The Charity Stamps of Colonial Australia.

NSW - 1897 Consumptives Home
1d (1/-) on cover.

Both 1d (1/-) and 2½ (2.6) in combination and mixed frankings:

• combination frankings of both the NSW 1897 Charity stamps;
• mixed frankings of both the NSW 1897 Charity stamps with another issue.

First Day Cover - single franking.

Three probable First Day Covers are known for the 1d (1/-) stamp - one cover with a pair. Until this website, these covers have been unrecognised or misclassified.
For example, one description of the Shaw cover below gave it the date stamp of July 22 (not June 22).

The above cover - albeit it philatelic - appears to be a genuine First Day Cover.

There are at least two covers with a single franking which are almost identical.

The distinguishing characteristics of the first (asee above) include:

• the date stamp is well clear to the left of the stamp and it has been rotated clockwise by about 40°;
• There is a stop after "St.";
• The "Y" of Sydney almost touches the base of the cover;
• the cover is in very good condition;
• sold at the Corinphila Sale 235 June 2019, Lot 3528.

The distinguishing characteristics of the second include:

• the date stamp is well clear to the left of the stamp and it is not rotated;
• There is no stop after "St.";
• The "Y" of Sydney is well clear of the base of the cover;
• the cover has been torn from the top to between the first two initials (M and W).

The parallel 2½d (2/6) cover raises some questions especially about the first date of issue.

First Day Cover - multiple franking.

Single frankings before 31 August 1897.

Covers with a single 1d franking were popular and involved less risk to the collector.
There are probably about 30 single franking covers with 23 definitely confirmed so far as having been used in the period of postal validity before 31 August 1897. At least six of the known covers went to the same address in Glebe Point - although to three different recipients.

In addition there are probably 10 covers (or more) with single frankings used after the 31 August (not really legally).

Covers similar the last shown and to the same address have been listed on Ebay, Prestige Philately (for example in August 2012 Lot 258) and other outlets.
The same type of covers are also known for:

• Parry (of the same address and with the same handwriting) are also known (eg on 16 July 1897 from Glebe);
• Levick at Longueville on 23 October 1898 (?).

The same hand writing on the Glebe Point covers and addresses especially shows clearly these covers were philatelic in nature. There are many similar covers to the same Glebe Point address - and all have not been seen yet.

Single franking covers sent within NSW but outside of Sydney.

Recorded covers with a single 1d (1/-) franking used before 31 August 1897.

1. 22 June 1897 at Park Street (P and a of Park link) - Cherrystone May 2007 Lot 1852 and Prestige August 2012 Lot 265.
2. 22 June 1897 at Park Street (P and a of Park do not link).
3. 24 June 1897 at Burwood (201 duplex date stamp inverted - 11:30 pm) - cover to Bilborough - date stamp touches base of 1/- frame - Spink Auction 16030, Lot 1017 and Stanley Gibbons Oct 2017.
4. 25 June 1897 at Sydney 24 (5:30 pm) with a Sydney duplex (cover to Osclaz PO Box 1384 Sydney) - Corinphila May 2018 Lot 1940.
5. 22 June 1897 - the First Day Cover sent from Newtown to Bridge Street, Sydney.
6. 30 June 1897 at Enmore for local delivery to Barry Co. (Date stamp covers lower left corner of the stamp. Faint duplex on stamp.) - Ebay March 2017
7. 6 July 1897 at Oxford Street with 699 duplex for local delivery to Mrs Millie(?) Bosch - Ebay August 2013.
8. 6 July 1897 at Oxford Street with 699 duplex for Glebe delivery to Mr. G. H. Parry - Abacus Auctions 239 December 2019 Lot 1521 and Phoenix Auctions March 2025.
9. 6 July 1897 at Ashfield with a 193 duplex for local delivery to Master J. Stephen - Ebay (techgifts) December 2017.
10. 7 July 1897 at Oxford Street with 699 duplex for Glebe delivery to Mr. G. H. Parry - Abacus November 2019, Lot 1521.
11. 9 July 1897 at Oxford Street with 699 duplex for Glebe delivery to Mr. Danes.
12. 23 July 1897 with George Street West duplex for Glebe Point delivery - Ebay October 2014.
13. 24 July 1897 at Sydney 36 for Glebe Point delivery to Mr Danes - Spink Sale February 2013 Lot 685 (the Hutson Collection) and David Feldman Geneva Sept. 2013 Lot 41228
14. 25 July 1897 at Sydney to A. Oxley at GPO 1384 Sydney - Corinphila May 2018, Lot 1940.
15. 26 July 1897 Adelong for local delivery to Eissler Esq - Ebay May 2014.
16. 28 July 1897 at George Street North with 1385 duplex for local delivery to W. C. Platts. Flap has oval The London Bank of Australia - Ebay (techgifts) April 2018.
17. 30 July 1897 at Enmore to Newtown - Nutmeg September 2006 Lot 4866.
18. 11 August 1897 at Broken Hill with 1331 duplex for local delivery - Matthew Bennett February 2003 Lot 561 and Millennium April 2003 Lot 543.
19. 23 August 1897 at Rockdale with 1127 duplex sent to T. Leeder at Hurstville - Prestige August 2013 Lot 359 and Abacus November 2019, Lot 1518.
20. 25 August 1897 at Edgecliff for local delivery to Mr. C. A. Gilles. Has selvedge to right and below on plain envelope - Ebay March 2018.
21. 26 August 1897 at Rockdale to Hurstville (T. Leeder Esq) - Abacus Auctions December 2019 Lot 1518.
22. 30 August 1897 at Ashfield with duplex for local delivery - Millennium February 2005 Lot 49.
23. 30 August 1897 at Haymarket with inverted 865 duplex at 10:15 sent for local delivery to Bilborough with date stamp touching base of left 1/- frame - Ebay (techgifts) March 2017, September 2918.
24. 31 August 1897 at Haymarket with inverted 865 duplex at 12:50 sent for local delivery to Bilborough with date stamp touching lower frame - Spink Auction 16030, Lot 1017 and Stanley Gibbons Oct 2017.
25. 31 August 1897 at Haymarket with inverted 865 duplex at 12:50 sent for local delivery to Bilborough with date stamp touching base of 1/- frame and extending beyond the LH perforations - Corinphila November 2017 Lot 6127 and Corinphila Sale 235, June 2019, Lot 3527.

Recorded covers with a single 1d (1/-) franking used after 31 August 1897.

1. 2 September 1897 at Broken Hill 1331 duplex for local delivery to Mr. Geo. Smith. Circular date stamp is rotated about 15° clockwise. The left side of the duplex cuts between the S and W of N.S.W at the bottom of the stamp. There is one line of the duplex under the stamp. Spink May 2018 Lot 64.
2. 2 September 1897 at Broken Hill 1331 duplex for local delivery to Mr. Geo. Smith. Circular date stamp is not rotated at all. The left side of the duplex cuts the N of N.S.W at the bottom of the stamp. There are three lines of the duplex under the stamp. Phoenix Auctions 2194 April 2026.
3. 3 September 1897 at Oxford Street 699 duplex for delivery to James Dixon at Glebe Point.
4. 14 September 1897 at Newtown for local delivery to Mr. B Blumenthal in Walker Street - Ebay August 2020.
5. 1897 but very unclear duplex from Sydney to Toowoomba, Qld - Cherrystone July 2006, Lot 1327.
6. No date but part of a Glebe 761 duplex for local delivery - Millennium February 2005 Lot 50.

Multiple frankings of the 1d(1/-) Charity.

There are very few covers having a franking with just two 1d (1/-) Charity stamps - and none with more than two stamps:

• 22 June 1897 - the First Day Cover sent from Newtown to Bridge Street, Sydney.
• the cover shown below sent to Melbourne on 16 December 1904 - seven years after issue.
• two covers with two singles - 2 July 1897 at Edgecliff sent to Arthur Whitehead in Bathurst and another cover sent to Brisbane.

Rod Perry, in his research of the philatelic records of early stamp dealers, noted that C. B. Donne was Melbourne's first Stamp Dealer.

Mixed franking with the 1d (1/-) stamp.

Fifteen covers are recorded with a mixed franking involving the 1d (1/-) stamp and NSW stamps from another issue (so not the 2½ (2/6)).
Of these, five covers were sent within NSW, four covers were sent to Queensland, one cover to Victoria and five covers were sent overseas.

See below for a list of the mixed franking covers recorded.

Mixed franking on covers sent within NSW.

Covers with a mixed franking with the 1d (1/-) stamp sent to other Colonies in Australia.

The handwriting on this cover is similar to that on other covers - for example the Dawe cover and others sent to the Glebe address.
Almost identical covers were sent to:

1. Mr Swain but with the uprating using a ½d grey pair was sold by Prestige Philately August 2012 Lot 258;
2. Mr Parry (same handwriting as above and or this cover) uprated with 1d Arms - Goulburn to Glebe Point, 7 August 1897.

Covers with mixed frankings with the 1d (1/-) Charity sent internationally.

Summary of all known 1d (1/-) Charity covers with a mixed franking.

1. 5 July 1897 Reynolds from Sydny to Edinburgh, Scotland
2. 21 July 1897 Swain
3. 23 August 1897 from Sydney to Auckland. New Zealand;
4. 30 August 1897 from Lismore to Sommersetshire;
5. 6 April 1899 sent from Oxford Street with 699 duplex (posted 11:30 am).to Brisbane (to Mr. Fyas). ½d grey pair - Millennium February 2005 Lot 74 and Ebay March 2015.
6. 28 July 1906 sent from Sydney Registered to Boston USA with ½d, 1d (2 Arms) and 2d blue Jubilee - Prestige Sale 175 August 2012 Lot 267. Dubois Collection (1) Corinphila Sale 307, June 2023, Lot 20086.

Posted after validity of stamps for postage ended on 31 August 1897.

Mixed franking covers including the 1d (1/-) NSW Charity before 31 August 1897.

Covers with a single 1d (1/-) stamp included in a mixed franking which have been sighted are:

1. 2 July 1897 with an Oxford Street duplex and sent Registered to the S.S. Stuttgart in Circular Quay.The franking also includes a 1d red Arms and a 2d blue Queen Victoria Centenial.
   Provenance: Prestige April 2009 Lot 354.
2. 3 July 1897 at The Exchange to GPO Sydney (Burgoyne) in a mixed franking with a 1d Arms.
   Provenance: Grosvenor September 2017 Lot 294
3. 5 July 1897 at Sydney 41 NSW duplex to Edinburgh, Scotland (mourning cover to Mrs Reynolds)
   in a mixed franking with a ½d grey and 1d red Arms.
   Provenance: Abacus November 2019 Lot 1522.
4. 8 July 1897 Sydney Registered Sydney (Mr Pope) in a mixed franking with a 3d green diadem. Provenance: Millennium September 2013 Lot 139.
5. 19 December 1898 sent to France in a mixed franking of a 1d Charity single with a 7½d surchaged 6d DLR + 2d Jubilee QV - not seen but discussed in the Australian States Study Group Newsletter, May 1980, p.2
6. 2 July 1897 with an Oxford Street duplex and sent Registered to the S.S. Stuttgart in Circular Quay.The franking also includes a 1d red Arms and a 2d blue Queen Victoria Centenial.
   Provenance: Prestige April 2009 Lot 354.
7. 11 July 1897 on a piece with a Marrickville 430 duplex in a mixed franking with a ½d grey and 1d violet View of Sydney Centennial.
8. 14 July 1897 sent from Mathoura to Melbourne in a mixed franking with a 1d Centennial Sydney View. Ebay February 2015
9. 21 July 1897 sent from King Street to Rockhampton, Qld in a mixed franking with a 1d Arms. Status December 2002 Lot 1016.
10. 23 July 1897 sent with an Oxford Street duplex to Rockhampton, Qld in a mixed franking with a 2½d grey. Prestige August 2012 Lot 258.
11. 23 August 1897 sent Registered from Sydney to Auckland, NZ in a mixed franking with a ½d, 1d, 2d & 2½d. Prestige May 2007 Lot 134.
12. 30 August 1897 sent from Lismore to Clevedon, UK in a mixed franking with a ½d grey & 1d Centennial. Mike Berry, September 2017.

Mixed franking cover posted after the period of postal validity (after 31 August 1897).

1. 19 December 1898 sent to France franked by a 1d Charity single with a 7½d surchaged 6d DLR + 2d Jubilee QV - not seen but discussed in the Australian States Study Group
   Newsletter, May 1980, p.2
2. 6 April 1899 sent from Oxford Street with 699 duplex (posted 11:30 am).to Brisbane (to Mr. Fyas). ½d grey pair - Millennium February 2005 Lot 74 and Ebay March 2015.
3. 28 July 1906 sent from Sydney Registered to Boston USA with ½d, 1d (2 Arms) and 2d blue Jubilee - Prestige Sale 175 August 2012 Lot 267. Dubois Collection (1) Corinphila Sale 307, June 2023, Lot 20086.
4. 11 December 1913 sent from the Exchange for local delivery. Has a ½d Centennial OS for some reason. No image is known.
5. No date - a cover sent from Enfield cancelled with 189 rays sent to Toowoomba, Queensland uprating the 1d (1/-) Charity - Provenance Matthew Bennett February 2003, Lot 562.

Covers which are likely to be concocted.

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Designed, developed and © by Dr. James N. Johnstone.