Mining

JOHN BOYD WATSON (1828-1889), VICTORIAN GOLDMINING MAGNATE

This goldfield cover has four Victorian 1d ‘Half-Length’ stamps, two orange-brown and two pink, postmarked with 3 Barred Numerals ‘9′ of Beechworth, and the cover is addressed to John Watson, Smyths Creek, Ballarat. A black manuscript is written vertically upwards at the left side, and reads in part ‘Detained for/ 1d postage (Figure 1). There are 3 postmarks on the reverse, one for the originating BEECHWORTH/ [crown]/ SP 13/ 1853,

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JACOB BRACHE, GERMAN CIVIL & MINING ENGINEER, COAL & GOLD MINER

The 1876-81mauve‘One Penny Bell’ postcard of Victoria according to Geoff Kellow’s ‘The Stamps of Victoria’ (1990), pages 360-361 was issued on 6 October 1876 and in mid-1878 a new plate was issued with a thicker outer frame-line than in the present one, which was an example of the earlier post card. It was addressed to J. Brache, Merri St., Northcote (Victoria). The stamp was cancelled with a duplex MELBOURNE/ 7Z/

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H. KOCH CRUSHING WORKS, LONG GULLY, LETTER from LANGLANDS CO.

The cover is addressed to Mr. Henry Koch, Pioneer Crushing Works, Long Gully, Sandhurst and the vertically placed manuscript identifies the sender as Langlands Foundry Co., and the date of the letter as 28th March 1871. The lilac TWO PENCE Victoria stamp is cancelled with a MELBOURNE/ 8A/ MR 29/ 71 duplex (Figure 1). The reverse has an incomplete transit postmark of an unframed LONG GULLY/ MR 29/ ( )/

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GOLD MINE AT TRUNK LEAD (POST OFFICE, LATER BO PEEP), VICTORIA

The pink ‘ONE PENNY POSTAGE’ stamp of Victoria is postmarked TRUNK LEAD/ SE 17/ 02/ VICTORIA, and the Ebay vendor describes the postmark as follows: Good/fine strike of Trunk Lead 17 Sep 1902. Post Office west of Ballarat (from) 21 Oct 1873 until renamed Bo Peep RO [Receiving Office]1 Nov 1907. This RO closed less than 2 months later. Premier (stamp auctions)record this datestamp from 2 dates in May 1906

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DUCHESS MINE, QUEENSLAND, OUTBACK POSTMARK: A FANCIFUL NAME?

Dr. Jane Frew’s QUEENSLAND POST OFFICES 1842-1980 and RECEIVING OFFICES 1869-1927, published 1981, describes DUCHESS on pp. 257 as a copper mining town 32 miles from Djarra b. 40′. The Duchess Mine receiving office opened about November 1906 (Devoncourt closed) and was elevated to the DUCHESS post office in June 1910. The railway opened October 21, 1912 and the post office moved to the station soon after. It left the railway March

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DR. SIMON, METALLURGIST & COOLGARDIE CHAMBER of MINES/COMMERCE

The Western Australian postcard has a ‘ONE HALF-PENCE’ printed brown ‘swan’ stamp of W.A. cancelled with a duplex COOLGARDIE/ FE 21/ 1896/WESTERN AUSTRALIA with a barred obliterator. It is addressed to Dr. A. Simon, Coolgardie (Figure 1). The reverse is headed ‘The Coolgardie Chamber of Mines and Commerce. General Meetings of the Members of Chamber take place on the first Thursday in every Month. The Annual Meeting will be held

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COCHIN, INDIA to RAVENSTHORPE, W. A.: PHILLIPS RIVER GOLD & COPPER MINE

This fine postcard was produced in British India and it has a red printed ‘ONE ANNA’ King Edward VII head stamp, postmarked COCHIN/ 7DE. 10/ AM. It is addressed to H.B. Hallam Esq., C/o Phillips River G (old) & C(opper) Co. Lrd., Ravensthorpe, West Australia (Figure 1). The reverse is addressed Cochin, S. India and it was sent to “Dear Alge(rnon?) Just a line to wish you a Kerry Christmas,

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COOLGARDIE CYCLE EXPRESS: LOCAL POSTS EASTERN GOLDFIELDS 1894-7

Western Australia gold field memorabilia are not infrequent finds at auction sites, and the Coolgardie Cycle Express Service, Coolgardie, W.A., 1894 postcard reproduction is a reminder of the past. It was produced in 1964 to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the service in 1964. The front shows reproductions of the blue 1/- and 2/6 “cinderellas” postmarked with a special cancellation (Figure 1). The reverse of the postcard has a fine

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COOBER PEDY OPAL MINE, UNDERGROUND POST OFFICE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The cover has an orange ½d KGV Head stamp as well as the purple 1½d KGVI definitve stamp postmarked COOBER PEDY/ 26 NO 36/ S.A and it was addressed to a Mr. L. Franklin, Brokes Street, Inglewood, Taranaki, New Zealand.  At the bottom L.H.S. the post master has printed has printed a ms. From/ Coober Pedy/ The Only Underground/ Dug Out/ Post Office/ In The World/ A.P. North, Postmaster (Figure

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POSTCARD to DR. BENHAM from MOUNT LYELL MINING & RAILWAY Co. Ltd.

This 1d pink Victoria postcard has a roller postmark MELBOURNE/ OC 29–2-30P/ VICT/ 1908 and it was sent to Dr. Benham, Camden House, Exeter, S.A. (Figure 1). The reverse shows that it is from The Mount Lyell Mining & Railway Co. Ltd, 30 Queen Street, Melbourne, 29th Octr 1908.  The printed message has been altered by writing and it reads:Dear Sir, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your P/C of

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