New South Wales.
Date stamps - Electric Telegraph.


A number of oval date stamps were issued in New South Wales incorporating the words ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH or some variation of those words and abbreviations.

Formats also varied with ovals being either format RO2 or format RO7.

Click on the following hyperlink for details of the Australian classification scheme for Telegraph date stamps.

Most of these date stamps were used at the Central Telegraph Office in Sydney. Some were however used in regional offices. At present there is no listing of the various formats used in either type of office.

Examples are provided below for:

Examples of large multiples to which the date stamps have been applied are also shown below.

 

Electric Telegraph Department.

There are at least five formats with this heading:

 

Format 1: RO2 - ETD (38 mm).

Top heading: ELEC. TEL. DEP.

Bottom heading: Sydney N.S.W.

Size: 23 mm × 38 mm (e = 0.80).

Used: 2 January 1886 to 29 January 1886.

Rated: RRR.

Number in Census: 1 pair & 3 blocks.

2 Jan 86
2 January 1886.
Detail of the block of 4 below left.
ETD 29 Jan 86
29 January 1886.
Detail of the block of 19 below.
ETD 22 jan
2 January 1886.
Block of 4.
Mar 82
11 March 1886.
Block of 4.
6d violet pair
3 January 1886.
   
Blk 19
Sydney N.S.W. 29 January 1886.
Block of 19 - largest recorded multiple with this date stamp.

 

Format 2: RO7 - ETD (51 mm).

Top heading: ELEC. TEL. DEP.

Bottom heading: Sydney N.S.W.

Size: 29 mm × 51 mm (e = 0.80)

Used: 25 January 1886 to 4 March 1886.

Number in the Census: 2 blocks.

5 bob DE
25 January 1883.
Marginal pair of the 5/- Stamp Duty overprinted POSTAGE.
Provenance: Dave Elsmore.
ETD 4 Mar 4 March 18?6 (probably 1886).
Block of 8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electric Telegraph Dept. at the base.

Electric Telegraph Dept. is at the base.

SYDNEY is at the top of the inside scalloped border.

RO7-ETD.

Two line date.

1885 - 1887.
Electric Telegraph Depart. is at the top.

SYDNEY is at the top of the inside scalloped border.

RO7-ET

One line date.

1893 -1894.

 

4. Electric Telegraph Office.

Top heading: ELEC. TEL. DEP.

Bottom heading: Sydney N.S.W.

Electric Telegraph Office is at the base.

RO7-ETO.

Size: 38 × 50 mm (e = 0.65).

Used between 6 May 1887 and 1893.

ETO 1887
Electric Telegraph Office.
6 May 1887.

Rated RRRR.

1890

 

5. Electric Telegraph Office - Check Branch.

  Check Branch
9 March 1886.