NSW TELEGRAPHS date stamps

New South Wales: 1858 - 1988.
TELEGRAPHS date stamps.

Most of the 22 New South Wales date stamps with TELEGRAPHS XXXX or TELEGRAPH OFFICE are Type 2C with single side arcs and a full stop after the W. The diameter of these date stamps was generally 29 mm - the exceptions are described, as appropriate, below (e.g. Werris Creek).

The range of dates for the period of use of the TELEGRAPHS date stamps is:

earliest reported date is 1921 (Wagga Wagga) but the earliest recorded date is 13 April 1922 (Wagga);
latest reported date is 1985 (Newcastle) but the latest recorded date is 1 February 1989 (Newcastle).

Albury:

Used: 11 June 1941 to 17 April 1953.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated (used on a telegram): RRR.

Number in the Census: 7.

11 June 1941.

Used on AB-GBF-39A and on
AW-DO-10BB (49).
11 June 1941 to 17 April 1953.

17 April 1953.

Armidale.

Believed to have been used from 1926 to 1942.

Bathurst:

Believed to have been used from 1944 to 1959.

3 October 1944.

24 December 1959.

Used on AA-GXE-59.

Broken Hill:

There were two formats:

Format 1. TELEGRAPHS BROKEN HILL at the top and N.S.W. at the base with centered dots between the top and the base inscriptions.

Used: 5 August (?) 1935.

Diameter: 27.5 mm.

Number in the Census: 1.

5 August (?) 1935.

Format 2: TELEGRAPHS at the top and BROKEN HILL at the base. No reference to NSW.

Has 1 mm side arcs.

Used: 21 January 1946 to about 1950.

Diameter: 27.5 mm.

Number in the Census: 4.

21 January 1946.

32 (sic) August 1948.
(probably Wednesday 1 Sept.)

Canberra (ACT):

Recorded date stamps show:

it was used with F.C.T. at the base between 7 August 1931 and 25 July 1941;
it was used with A.C.T. at the base between 26 October 1961 and 2 March 1967 - with a short date line.

Hopson & Tobin record the date stamp only with A.C.T. at the base and to have been used in 1962.

Canberra/
F.C.T. (Federal Capital Territory).
7 August 1931.

Used on AB-DU-8Fa.

Canberra/
A.C.T. (Australian Capital Territory).
2 March 1967.

Used on Harold Holt's telegram.

Coonamble:

Size: 29 mm.

Used: Believed to have been used on telegrams and on ordinary mail from 1935 to 1963.

Rated: RRR.

20 January 1937.

TELEGRAPHS COONAMBLE.
14 June 1945
Used on an embossed registered envelope .

Cootamundra:

A Type 2E date stamp is believed to have been used 1921 to 1925.

Deniliquin:

A Type 2E date stamp was used between 1928 and 1963.

Recorded 22 October 1946 to
21 October 1950.

TELEGRAPHS DENILIQUIN.
22 October 1946.
Diameter: 29 mm.

Used on AW-DO-10 (43).

Dubbo:

Believed to have been used from 1926 to 1965.

Diameter: 29 mm.

19 May 1937.

Used on AB-GCF-36A.

Goulburn: Long date line. Used: 28 July 1932 to 29 September 1935 with the long date stamp format. Hopson & Tobin report the TELEGRAPHS GOULBURN date stamp to have been used from 1926 to 1982. Diameter: 29 mm. Rated: RR.	28 July 1932.	29 September 1955.
Short date line. Used: 10 April 1981. Diameter: 29 mm. Rated: RRR. Number in the Census: 1.	10 April 1981. Used on an official Australia Post envelope.

Grafton:

Believed to have been used from 1963 to 1965.

Hurstville:

Used: 7 January 1956.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1

Not recorded elsewhere.

7 January 1956.

Kempsey:

Believed to have been used from 1926 to 1964.

Lismore.

Used: 15 Dece,ber 1956.

Diameter: 28 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

15 December 1956.

Maitland:

A Type 2c (with WEST removed) is believed to have been used from 1951 to 1953.

A Type 3B TELEGRAPHS MAITLAND (N.S.W. AUST at the base) was used from 1958 to 1963.

Narrabri.

A Type 2C TELEGRAPHS NARRABRI is believed to have been used between 1926 and 1976.

Used on a telegram: 21 October 1942.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated used on a telegram: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

21 October 1942.
Used on AB-DO-8H.

Narromine.

A Type 3 (i) TELEGRAPHS NARROMINE is believed to have been used in 1982.

Newcastle:

The TELEGRAPHS NEWCASTLE date stamp is believed to have been used from 1926 to 1985.

Two versions of the Type 2C date stamp were produced:

NEW CASTLE in two words (diameter 31 mm).

TELEGRAPHS NEW CASTLE.
22 January 1938.
Newcastle is split into two words.

Only known date (2 examples known).

NEWCASTLE in one word and with a short date line (nylon wheels).

Diameter: 29 mm.

Both versions have a full stop after the W. and two 1 mm arcs for separation.

Recorded used from 8 August 1977 to 1 February 1989 (not confirmed and after the use of telegrams had ceased).

TELEGRAPHS NEWCASTLE.
8 August 1977.
Short date line (nylon wheels).

28 February 1985.

P&TD 07
Postal & Tel. Dept.
Newcastle.
5 November 1907.

Used on NI-DO-5A.

Newcastle Railway.

Size:

Used: 29 February 1940.
Hopson & Tobin report that a Type 2C NEWCASTLE RAILWAY TELEGRAPH OFFICE was used in 1955.

Rated: RRRR.

29 February 1940.

Orange: Type: Long date line - type 2C. Diameter: 29 mm. Used: 8 May 1939. Believed to have been used in 1974 - but then maybe not. Rated: RRR.	8 March 1939. Used on AB-GCF-34Ab.
Type: Short date line. Diameter: 29 mm. Used: 13 November 1963. Rated: RRRR.	13 November 1963. Used on AA-DO-13B.

Sydney Radio Telegraph Station.

Tamworth:

Reported to have been used between 1927 and 1958.

Was later used with TELEGRAPHS removed.

Tamworth 1928 7 May 1928.
1½d pair and single KGV.

26 April 1935.

Wagga Wagga:

Hopson and Tobin claim a Type 2A was used between 1920 and 1924 while a Type 2C was used in 1927. The examples at right support:

Type 2A was used at least from 13 April 1922
to 26 September 1924;

Diameter: 28 mm.
Smaller font and more rounded.

TELEGRAPHS WAGGA WAGGA.
13 April 1922.

Used on an internal memo.

TELEGRAPHS WAGGA WAGGA.
26 September 1924.

Used on AB-DO-3A.

Type 2C was used from 16 November 1927
to 8 August 1934.

Diameter 29 mm.
Slightly taller font and the lettering is more elongated.

Both TELEGRAPHS date stamps were used extensively for telegraphic messages repeated through Wagga Wagga and recorded on Wheatstone Telegram forms or on other telegraphic message forms of a informal or formal nature.