Victoria - Colonial period: 1854-1900.
Transmission form: VC-TO-7.

  
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: No form number on later printings but E.T. 1 introduced at or before the February 1882 printing.
Heading is POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS, VICTORIA.
Message area: 30 boxes in six lines lines.
Reverse side: Blank.
Colours (text & form): Red on cream.
Size of form overall: 211 × 238 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:

 It may have been that at least one of these forms was made available in booklets with an extension to the left on which to write copy of the message to be transmitted. The Age of 29 July 1880 noted that:


"The brokers and mining agents of Ballarat have a grievance to complain of just now, which has not been in any way improved by no notice having been taken of their complaint forwarded to the department for the last fortnight or so there has not been a single available book of telegraph forms in the public office and, although constant applications are made for them, the answer is still the same - "Know nothing of them." A gentleman applied this morning again, found there were none, and was told again by the officer of whom he asked the question had no idea when any would be sent up. The books are a great convenience because they afford facilities for keeping copies of messages that the loose forms do not".

The forms of this format are the main ones which were available about 1880. TO-7A has a scroll at the left which might indicate that it was made available in books containing a number of forms.

VC-TO-6APrinted August 1876. VC-TO-7A.

Unused transmission form.

Characteristics:

  • heading is in serif font 4 mm high;
  • has ornamental scroll at left with serrated edge indicating a tab had been attached;
  • small pointing hand;
  • date starts with "187_".

A used example is shown for a Police message sent from Seymour to Benalla on 14 October 1878.
VC-TO-7Ab VC-TO-7B.

To Nagambie from Seymour.

24 December 1877.

Characteristics different from TO-7Aa:

  • no scroll on the left side;
  • small pointing hand;
  • has a Form Number and a schedule number ending in 76 in the top right corner.

An early example of a Collect annotation on a transmission form.

Three forms of the very few forms recorded used are dated 28 October 1878. They describe the reward of £800 for the capture of those responsible for the murders at Stringy Bark Creek - possibly the Kelly Gang.
(NOTE: select the Ned Kelly entry.)

 
CV_TO_6B
Printed in February 1882.		 VC-TO-7C.

From Richmond to Warricul (6 September 1882).

Characteristics:

  • has a large pointing hand with the palm down;
  • heading in sans serif font 6 mm high;
  • font under boxes is larger;
  • no scroll at left and cut edge;
  • date starts with 188_.
VC-TO-7C VC-TO-7D.

Unused transmission form.

Characteristics:

  • has a large but short, thick hand with the palm pointing out;
  • no form number or schedule number.

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
TO-7A 0. - 8/76   RRR
  5000 - 8/76 14 October 1878 at Seymour, RRR
TO-7B 750,000 - ??76 24 December 1877 at Seymour. RRR
TO-7C 750,000 - 2. 82. 6 September 1882 at Richmond. RR
TO-7D None.   RR