; Theo. Wheatley Esq. P.A.B., WAY COLLEGE, with an UNLEY manuscript (Figure 1).

WILLIAM GRANT BROUGHTON, BISHOP of AUSTRALIA to REV. E. HAWKINS

This entire was addressed to the Revd Ernest Hawkins, Assist. Secretary to the Society for Propagation of the Gospel, Trafalgar Square, London and there were two manuscript ratings of an ‘8' and a ‘3', in addition to ‘3985', of an uncertain meaning. There was a very fine red unframed oval PAID SHIP LETTER/ [crown]/ JY [rosette] 11/ 1845/ SYDNEY (Figure 1).

Y.M.C.A. (MELBOURNE): J. M. BRUCE, PRESIDENT & W.G. MARSH, GEN. SECRETARY

This 1883 pale rose One Penny "Naish" post card on yellow card, introduced in September 1883, was postmarked MELBOURNE/ 8Y/ OC 4/ 83 and was addressed to Mr. J.M. Bruce, Messrs Patterson, Laing and Bruce, Flinders Lane, (Melbourne) (Figure 1).