Family History

ARTHUR MIDGLEY, ‘LARCHMOUNT’, LONDON RD., SAFFRON WALDEN, ESSEX

Two items came on Ebay addressed to Arthur Midgley, the first a N.S.W. Letter Card with the printed red 1d ‘Shield’ stamp, cancelled with a roller cancel SYDNEY/ N.S.W./ 16 JE/ 11-AM 1913 addressed to Mr. A, Midgley, J.P. at Saffron Walden, Essex, England (Figure 1). The reverse had an arrival postmark of SAFFRON WALDEN/ 10PM/ JY 19/ 13 (Figure 2). The second item was a printed REGISTERED LETTER with

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ALEXANDRA VICTORIA: SOLICITOR to R.S. APPELBE, MILTON BARRISTER, CANADA

The cover the blue 6d ‘Laureate’ and a lilac 2d stamps of Victoria canceled with the barred numeral ‘602′ and there was an unframed ALEXANDRA/ FE 23/ 75/ VICTORIA alongside. There was an orange crayon ‘2′ and a red hand-stamp LONDON/ PAID. The cover was addressed to R.S. Appelbe Esqr, Barrister &c, Milton, Ontario, Canada (Figure 1). The reverse had 3 postmarks, a transit MELBOURNE/ 2 A/ FE 25/ 75,

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GREGORY BROTHERS, EXPLORERS & FRANK PEDLEY, CANADIAN POLITICO

The Aristophot Co., London postcard was sent by a person, not researched, by name N. Stoneham to Mrs Frank Pedley, 283 McLaren St, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and the rosine 1d South Australian stamp was canceled by a EUDUNDA/1/ AP 28/ 08/S.A ‘squared circle’ postmark. There was a routing VANCOUVER, B.C./ JUN 4/ 7.30 AM/ 1908 postmark as well as a reception OTTAWA -ONT/ JUN 9/ 08/ CANADA postmark (Figure 1).

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JOUBERT & JOUBERT PTY IMPORT & EXPORT & GENERAL AGENTS LTD

The advertising cover has a green stylized motif describing the company, with a circular Joubert & Joubert/ J &J/ PTY LTD and a diamond-shaped IMPORT/ EXPORT & GENERAL AGENTS as well as a return address of 575 Bourke Street Melbourne at the bottom of the envelope. It was addressed to The Superintendent, Manangatang District Hospital. Manangatang, Vic. The green 1d stamp had a roller cancel with a boxed MELBOURNE/ 4

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WILLIAM CAMERON BROS. & CO. LIMITED to E.F. WEDLICH, TOBACCONIST

The Post Card is addressed to Mr. E.F. Wedlich, Tobacconist, Ballarat and it has the printed brown ‘Reading One Penny’ stamp of Victoria which is cancelled with MELBOURNE/ 23 A/ MR 12/ 98 postmark (Figure 1). The reverse has advertising for the William Cameron Bros. & Co. Limited, with a handstruck partially obscured purple ‘PROPRIETARY’. The “Virginia” Tobacco Factory, Offices and Factory were located at 14 to 20 A’Beckett Street,

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WALCH & SONS, STATIONERS HOBART, TASMANIA & TATTERSALL’S

This is the second paper about Walch & Sons, stationers, but with particular reference to the close relationship to the Tattersalls Lottery of Charles Edward Walch. The cover is addressed to Messrs. Walch & Sons, Stationers, Hobart, Tasmania. The pair of the ‘ONE PENN Y/ POSTAGE’ stamp of Victoria is cancelled by an UP TRAIN/ MG 3/ NO 15/ 05/ VICTORIA (the Bendigo line) and much of the purple “Tattersall”

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TOBLERONE: JOHAN J. TOBLER & HIS 3 CHILDREN: THEODOR, EMIL & MARTHA

The registered cover has a blue Bourke St. East C1 Victoria label and it is addressed to The Manager de Tobler & Co. S. ft., fabrique de Chocolat, Berne Suisse, Switzerland. The purple-brown 6d small laughing kookaburra stamp is canceled BOURKE ST EAST/ 25 FE 38/ VIC (Figure 1). There are 3 further repeat cancels of the same Bourke St. East, Victoria, as well as a Registered Melbourne cancel on

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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

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THE RESCH BROTHERS, EDMUND, RICHARD & EMIL: RESCH’S BREWERIES

I have been intrigued by printed to private order (P.T.P.O.) covers and postcards, particularly those that have a ‘collar’ of advertising matter around the printed stamp, and I have noted that this format is seen particularly in the companies that sell alcohol. The Resch name is well known to most Australians in relation to breweries. Both of the two P.T.P.O. covers do not show the Resch name on the front,

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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

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