TC-TO - ad hoc forms

In the early days of the development of telegraph services in Tasmania, telegrams had to be sent but no relevant transmission form was available to complete. Sometimes also, one office might be off-line so notification of a message to be telegraphed had to be sent by some means - for example by horse, coach or by post.

Example of a telegram from Bothwell to Oatlands to be sent from Green Ponds.

	This message has been written on the inside of an envelope which has been folded out. FRONT: An official envelope with appropriate wording at the top. The envelope has been addressed to: The Operator. Green Ponds. The date stamp is a Crown over FREE on 6 July 1875.
	REVERSE: No markings but a framed double circle Green Ponds date stamp of 7 July 1875.

INSIDE: The message of 10 words has been written for transmission from Bothwell to Oatlands. It was submitted at 2:50 p.m. and sent at 3:30 p.m.. The sender had paid 1/- for the 10 word message. The above image shows the message written on the inside of the envelope. Tasmanian Stamp Auctions. December 2013 Lot 268.

This mode of creating your own transmission form was very common in Tasmania in the 1870s-1880s - more commin than in any of the other Colonies.

Examples of other forms are shown below:

	Green Ponds to ?? 14 August 1871. Message is: "The sheep are on Green Ponds". Words: 6. Cost: 1/- but Collect. Received: 7:20 am. Sent: 7:25 am. On a torn up telegram delivery envelope (flap at the base here).