Missent to Brisbane Handstamp Type 3

Sometimes letters were put in the wrong bag and so ended up at the wrong destination. As Campbell observes, this was most likely to happen with mail from overseas, as the sorter may not have known the exact location of the place to which the letter was addressed. Thus mail sent from Europe to Queensland via the Torres Straits could have ended up first in Brisbane rather then at intended destinations along the route, such as Townsville or Rockhampton. When this occurred post offices had missent handstamps that where applied to any misdirected mail, to indicate why a particular letter was delayed. If the mail was missent in error by the postal authorities, then no redirection fee would apply.

The Brisbane GPO had four different types. Type 1 is known postally used in January 1861 (For Type 1 see here); Type 2 is known from a single example in 1872; Type 3 is known postally used by Campbell from 1875 to September 1882 as well as a postcard sent from Ulverstone, Tasmania to France in 1897 that somehow ended up in Brisbane; and Type 4 from 1900 to 1908 (For Type 4 see here).

• Type 3 - An unframed two-lined marking with "MISSENT" 32.5 mm long in the top line, and "TO-BRISBANE" 46.5 mm long in the second; the letters are 4 mm high, and the overall height of the handstamp is 10 mm. Campbell Type 2. Rated 3R 

The four types of Missent to Brisbane handstamps. First line: Type 1 at left, Type 2 at right; on the bottom row: Type 3 is on the left and Type 4 on the right

Missent to Brisbane Handstamp Type 3 rated 3R. Dated September 1876. Seen at Gaertner auction no 50. This cover was sent from Freiberg in Saxony to Nebo via London and the Suez Canal and should have been offloaded at Rockhampton

Missent to Brisbane Handstamp Type 3 rated 3R. Dated 1880. Seen at Abacus auction no 234 lot no 194. This cover was sent from Switzerland to St Lawrence and should have been offloaded at Rockhampton

Missent to Brisbane Handstamp Type 3 rated 3R. Dated 7 September 1882. Seen at Abacus auction no 234 lot no 195. This cover was sent from Ireland to St Lawrence and should have been offloaded at Rockhampton

Missent to Brisbane Handstamp Type 3 rated 3R. Dated 14 September 1880. Seen at Prestige Philately auction no 139 lot no 361. This cover was sent from Switzerland to St Lawrence and should have been offloaded at Rockhampton