Family History

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

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FREDERICK VON STIEGLITZ, PASTORALIST & POLITICIAN, TASMANIA

This stampless ‘complete’ is addressed to Frederick L. Steiglitz Esquire, Fingal (Van Diemens Land) and the cancellation has no name of the town, but is dated 28 MY 28/ 1847. The letter was rated ‘4′ (Figure 1). Such un-named Tasmanian cancels originated from Hobart and were used only for local mail. There were 2 such Hobart cancels struck in black, both 28 mm diameter, and classified as Figure 19 used

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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). The reverse has a transit mark of MOUNT BARKER/ (   )/ 1859/ S-A and a manuscript on the right side, written vertically, of ‘P.O./ Woodchester/ 28.5.59 plus a

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CONSTANCE ENID RADCLIFFE, THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

After researching this unusual postcard for a year, I realised that the postcard was not addressed to Constance but to her mother, Emily for it was addressed to Mrs. Radcliffe, Theosophical Society, Victoria Square, Adelaide, S.A., whereas Constance never married. However both parents and their 3 children were greatly involved with Theosophy, particularly Constance over her long lifespan. The postcard is inscribed vertically along its left border ‘Copyright: The Colombo

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CLAUD FARIE: SHERIFF OF MELBOURNE

Part I: Biography Prologue: The wealthy Farie family owned the coal mine at Farme Colliery, near Rutherglen, Scotland and possibly had shipping interests in Liverpool, England. James Farie and his wife were the recipients of the covers and letters, and his father was known to have purchased the land at Farme and also an ancient castle dating to 1352 from the Duke of Hamilton. Rutherglen near Glasgow (as frequently shown

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CAPTAIN R.G.F. CANDAGE, BOSTON MASS. from MT BLACKWOOD, VICTORIA

The cover is addressed to Captain R.G.F. Candage, 17 Merchants Exchange, Boston Mass., United States America and it has a manuscript ‘22/4/70′ at lower left as well as ‘Ans Jul 1 70′ at the left edge of the cover. There is an unframed MT BLACKWOOD/ AP 22/ 70/ VICTORIA postmark and both stamps, a brown lilac ‘TWO PENNY’ and a blue Laureate ‘SIX PENCE’ were cancelled with the barred numeral ‘64′.

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BRAIDSWOOD N.S.W. to F. W. H. AARON, YOUBA & TOULUMNE COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

A series of 22 covers were sent to Francis William Howard Aaron at several addresses in California dated from 1852 to 1877, and the first I consider to be a local Californian cover. This opinion is at variance with that of the vendor who states that the first cover “almost certainly originated in New South Wales.” Most of the other covers were posted by members of his Braidwood N.S.W. family,

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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

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

A very ordinary 1885 South Australia Newspaper Only wrapper with a purple printed One Penny stamp with an indecipherable date is addressed to Baron von Swaine, P.O. Lancaster via Kyabram Victoria (Figure 1). It is a coincidence that the only other paper I have written featuring a member of the baronage was also addressed on a newspaper wrapper, namely to Baroness von Koenneritz of Rose Bay N.S.W.  She found it

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