New South Wales - Colonial period: 1858-1900.
Ordinary rate delivery form NC-DO-1.

  
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: Form number in lower left corner
Has straight NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH with the crest in the centre.
Message area: Blank.
Reverse side: Blank.
Colours (text & form): Black on blue-grey paper.
Size of form overall: 250 × 203 mm but very large differences.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:
 These first issue forms are only know in official collections such as the National Library of Australia and the NSW Archives but one is known in a private collection.

The earliest known date of use is 8 November 1858 for a telegram sent from Goulburn to Sydney (shown in Hancock, p. 15).

Early versions of this form have similar format but vary in size and shade of paper. They also vary in the presence of a line under the space for Total charges and the date begins with "185 ".

NC-DO-1dPrinted in 1863. NC-DO-1d.

Brisbane to Sydney
(11 August 1863). Characteristics:

  • has line under space for TOTAL in charges section;
  • date begins "186 "

Has accompanying delivery envelope - see NC-EO-1.

Form has the instructional annotation "6/- COLLECT".

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
DO-1d 78-g 63-50000 11 August 1863 at Sydney. RRRR