Ship Letter Type 1

Ship Letter Page

From April 1860 onwards letters posted aboard ship, in addition to inland postage and sea postage was charged 3d per 1/2 oz, with 3d for each additional 1/2 oz (or part). Three date stamps were used to distinguish this type of mail

• Type 1 - two bars either side, year in four figures (1864)
• Type 1a - two bars either side, year in two figures (1868)
• Type 2 - one bar either side, year in two figures, codes A - D (1865 - 1867)
• Type  2a - one bar either side, year in two figures (1876)

Type 1 An unframed circle 27.5 mm in diameter, with 'SHIP-LETTER' round the top, 'QUEENSLAND' round the foot, with two short bars at each side; in the centre is the date in two lines, month and day, and the year in full. This was struck on both inward and outward letters. Dates seen by me are all from 1864

• (2 August 1864 - 15 November 1864) rated 4R - $65 on cover

Type 1a As above but date in two figures. One example seen dated 5 July 1868 and rated 5R

• (5 July 1868) rated 5R - $100 on cover

Ship Letters, Left to Right: types 1, 1a, 2, 2a

Type 1

1864

Queensland Ship letter Type 1 dated 2 August 1864. Rated 4R. Seen in Abacus online auction no 1 lot no 1243

Queensland Ship letter Type 1 dated 9 September 1864. Rated 4R. Seen in Abacus online auction no 1 lot no 1243

Queensland Ship letter Type 1 dated 17 October 1864. Rated 4R. Seen in the collection of Tony Curtis

Queensland Ship letter Type 1 dated 26 October 1864. Rated 4R. Seen on Ebay

Queensland Ship letter Type 1 dated 15 November 1864. Rated 4R. Seen in the collection of Tony Curtis

Type 1a

1868

Queensland Ship letter Type 1a dated 5 July 1868. Rated 5R. Seen on Ebay