Royal Reels: Gambling

Missionaries and Religion

KOONIBBA LUTHERAN MISSION STATION, WEST COAST SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The orange Two Pence octagonal KGV head envelope with no ‘Postage’ under the head was introduced in 1920 was postmarked with the squared circle EUNDUNDA/ MY 4/ 21/ S.A (a relatively late use of this type of postmark), and it was addressed to The Superintendent, Koonibba Mission Station, West Coast, S.A.  The reverse was not seen (Figure 1). The Koonibba mission, located in the vicinity of an Aboriginal ceremonial ground

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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

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REV. FELLMAN, MALAUNA NEW BRITAIN, SO. PACIFIC OCEAN

This cover is a problem, both in regards to my original misspelling of the town’s name as Ralauna in the address when it should have been Malauna, and the difficulty with the postmarks’ dates. The interest of the marking on the front and the excitement of the postmarks on the reverse, make up for the deficiencies. The cover has an uncertain routing, and readers are asked for their interpretation, as I

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REV. DR. ALLAN HAUCK, PROFESSOR, PHILATELIST & P-NG POSTMARKS

Some 60 covers were posted from Papua-New Guinea with Australian definitive stamps in the 1950s at the Printed Matter Rate of 3 pence. There was some duplication in the postmarking and a selection was made of post offices that were uncommon in personal experience. They were all addressed to Dr. Allan Hauck, 730 Park Avenue, Newport, Kentucky, United States of America. The first cover front is the only one showed

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REV. C.W. SCHURMANN, HOCHKIRK, LUTHERAN MISSIONARY & PASTOR

This telegraphic message cover has postmark interest for in addition to the duplex postmark of HAMILTON/ FE 5/ 83/ VICTORIA with the barred numeral ‘46′ , there was a blue POSTMASTER-GENERAL / VICTORIA/ FRANK STAMP, as well as the faint blue double oval POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICE/ HAMILTON/ FE 5/ 1883 ‘Belt & Buckle’ cancellation. The cover was addressed to Rev. C.W. Schurmann, Hochkirk. There was also an illegible manuscript

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REV. ARTHUR LEYLAND BIRD, BROTHERHOOD of the GOOD SHEPHERD

The cover was sent from W.H. Pethard of Northcote South, Melbourne and the orange 2d KGV Head stamp was postmarked with a roller cancel of MELBOURNE/ 430AM/ 26 APR/ 1935/ VICTORIA with a slogan AIR MAIL/ SAVES TIME. It was sent to The Rev. A. Leyland Bird B.G.S., The Rectory, Brewarrina, N.S.W. There was a reception postmark of BREWARRINA/ 29 AP 35/ N.S.W and it was redirected to Angledool Stn,

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REV. WILLIAM BEDFORD, VAN DIEMEN’S LAND (1781 – 1852)

This undated stampless entire is interesting particularly because of a rare postmark, and its early date in the colony of Van Diemen’s Land. It is addressed to Reverend William Bedford, Hobart Town, with the signature of E. Abbott, who the vendor stated was E. Abbott, Tasmanian M.L.C. The only cancellation is the rare oval undated LAUNCESTON handstamp (Figure 1). H.M. Campbell et al’s book “Tasmania: The Postal History and Postal Markings” (1962)

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REVEREND GEORGE KING & BISHOP WILLIAM GRANT BROUGHTON

The mourning cover (with no insert) has a manuscript ‘On Service” and a rectangular boxed ‘FREE’ and is addressed to the Revd Geo: King, Liverpool Street West, Sydney. The sender signed his name as ‘W: G: Sydney’. There is no date (but the vendor listed the cover as circa 1840’s) and there are no markings on the reverse (Figures 1 & 2). George King (1813-1899) was a Church of England clergyman,

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REVD SYDNEY G. FIELDING, WINDSOR N.S.W. & THE WINDSOR MAGAZINE

This advertising cover from The Windsor Magazine has an interesting ‘stamp collar’ which reads ‘BUSIEST, BRIGHTEST & BEST/ MON 6D THLY’ for placementof the violet 2d Victoriastamp which is postmarked with the double circle MELBOURNE/ PM/ 4 30/ 29 3 00/ 14. It is addressed to Revd S.G. Fielding, St Matthew’s Parsonage, Windsor, N.S.W. (Figure 1). The Windsor Magazine was one of the best British literary magazines which was subscribed to by middle-class

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REV. WALTER LAWRY, METHODIST MINISTER, MISSIONARY IN TONGA

The lengthy 1818 entire is headed Sydney, New South Wales, May 1818, it is signed Walter Lawry and was addressed to the Methodist Missionary Committee, City Road, London and is postmarked with an undated SYDNEY/ NEW.SOUTH.WALES handstamp. It has a boxed SHIP LETTER/ DOVER handstamp and the reverse has red sealing wax (Figures 1 – 3). The undated Sydney postmark is an example of a postmark introduced by Isaac Nichols

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