Brisbane Electric Telegraph Office Counter Datestamp

The Telegraph service operating out of the Brisbane General Post office had a number of datestamps, but it appears that only two Telegraph Counter datestamp types were also used for postal purposes while two GPO Telegraph Branch date stamp types were used on postage stamps, presumably to pay for telegraph charges. In addition, a Brisbane Electric Telegraph Office (E.T.O) Counter datestamp has also been seen on postage stamps before 1914

• A framed circle 25 mm in diameter, with 'BRISBANE E.T.O' round the top, 'COUNTER' at the foot with a full stop either side, and in the centre, in one line, the day, month in three letters and year in two digits. Examples seen so far are dated 17 February to 23 September 1910. Rated 5R - $80

1910

Brisbane Electric Telegraph Office Counter datestamp rated 5R. Dated 17 February 1910. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Brisbane Electric Telegraph Office Counter datestamp rated 5R. Dated 23 February 1910. Seen in the collection of Tony Curtis

Brisbane Electric Telegraph Office Counter datestamp rated 5R. Dated 23 September 1910. Seen in the collection of Tony Curtis

Brisbane Electric Telegraph Office Counter datestamp rated 5R. Dated 23 September 1910

Telegraph Department Handstamp

A number of Telegraph Department / Branch handstamps are known - probably used for administrative purposes - but only one type has been seen postally used

• A framed four-lined handstamp within an outer and inner rectangular frame with corners cut off the outer frame and measuring 28.5 x 39 mm. The outer frame has the words 'POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT' around the sides, a five digit number preceded by a letter in the inner frame, the word 'QUEENSLAND' underneath, and the bottom line comprising the date with day in two digits, month in three letters and year in two digits. Two examples are known postally used, both in blue ink and dated 3 May 1891 and 5 April 1895. Rated 5R

Telegraph Department Handstamp postally used

1891

Telegraph Department Handstamp dated 3 May 1891 and rated 5R. Seen in an exhibit

1895

Telegraph Department Handstamp dated 5 April 1895 and rated 5R. Seen in Mossgreen auction no 89 lot no 951

Brisbane Telegraph Branch Datestamp Type 2

The Telegraph service operating out of the Brisbane General Post office had a number of datestamps, but it appears that only two were also used for postal purposes (Brisbane Telegraph Counter type 1 and Brisbane Telegraph Counter type 2). However, two GPO Telegraph Branch date stamp types have been seen used on large chalon and 2 shilling, 1 shilling and 6d third sideface postage stamps, presumably to pay for telegraph charges.

Telegraph Branch Datestamp Type 1 has been seen used on postage stamps from 1 February 1906 to 12 September 1906  and Telegraph Branch Datestamp Type 2 from 1 July 1902 to 18 August 1906 (For Telegraph Branch Datestamp Type 1 see here).

• Type 2 - A framed circle 24 mm in diameter with 'TELEGRAPH BRANCH' round the top line, 'COUNTER' on the line below, 'G.P.O' at the foot with a diamond either side, and in the centre, in two lines, the month and day on the upper line and the year in two digits on the lower. Rated 2R

The dates seen broadly fall into two groups: July to August 1902 and July to August 1906 and some appear to have been cancelled to order

Left to right: Telegraph Branch type 1 and Telegraph Branch type 2

1902

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 1 July 1902. Seen in Status Stamps auctions

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 1 July 1902. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 1 July 1902. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 3 July 1902. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 5 July 1902. Seen in Status Stamps auctions

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 30 July 1902. Seen in Spink auctions

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 1 August 1902. Courtesy of Dave Elsmore

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 8 August 1902. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 28 August 1902. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 1 September 1902. Seen in Spink auctions

1903

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 17 April 1903. Seen on Ebay

1906

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 7 July 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 9 July 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 12 July 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 13 July 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamps Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 9, 13 and 23 July 1906. Courtesy of Dave Elsmore

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 23 July 1906. Seen in Classicphil auction no 23

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 25 July 1906

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 2 August 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 3 August 1906. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 6 August 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 14 August 1906. Seen in the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 15 August 1906

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 2 rated 2R. Dated 18 August 1906. Seen in Guillermo Jalil auctions

Brisbane Telegraph Branch Datestamp Type 1

The Telegraph service operating out of the Brisbane General Post office had a number of datestamps, but it appears that only two were also used for postal purposes (Brisbane Telegraph Counter type 1 and Brisbane Telegraph Counter type 2). However, two GPO Telegraph Branch date stamp types have been seen used on large chalon and 2 shilling, 1 shilling and 6d third sideface postage stamps, presumably to pay for telegraph charges.

Telegraph Branch Datestamp Type 1 has been seen used on postage stamps from 1 February 1906 to 12 September 1906 (although it has been seen used as early as 11 September 1891 and as late as 9 May 1911 on telegraph forms) and Telegraph Branch Datestamp Type 2 from 1 July 1902 to 18 August 1906. (For Telegraph Branch Datestamp Type 2 see here).

• Type 1 - A framed circle 26 mm in diameter, with 'TELEGRAPH BRANCH' round the top, 'G.P.O.' at the foot with a full stop either side, and in the centre, in one line, the day, month and year in two digits. Sometimes a faint dashed line can be seen underneath the date. Rated 3R. 

Given that this date stamp has only been seen on large Chalons for a 7 month period in 1906, it is highly probable that they were cancelled to order

Left to right: Telegraph Branch type 1 and Telegraph Branch type 2

1906

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 1 February 1906. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 9 February 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 9 February 1906. Seen in Status auctions 2024

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 28 March 1906. Seen in Millennium auction no 80 lot no 395

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 9 July 1906. Seen in Corinphila Besaçon Collection, May 2018, lot no 3197

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 3 July 1906. Seen in Sandafayre auctions

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 3 July 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 20 July 1906

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 26 July 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 2 August 1906. Seen in Millennium auction no 72

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 2 August 1906. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Branch datestamp Type 1 rated 3R. Dated 12 September 1906

Brisbane Telegraph Counter Datestamp Type 2

The Telegraph service operating out of the Brisbane General Post office had a number of datestamps, but it appears that only two were also used for postal purposes. Type 1 has been seen postally used from 6 August 1894 to 2 March 1906 with one example seen 24 July 1909 and Type 2 from 11 September 1908 till 8 February 1913, but examples from 1909 and 1910 are much rarer than those from 1911 and 1912. (For Type 1 see here)

• Type 2 - A framed circle 25 and 25.5 mm in diameter, with 'Brisbane' round the top, 'T.C' at the foot, and right across the centre, in one line, is the time and date. There are two subtypes:
• 2a - curved bars either side of 'T.C'. The curved bars are smudged or indistinct (19 January 1912 - 20 November 1912) Rated 5R - $75
• 2b - no curved bars (11 September 1908 - 8 February 1913) Rated Common - $10, $15 on cover

'T.C' stands for Telegraph Counter. This date stamp (2b) was also used for CTO purposes

L-R, type 1, type 2a, type 2b

Type 2a

1912

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2a rated 5R. Dated 19 January 1912

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2a rated 5R. Dated 20 November 1912

Type 2b

1908

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 11 September 1908. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 21 December 1908

1909

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 26 December 1909. Seen on Ebay

1910

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 23 February 1910. Seen on Ebay

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 6 May 1910. From the Exhibit by Marius Wytenburg

1911

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 23 August 1911. Seen in a private collection

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 13 October 1911

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 24 October 1911. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 9 December 1911. Seen in the British Society of Australian Philately Facebook Group

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 23 December 1911. Seen in Millennium auction no 85

1912

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 5 February 1912. Seen in the Queensland Stamp Collecting Facebook Group

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 21 May 1912

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 21 July 1912. From the collection of Dr Andrew Mortlock

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 25 July 1912

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b on a cover rated common. Dated 4 September 1912

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 24 December 1912

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 1912. Seen in Abacus auction no 259

1913

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 8 February 1913. Latest known date on a Queensland colonial era issue, but it continued to be used on Australian kangaroo stamps

Unknown year

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 22 April 191-. Seen on Ebay

Cancelled to Order (CTO)

1911

Brisbane Telegraph Counter datestamp Type 2b rated common. Dated 1 September 1911 and used for CTO purposes