especially elated to telegrams;

the slogan pAustralian Capital Territory - Canberra.
Post Office and date stamps.



This page summarises the following information for the Canberra Post Office:

  1. details of the Post Office;
  2. details of the date stamps used;
  3. the slogan cancellations used on mail and which advertised the use of Telegrams and the telegraph service.

1. Post Office.

There are few images of the various Canberra Post Offices.

Can 1929
Post Office, East Block.

Taken in 1929.

 

2. The datestamps.

The only difference (telegraphically speaking) between Canberra and the rest of New South Wales up to 1988 was the date stamps used.

Three types of date stamp are recorded for use with telegraphs:

TELEGRAPHS CANBERRA/F.C.T.

Steel single circle (SC1-T).

Used: 9 May 1927 to 19 December 1937.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Hopson & Tobin believed the date stamp - only with A.C.T. - was used only in 1962 (no listing of F.C.T.).

They did not distinguish between F.C.T. (Federal Capital Territory) and A.C.T. (Australian Capital Territory) at the base.

FCT 1927 FDI
9 May 1927.
First Day of Issue for the 1½d Canberra stamp.

FCT 1931
7 August 1931.

Used on special Cablegram form about record England to Australia and return flights
IAC-DO-2.

SCT-
19 December 1937.

Used on AB-DU-8Fa.


TELEGRAPHS CANBERRA/A.C.T.

Steel single circle (SC1-T).

The Territory name changed from Federal Capital Territory (F.C.T.) to Australian Capital Territory (A.C.T.) in 1938 and the new designation was used until postcodes were introduced in 1967.

ACT 1961
26 October 1961.

ACT 1967
2 March 1967.

Diameter:

Used on Harold Holt's telegram.

Rubber TELEGRAPHS/CANBERRA A.C.T. date stamps.

Rubber double circle (RC2-T).

Diameter:

Still incorporates the A.C.T. at the base despite postcodes being introduced 11 years earlier.

TELEGS RC2 1968
17 April 1978.

Used on AA-DO-12Ca.

 
Rubber single rectangle (RH1-T).

Unrecorded elsewhere.

Size:

RRH-T 1972
20 July1972.
 

3. Slogans advertising Telegrams and the Telegraph service.

Slogan postmarks were used at Canberra Post Office for the following:

  1. SEND A TELEGRAM;
  2. 100 YEARS OF TELEGRAPH SERVICE;
  3. OVERLAND TELEGRAPH CENTENARY;
  4. A TELEGRAPHIC CODE ...

Full details can be found elsewhere.