Postage Stamp Chat Board & Stamp Bulletin Board Forum
 

I mentioned a link to the National Archives of Australia in another thread (www.naa.gov.au). There's some fascinating stuff to be had. Take for example, the letter below, (National Archives of Australia: CP697/41, 1899/240 ) written by the Chief Magistrate of Norfolk Island to The Undersecretary for Lands NSW in 1897. He suggests that Norfolk Island issue postage stamps, noting that "collectors would probably purchase extensively". Norfolk Island issued it's first stamps in 1947, precisely 50 YEARS after the letter was written.


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This doc runs to 55 pages, (National Archives of Australia: A571, 1911/17890) , but it is well worth a read. It's the correspondence to and from various government lackeys, the printer (Cooke) and others regarding the introduction of Commonwealth stamps. It debates the comparison between steel engraved plates and the electrotype process, the size of the awards for the design, the cost of setting up and printing etc. Fascinating for the 'Roo and KGV Head nuts.

Here's a sample image. Please note point 2!!!

Here's one for the KGV nuts. (National Archives of Australia: A2911, 1906/1913 )

"[1914 die proof of letterpress 1d (one penny) George V stamp in red. Reverse features Perkins, Bacon and Co. Ltd hand-stamp Australian Postage Stamps. This original item is not to be issued - order Reference copy as barcode 232145]"

BTW, I've banged off a coyright clarification request to the NAA regarding these images. I believe they fall under research/personal non-profit use. Until I get clarification, if the admins think there may be an issue I'm Ok with this thread being locked and the images removed for the time being. How can this info not be free to us all though. It's interesting stuff.

Scratch that last post, permission granted. I just need to modify each post with full details

Very neat stuff.

Are there direct links to those scans you can post?

I'd love to peruse this file!

vSZ34-37 Miscellaneous papers of the Postage Stamp Department, 1849-1909, four vols, restricted. Vol. I includes documents relating to the Postage Stamps Centennial issue of 1889, specimens of stamps printed, correspondence concerning costs of proposed commemorative issues and stamp designs. Vol. II ( SZ36) contains correspondence relating to the introduction of the new postal note system, 1893, and the Diamond Jubilee issue of 1897-98.

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

I don't think I can post a direct link, as each image is a separate page. I'll post up a "how to" tomorrow though.

sherro,

The National Archives are a tremendous resource I have used many hundreds of times. It really is amazing the amount of documentation available on that site that I guess a lot of people don't know about (until now that is ).

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Tony

You're so right. I found a reference to the log book at the migrant hostel we came to. I called it up, meaning it was made available to me at the archive office, and I took a photo of the reception book my Dad signed on the day we landed in Melbourne. That's now part of my family history. The service records are also a fantastic resource.

Here's a link to the search page http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/ResearcherScreen.asp

You can then enter the reference if you know it, which will bring up all the items filed under that reference, or you can enter search criteria, just like googling.

Each image posted here, or anywhere else for that matter, requires copyright approval, which comes within an hour or two via email.

Glen, I think your reference is perhaps a NSW one? The NAA doesn't cover pre-federation from what I can see.