Tasmania - Interim period.
Administration envelopes: TC-EA-PTD.

In 1894, the Telegraph Department merged with the Postal Department to form the Post and Telegraph Department.

Two types of envelope are therefore known - produced to support the respective administrations of the Telegraph Department:

  1. Colonial envelopes with the words TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT;
  2. Interim-period envelopes with the words POST & TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.
    There were two main headings - On Public Service Only and On His Majesty's Service.

Few pre-1900 envelopes are known with the words POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT as the return address in the lower left corner. Presumably the stocks with the TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT inscription had to be used before any further printing.

The earliest recorded date for the new heading on an administrative cover is 4 July 1898.

Heading: On Public Service Only.

TC-EA-1
Provenance: Clemente, Joohnstone.
Spink Sale 20 September 2016 Lot 269.
TC-EA-3.

Wynard to Launceston.
4 July 1898.

Addressed to the Telegraph Office at Launceston.

Characteristics:

  • heading is ON PUBLIC SERVICE ONLY;
  • has a note "To be used on Post & Telegraph business only";
  • size: 79 × 138 mm;
  • reverse flap is blank.

 

 

Heading: On His Majesty's Service.

This heading could have only been printed during the Interim period - well after the death of Queen Victoria on 22 January 1901.

TI-EA-4.

Cover sent to Marchwell.
No date indicated.

Heading changed.

Size: 80 × 137 mm.

Flap has a rounded peak and heavily curved sides. No inscription.
3B P&T cover TI-EA-5.

Registered long cover from Hobart to South Melbourne
7 April 1905.

Characteristics:

  • heading changed to ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE;
  • reverse flap is plain.