PRIVILEGED MAIL GOVERNOR of TASMANIA HANDSTAMP

[Ross Ewington]

Has anyone seen this handstamp before?


What privilege was granted? Not to be opened by censor the most likely perhaps?

Unfortunately, the year in the dateline is not discernible .... mostly likely to be 1940/41.
There is a 1d Lady Gowrie Red Cross Appeal label on the reverse.

[Andrew Brockett]

I have a photocopy (kindly sent to me by Ron Lee) of a similar cover to London - same handstamp (also signed Joan McLennan), Gowrie label on the front and postmarked at Hobart on 13 March 1941.
In their excellent book on WA Forces, POW and censor mail, Haynes& Pope (WASG 1997) discuss the 'Control of Overseas Postal Communications Order (No. 1). At page 457 they say "Governors, Ministers of State and diplomatic representatives were specifically exempted from the Order as was mail from POW in Australia and to POW outside Australia, both of which came under other regulations. This exemption gave rise to the rare gubernatorial 'Privileged Mail' cachet so far recorded only for the Governor General, and the Governors of Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia between 21 September 1940 and 16 August 1943. (ACSSGB, April, May, July, August 1969). The operative effect of this cachet was equivalent to 'Not Opened by Censor'. "

[Ross Ewington]

Thanks Andrew ....... with acknowledgment of your contribution I'll compose a small article for a future edition of "The Courier".

Ross

[Andrew Brockett]

Ross - a little more info: "British Empire Civil Censorship Devices, World War II. Australian, New Zealand & Pacific Islands" by John Little (2008 CCSG) shows this handstamp (designated H6-5) at page 79. ERD and LRD noted are 13 MR 41 and 28 OC 41 respectively and the mark has only been seen in black. A cover (also signed by Joan McLennan) to Bournemouth on the LRD is illustrated at page 83. Andrew