VC-DO-8

Victoria - Colonial period: 1854-1900.
Post Office Telegraphs ordinary rate delivery form: VC-DO-8.

General characteristics:

Heading and notes:	Form number E.T. No. 1. Heading is POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS (118 mm wide). No Crest or postal authority.
Message area:	32 boxes in 8 lines.
Reverse side:	Blank.
Colours (text & form):	Blue on cream.
Size of form overall:	214 × 233 mm.

Distinctive characteristics of this form:

heading is in 7 mm high serif font;
the schedule number has been moved to the left corner at about the same level as the heading;
a box at the left now encloses "No. Words" and there is another box in the top right corner for the Message Number;
date begins 187 ;
"NO FEES ..." between two lines with thickened centre point;
the main distinction between the two formats is:
8A: TELEGRAM below the left side box is written in script;
8B: TELEGRAM below the left side box is written in italics.

Printed in July 1876.

VC-DO-8A.

Sandhurst to Richmond
(20 November 1876).

Characteristics:

Printed in January 1877.

VC-DO-8B.

Melbourne to Williamstown
(13 September 1877).

Characteristics:

This is the earliest recorded Victorian telegram form with a date stamp.

Details of use and rarity.

Form sub-number	Schedule number	Earliest recorded date	Rarity rating
DO-8A	750,000 - 7/76	20 November 1876 at Richmond.	NC
DO-8B	750,000 - 1/77	13 September 1977 at Williamstown from Melbourne..	NC
	750,000 - 7/77	12 September 1877 at Richmond from Prahran.	NC
	750,000 - 1/78	28 February 1878 at Richmond from Hawthorn.	NC