Australia: 1917-1988.
Labels - Urgent.

Urgent labels were used at three distinct periods for Australian telegrams:

  1. from about World War 1 through to the 1920s - when there was an insufficient supply of paper for the Urgent rate delivery forms;
  2. in the World War 2 period when there was an insufficient supply of paper due to War economies;
  3. after 1974 when Urgent rate forms were abolished due to insufficient use.
VI-RO-3 DE
Provenance: Dave Elsmore.		 VI-LU-1.

Used on a Reply-Paid form sent from Rialto to St Arnaud
4 May 1916.

Characteristics of label:

  • printed in black on orange paper;
  • has Form number E.T. 4a.
  • no schedule number;
  • size is 87 × 217 mm;
  • heading is underlined.
No image presently available. AB-LU-1.

Characteristics

  • printed in black on orange paper;
  • has a form number E.T. No. 14;
  • 126 × 40 mm (so very large);
No image presently available. AB-LU-2.

Characteristics

  • printed in black on pink paper;
  • form number changed to "FORM T.G. 54"
    and printed to right of ..T;
  • 126 × 40 mm (so very large);
AB-LU-3
Label used on AB-GS-36.		 AB-LU-3.

Cairns to Melbourne C.T.O.
17 June 1939.

Characteristics

  • printed in black on pink paper;
  • form number printed about 1.5 cm to the left of and below U..;
  • has no printed authority;
  • 126 × 38 mm (so very large);
AW-LU-4
Label used on AW-DO-10B (43).
See also example used at Townsville.		 AW-LU-4.

Telegram to Melbourne
(C.T.O. 31 December 1944).

Characteristics of label:

  • reverse printed red on white paper;
  • G has no horizontal bar;
  • has form number T.G.54 starting below white upright of U;
  • no schedule number;
  • size is (approximately)
    33 × 82 mm but cuts do vary up to 2 mm;
  • reverse printing extends down 24 mm (so nearly ¾ of the label) and then plain white.

Used between 31 December 1944 and February 1954.
AW-LU-4 AW-LU-4 - unused example.
AW-LU-5 (52)
Provenance: Dave Elsmore.		 AW-LU-5.

Unused example.

Characteristics of label:

  • reverse printed red-maroon on poor quality white paper;
  • has schedule number at same level as the form number T.G. 54;
  • size is
AA-LU-6
Label used on AA-DO-10(60).		 AA-LU-6.

Melbourne for local delivery
(rubber C.T.O. 19 December 1962).

Characteristics:

  • thicker letters and G is more enclosed;
  • form number T.G. 54 is left justified to the middle of U...;
  • the schedule number is aligned under the form number but in the unprinted white region;
  • size 32 × 82 mm;
  • reverse printed in red on white for top section;
  • printed area 18 mm high (so about 55% of label);
AA-LU-7
Schedule number Sch. 3435/66 (printed in 1966).		 AA-LU-7.

Used on generic greetings envelope (AA-GGE-2a) but no date stamp to show when it was used.

Characteristics of label:

  • G has small horizontal bar;
  • form number T.G. 54 is left justified to the left edge of U...;
  • has schedule number also left justified under the left edge of U in the unprinted white region;
  • size is 32 × 79 mm;
  • reverse printed in red on white for top section;
  • printed area 18-19 mm high depending on printing;
AA-DO-13D 1967 label
Urgent label O/N C 3566/67.
Provenance: Anne Fricker. 		AA-LU-7.

Used on delivery form AA-DO-13D at Glenside, South Australia on 22 September 1971.

Telegram notifies family of a casualty in the Vietnam War.
AA-LU-8 on formUsed on a AA-DO-13D form. AA-LU-8.

Sydney to
TELEGRAPHS Mortdale
(22 March 1974).

Label number changed to
T.X. 54.
See below for characteristics.
AA-LU-8
Printed in 1971.		 AA-LU-8.

Unused label.

Characteristics:

  • Form number changed to T.X. 54.
  • size is 32 × 82 mm with 13 mm white section at base;
  • printed on very shiny, thin and tough paper;
  • reverse printed in red in top section;
  • schedule number also left justified in white section.
LU-8 phono
Use of the LU-8 URGENT label (1975 printing) on a Phonogram with an Overseas label (1978 printing) as well.
AT-LU-9
Printed in 1976.		 AT-LU-9.

Unused label.

Characteristics:

  • size is 31 × 82 mm with 12 mm white section at base;
  • printed on very shiny, thin and tough paper;
  • reverse printed in red in top section;
  • has TELECOM AUSTRALIA PRINTED at right below urgent;
  • schedule number also left justified in white section.
AT-LU-10
Printed in February 1980.		 AT-LU-10.

Unused label.

Characteristics:

  • URGENT is centered on the label;
  • size is 31 × 83 mm with 14 mm white section at base;
  • printed on thin matt paper;
  • reverse printed in red in top section;
  • has no printed authority;
  • schedule number is left justified in the lower corner of the white section.

 

 
AT-LU-11
Printed in February 1980.		 AT-LU-11.

Unused label.

Characteristics:

  • URGENT is centered on the label;
  • size is 31 × 82 mm with 12 mm white section at base;
  • printed on thin matt paper;
  • direct printed in red in top section;
  • has no printed authority;
  • schedule number is left justified in the lower corner of the white section.

Details of use and rarity.

Form sub-number Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity
VI-LU-1 None.
4 May 1916.
 RRRR
LU-1 Sch. C. 107 - 6/1927. (H p. 230) RRR
LU-2 None. (H p. 231) RRR
LU-3 None. 17 June 1939 at C.T.O. Melbourne. RR
LU-4 None. 31 December 1944 at C.T.O. Melbourne. R
LU-5
Sch C. 6815/52
   RR
LU-6 Sch 3743 6/61 19 December 1962 at C.T.O. Melbourne. R
  Sch. C. 8997 - 9/62    
LU-7 O/N. C.3252.-6/65. 15 January 1970 at Blackall, Qld R
  O/N. C.3435/66   R
  O/N. C.3566/67 ....
22 September 1971 at Glenside, S.A.
 R
 
Sch. C5433/68
30 July 1978 at C.T.O. Hobart.
 R
LU-8 Sch C6503/71
9 February 1976 at CTO Hobart
 RR
  Sch C 6973/72 22 March 1974 at Telegraphs, Mortdale, NSW. RR
 
Sch. C7391/73
24 December 1974 on a Phonogram used at Hobart.
 RR
  Sch CT 8341/75
3 March 1982 on a Phonogram used at Hobart.
 R
LU-9 Sch. C8602/76    
LU-10 None but has (2/80) after form number.    
LU-11 None but has (2/80) after form number