Miscellaneous

JOHN WREN (1871 – 1953), SELF-MADE MAN, LOCAL HERO & SCOUNDREL

This cover leads into a remarkable story told in a total of 4½ pages in the on-line Australian Dictionary of Biography (A.D.B.), a length of biography uncommon for a man of his ilk (a page more than for Ned Kelly). The front shows that it is addressed to John Wren Esqr, Bourke St., City (Melbourne). The 1d rose Victoria ‘Postage’ stamp is postmarked with an unframed sixth duplex SOUTH YARRA/

Read More »

WILLIAM STRAWBRIDGE, 7TH SURVEYOR-GENERAL of SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Two partial fronts only were found for the same Surveyor-General for South Australia. The first front was addressed to The Surveyor General, Adelaide and it was postmarked with a fine squared circle of MALLALA/ 1/ JY 22/ 03/ S.A (Figure 1). The second front was identically addressed and the pink ‘ONE PENNY’ stamp of South Australia was postmarked with a squared circle postmark of PETERSBURG/ 2/ OC 10/ 04/ S.A

Read More »

WALLAROO & MOONTA MINING & SMELTING COY LTD, YORKE PENINSULA, S.A.

This cover was addressed to The Secretary, American Electrochemical Society. South Bethlehem, PENN, U.S.A. and the green3d ‘Roo on the Map of Australia’ stamp was postmarked with WALLAROO/ 7-A 13 MAY 18/ STH AUSTRALIA. There was a purple oval PASSED BY / 4 TH MD/ CENSOR handstamp (Figure 1). The flap on the reverse had a fine example of the oval ‘belt and buckle’ inscription of Wallaroo & Moonta Mining &

Read More »

VISIONS OF EARLY AUSTRALIA: POSTCARDS, COVERS & MEMORABILIA

This paper provides me with the opportunity to highlight items, many of which have been  already used in several other papers that have intrigued me. The aim is to make this a ‘living’ picture for it will provide me with an avenue to add individual scans which would not warrant the production of a separate paper. This paper will be a veritable melange of items, which fits the category of Miscellaneous. 

Read More »

VINCENT PATRICK TAYLOR a.k.a. CAPTAIN TAYLOR PENFOLD

A postcard was sent on July 2nd 1910 from Sydney to the Minister of Defence and the contents were as follows: “Dear Sir, Kindly advise me if final time has closed, for entering a machine for the Commonwealth Aerial Prize. To oblige, truly yours, Captain Penfold, The Australian Aeronaut, Box 1564, G.P.O.” There is a blue double ringed DEFENCE ( )/PM-1 16 OC 10 mark applied top centre – the

Read More »

TINY TOWN & ZEYNARD’S AMAZING MIDGET CIRCUS

The present postcard cannot be called postal history as my card has not been through the post. It shows a group of longitudinally challenged individuals in fine formal ware, five ladies and six gentlemen. The group are described as Zeynard’s Amazing Midget Circus. Tiny-Town. The Big Show and the reverse simply has Post Card, without any identification as to the maker or country. (Figure 1). Information on the group is

Read More »

THE SIMPLIFIED SPELLING BOARD, NEW YORK & PROF. THOMAS G. TUCKER

This intriguing On His Majesty’s Service cover has a blue-green ‘Bantam’ ½d and a pair of OS perfined pink ‘ONE PENNY’ stamps of Victoria canceled with a duplex CANTERBURY/ MY 5/ 12/ VICTORIA with the barred numeral ‘722′. The printed address at lower left identifies that it originated from the Education Department, Melbourne, 1. It was addressed to The Secretary, Simplified Spelling Board, No. 1. Madison Avenue, New York, U.S. America. The

Read More »

THE CHARITY STAMPS of NEW SOUTH WALES

The Post Office in New South Wales was responsible for several innovations in the philatelic area, and the two Charity Stamps of June 1897 influenced other countries to issue similar items. This included the two Charity stamps of Victoria which were issued in October 1897. The 1990 issue of the Australasian Stamp Catalogue (A.S.C.) gives the best historical information of these stamps which were designed by C. Turner and typographed

Read More »

THE HAWKEYE PEARL BUTTON CO., MUSCATINE, IOWA

This unpretentious cover was sent by William Lewis, Sydney to the Hawkeye Pearl Button Co., Muscatine, Iowa, U.S.A., and it has quite a story behind it. The blue 2½ d Roo on map of Australia stamp is postmarked with a roller cancel, SYDNEY/ DE 19/ 1917/ NOON/ N.S.W. (Figure 1). The making of buttons from mother of pearl was introduced into the United States about 1855, but at that time

Read More »

TELEGRAMS: EARLY COLONIAL COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS AUSTRALIA

This ‘TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE’ cover was postmarked CUMNOCK/ AP 4/1878/ N.S.W. and was addressed to A.E. Anderson, C/o G(eorge) or his son S(age) Bruce, Loombah (N.S.W.) The CHARGES TO PAY ‘Message’ and ‘Porterage’ were not filled in. There was a ms. ‘N.M.’ at top left, the meaning of which is uncertain (Figure 1). The reverse had a blue oval on the flap, with the print ‘NEW SOUTH WALES/ ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH’ (Figure

Read More »