SCIENCE

This somewhat battered and stained ‘cover’ adds to the information on the multifaceted Alfred Howitt. It was sent by him to Cyrus E. Doyle Esq, Werrinia, Kunopia, Moree, N.S.W. and it has the green 1d Bell designed Victorian stamp postmarked with BAIRNSDALE/ AU 31/ 77/ VICTORIA duplex with barred numeral ‘174' (the first duplex, which is not rated by Freeman & White, 1997). Along the top of the cover there is a black ink manuscript ‘Ethnological circular only from/ A W Howitt Bairnsdale’, and there is a portion of red sealing wax at the lower edge (Figure 1).

ALFRED WILLIAM HOWITT, EXPLORER & NATURAL SCIENTIST (1830-1908), PART ONE

Two covers appeared at the same website, one to Alfred and the other to his wife, both sent from Meran, Austria. This town in the South Tyrol (Meran in German, and now Merano in Italian, was Austrian up till1918, but now is in Italy) and both have Austrian stamps totaling 30 kr, but also they have a red manuscript ‘50' rate. The first was sent ‘Via Brindisi April 29' (1880) to Alfred W. Howitt F.G.S. (L), Tenclyde, Sale, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, and there was a transit T.P.O. DOWN octagonal postmark, with a back-stamp of Melbourne (Figure 1).

ARDASEER CURSETJEE WADIA, FIRST INDIAN ELECTED to ROYAL SOCIETY

AUBURN N.S.W. LETTER to DR. ROLANDO GUIDOTTI, SIDI MESRI, LYBIA

This letter was sent in March 1951 from Auburn N.S.W. to Dr. Rolando Guidotti, Sidi Mesri Experimental Farm, Tripoli L'Africa, Lybia, North Africa by Air Mail. It was franked with 3 stamps, the small 6d Kookaburra, the 9d platypus and the 3d KGVI head stamp, a total of 1 shilling 6 pence. There is a reception postmark in arabic on the front (Figure 1).

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).

CAPTAINS FLAT N.S.W. to CARTAGO, COSTA RICA

An ordinary first day cover can tell quite a story with humble beginnings in rural N.S.W. and exotic endings in Central America. The cover celebrates Baron Sir Ferdinand Jakob Heinrich von Mueller (1825-1896) born in Germany of Danish origin and died in Melbourne. The cover has 2 copies of the red 2½d von Mueller stamp postmarked CAPTAIN'S FLAT/ 13 SP 48/ N.S.W and it is addressed to Mr. James Wood, Box 124, Cartago, Costa Rica, Central America (Figure 1).

CARL CURT HOSSEUS, GERMAN BOTANIST, CORDOBA, ARGENTINA

EDWIN DAINTREY, DOCTOR, SOLICITOR, BOTANIST, LAND DEVELOPER

This cover has a total of 8 cents US postage, a single red 2c plus a pair of brown 3c postmarked with 3 examples of a NEW YORK/ AUG 22/ 3 PM/ D/ 85 duplex with a large ‘D’ in an oval of six thick bars. It was sent ‘Via San Francisco’ to Edwin Daintrey Esq, 33 Castlereagh St, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. There was a vertical manuscript in a different hand ‘Rec Sept (?)/ 85. The reverse was not seen but had Sydney backstamps (Figure 1).

H.B. SELBY & CO., SCIENTIFIC APPARATUS & LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

This advertising cover for H.B. Selby & Co. at 393 Swanston St., Melbourne has the blue 3d Submarine Telephone Communication to Tasmania stamp postmarked with a roller cancel dated 25 May 38 and is addressed to Difco Laboratory, a Michigan-based manufacturer of microbiology media and supplies in Detroit, USA. The reverse shows a figure of an aneroid barometer (Figure 1).

H.K. LEWIS, BOOK PUBLISHER, SELLER & LENDING LIBRARY, LONDON

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).

JEOFRY STUART COURTNEY-PRATT of HOBART (1920-1995) [USA]

Three covers appeared on eBay in August 2003, two almost identical and addressed to Jeofry in 1931 to his home, and one addressed in 1930 to A.W. Courtney-Pratt (later proven to be his father) at his place of work in Hobart. Extensive research into these covers was prompted not only by the somewhat unusual surname but also by the purple exhibition vignette. The only difference in the 2 covers sent to Jeofry, was that one had the 2d pictorial, whereas the illustrated one had 2 stamps with a combined postage of 2d.

JOHANN GOTTLIEB OTTO TEPPER, BOTANIST, SCHOOLTEACHER, & ENTOMOLGIST (1841-1923)

This dull rose-red 1d Victorian embossed envelope has an additional 1d stamp added and both are postmarked with the barred numeral ‘461' of Hochkirch and there is also an unframed HOCHKIRCH/ JU 8/ 03/ VICTORIA postmark, with the year slug inverted and reversed. It is addressed to Mr. Teppper, Entomologist, Public Museum, Adelaide, S. Australia. The sender is identified by the purple hand-stamp as Louis Kurtze, Hochkirch, Victoria. The ‘4' of ‘461' is very worn, so that the B.N. appears as ‘161'. The ‘461' is a second B.N. for the original post office was ‘337' for the time period 15.2.1861 to 1.1.1863, whereas the ‘461' was used at the P.O. re-opening on 21.1.1864 (Figure 1).

JOHN GEORGE ROBERTSON, BOTANIST, PASTORALIST (1803-1862)

This 1849 O.H.M.S. entire is addressed to John George Robertson Esq, Wando, McKinlays Post, Glenelg. It has a faint red boxed FREE/GEELONG (at upper left) and is signed CJ Latrobe/ Commissioner, at lower left (Figure 1).

JOSEPH BOSISTO, CHEMIST & M.L.A. RICHMOND, VICTORIA (1824-98)

This 1885 1d dull rose on buff Victoria postcard was mailed out to members of the Richmond Cricket Club as an invitation for the Annual Dinner to be held on Saturday 25 July, 1885 in the Richmond Town Hall, dinner commencing at 7.30 p.m. sharp. Although the card was sent by the Hon. Secretary, Henry Brock, J. Bosisto, Esq., M.L.A., the President of the Club, was to occupy the Chair (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).

PACKET BOAT CANCELS COVERS to E.M. EHRHORN, ENTOMOLOGIST, HAWAII

This cover has a ‘Packet Boat’ handstamp as well as a HONOLULU/ MAR 7/ 8 30 AM/ HAWAII cancel in a circle with the year date shown separately as 1925 as well as a large 2 in a barred ellipsoid, cancelling a pale dull blue 3d KGV head Harrison plate die I Australian stamp. It was addressed to Mr. E.M. Ehrhorn, Chief of the Division of Plant Inspection, P.O. Box 2520, Honolulu, Hawaii (Figure 1).

POSTCARD to T. AITKEN, VICTORIA PARADE BREWERY, EAST MELBOURNE

This Victorian postcard is an example of the 1876-81 1d "Bell" Post Cards, a variant of the initial issue which had a fine outer frame-line of the ornamental border, for the outer frame-line is thick. It was issued in mid-1878 and this example was postmarked with the duplex MELBOURNE/ 11Y/ SE 27/ 81 and was addressed in bold print to Mr.T. Aitken, Victoria Parade Brewery, East Melbourne (Figure 1).

PROF. ARCHIBALD LIVERSIDGE 1846-1927, UNIVERSITY of SYDNEY

A front of a very simple cover was sent to Professor Liversidge, Sydney University and readdressed in manuscript to the Union Club, in Sydney. It had a duplex cancellation different from the first duplexes in that the date stamp part was upright instead of sideways and had a double circle instead of one, and the obliterator oval had 4 rings instead of 3. It was probably of local manufacture and the 2 parts of the cancel could be used separately. In the concentric circle the letters A, C, D, E, H, I, K?, & L are found, and it was in use from 1871-1881. The double circle datestamp had an L, and was dated SP/ 76/ SYDNEY on the 1d N.S.W. stamp (Figure 1).

PROFESSOR J. A. GRAY D. Sc., O.B.E., FRSC, FRS [ENGLAND/CANADA]

Australia's gift in radiation physics to Great Britain and Canada:

PROFESSOR WILLIAM MORRIS DAVIS, GEOGRAPHER (1850-1934)

The 1d red roo on map of Australia stamped wrapper (H. & G. E-2) which is postmarked WILLIAMSTOWN/ 215A 30 SE 14/VIC has a manuscript Printed Matter and is addressed to Professor W.M. Davis, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. U.S.A. The name of the sender has not been identified, but immediately below the name there appears to be written 'Survey Egypt' (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).

RICHARD HELMS, ZOOLOGIST & BOTANIST, DEPT. of AGRICULTURE, SYDNEY

ROBERT BROUGH SMYTH, SECRETARY OF MINES, MELBOURNE

This folded blue entire was addressed to the above, the postage being paid by a 4d rose pink Victoria ‘Beaded Oval’ stamp postmarked with the barred numeral ‘173' (Type 1B) of Daylesford and there was a blue boxed ‘TOO LATE’ alongside (Figure 1).

SIR CHARLES TODD, POSTMASTER-GENERAL & SUPERINTENDENT of TELEGRAPHS, ADELAIDE

This Post Office memo is somewhat peripheral to the majority of the items on this website, but it is of particular interest not only because of its contents, but also because of the person issuing the directive. It was sent from Charles Todd to all South Australian Postmasters, and it reads (Figure 1):

SIR JAMES COCKLE, CHIEF JUSTICE & MATHEMATICIAN 1819-1895

This battered long blue envelope is addressed to Sir James Cockle, chief Justice of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland and it had the blue 2 d N.S.W. stamp postmarked with an unframed duplex SYDNEY/ E/ JU 1/ 74/ P postmark. There were no markings on the reverse (Figure 1).

SIR RUDOLPH ALBERT PETERS, BIOCHEMIST (1889-1982) [ENGLAND]

Rudolph Peters was born13 April 1889 in Kensington, London, the only son and elder child of Albert Peters a general practitioner and his wife Agnes Watts. He was educated at Cambridge University and St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London (graduating in medicine with MB and B. Chir.1915), although he entered as a classics scholar. He gained his higher research degree of MD in 1919. After teaching briefly at Cambridge, he accepted the recently established Whitley Chair of Biochemistry at Oxford which he held from 1923 until his retirement in 1954.

THOMAS STEPHENS, EDUCATIONIST, MEMBER ROYAL SOCIETY, TASMANIA

An unpretentious one penny Tasmanian postcard reveals an interesting story about the addressee, Thos Stephens M.A., Inspector of Schools, Davey Street (Hobart). It was postmarked with a HOBART/ 1 D/ NO 4/ 82 duplex (Figure 1).

W.F. PETTERD (1849-1910) & the TASMANIAN EXHIBITION, LAUNCESTON 1891-2

This ON PUBLIC SERVICE ONLY stampless cover was addressed to W.F.Petterd, Brisbane St., City and it had a duplex cancel of LAUNCESTON/ A/ NO 21/ 91, TASMANIA which partially obscured a blue CORPORATION OF LAUNCESTON/ FRANK STAMP. There was a printed TASMANIAN EXHIBITION, 1891-92 in the lower left corner (Figure 1).

WILLIAM DAWSON GRUBB & MORTON ALLPORT, EARLY TASMANIAN LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

This Tasmanian cover has an outer made from stiff paper which is inscribed with a manuscript 'Law papers only from/ Allport Roberts & Allport/ Hob Town 3 Sept 1862', was addressed to 'W.D. Grubb Esq/ Solicitor/ Launceston'. It has the 2d green and 4d blue Chalons tied by two impressions of the Hobart barred obliterator plus another impression of PRE-PAID/ 3 SEP 3/ 1862 cancel in red. The total of 6d postage was the rate for Book Packet Post article not exceeding 4 ounces. The reverse (not seen) was said to have a rectangular reception postmark of Launceston PRE-PAID/ 4 SP 4/ 1862 (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 JOHN MACLEAY, POLITICIAN/ZOOLOGIST & the MACLEAY FAMILY