Need help identifying a Post Office from the Cancel

[auldstampguy]

Hi Everyone,
I recently purchased the following postcard that was shipped from Tasmania in October 1913, arrived in New York, was stamped in Chicago and finally made it to Minneapolis in December 1913. I'm having trouble identifying the Tasmanian Post Office from the cancel. I'm hoping that you all, being more familiar with the Post Offices that were working in 1913, might be able to assist me.

Regards ... Tim, from Minnesota.

Tasmania Card back.gif (403.99 KiB) Viewed 10717 times

Tasmanian Card Front.gif (490.38 KiB) Viewed 10717 times

[Jeffharris]

Hello Tim,

The postmark looks like Launceston although it is partly obscured by the Minneapolis duplex cancel. Back in those days, only the larger towns had the time on their circular datestamps. Obviously, I don't know how much you know about Tasmania, but Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania and is situated in the north of the state on the banks of the River Tamar. It is located about 200km. [125 miles] north of Hobart, which is the Capital.

[auldstampguy]

Hi Jeff,
Thank you very much for your help. Very much appreciated.

I have been down to Tasmania a couple of times, back in 1981 and 1983. It is a very beautiful place. I'm an Australian who now lives in Minnesota.

Thanks again

Regards ... Tim

[admin]

For what its worth I agree with Jeff that its most likely Launceston, though I dont think its quite 100% certain. The date stamp is a Type 3 as it has the date and time on one line, and Lauceston was first issued with a type 3 canceller in 1903 and had 6 different versions of this canceller up until 1912. The variations in letter spacing are the key to identifying the correct canceller but the inking problems with this example make it difficult to tell.

The type 3s came into more widespread use in 1912 but as far as I know were only issued to larger offices which rules out a couple of other possibilities.
The scene is of Longford, which is only 20 miles or so from Launceston which tends to make the date stamp a little more likely to be Launceston too.

[John Hardinge]

Definitely Launceston. It was pretty worn by that stage