THE CUT DOWN "RELIEF" DATESTAMPS USED IN THE LATE 1960s

[Ross Ewington]

I was looking for something else (yet to be found) when I came across this
fine example of one of the "cut down relief" cds postmarks that were used at various
locations in Tasmania during the late 1960s period.

This example has had most of the original town name ground away leaving
(what looks like) part of the letter 'R' and an obvious 'S'.
[attachment=0]cut down relief 1967.jpg[/attachment]

I thought that the cds may have been the Type 5 of Pipers Brook however that
particular cds was used into 1969.

Can anyone determine which datestamp this relief canceller was before this reincarnation?

Does anyone know "the story" behind these unusual relief cancellers and if anybody has written
anything about them?

Also, if you have any similarly manufactured datestamps, can you please post some images here?

[John Hardinge]

This is certainly the old PIpers River CDS cut down. It's use would have ceased when the P.O closed 30/6/69. I don't have my notes in front of me but I think from memory there are 12 of these(well 12 known anyway-there could certainly be others that are yet to be discivered). Needless to say all are scarce to very rare. Why they were used is a bit more problematic. All were used in the 1969-70 period, mostly late 1969-early 1970.

At this time the CDS in use in Tasmania were in the prcess of a major change. Many of the CDS, particularly TYpe 5 CDS that had been issued with a large date line required a change to small date line as their rollers did not go past the end of the 1960's. This neccesitated their withdrawl and the inserting of a new date line. Many of the old Type 2b and 4 required a complete replacement as their date rollers did not go past 1969 and a new roller could not be fitted in some cases. This being the case a host of relief stamps were required(presumably more than the number of relief CDS currently in place). This being the case, these "cut down" reliefs were used. Certainly this had been done in mainland states a number of times in the past.

What is curious is a similar circumstance existed in the 1960's when a large number of offices who's date rollers expired at the end of 1959 were changed over to small date rollers in late 1959/early 1960's yet these sort of measures were not used.

All these cancellers are very scarce and have probably been missed at times by being written off as poor strikes. I will provide a complete list if people like. Very few are "tied". One was certainly used at Cape Barren Island(the old Emita canceller from memory) and the old Guilford Junction canceller was used at Calder Upper in late 1969. I may know a couple of others but would need to look at my notes.

[admin]

John,
I'd be very interested in seeing a complete list as no doubt others would as well. I was unaware of the existance of this relief stamp and wonder if I have passed any over as just poor srtikes.
Cheers,
Pete

[John Hardinge]

With the benefit of notes........types known are 11. They are:

EM of former Emita canceller used Prospect Vale used Oct 1969-Jan 1970

PS of former Hampshire Canceller used Oct 1969 at unknown location

BY of former Derby 5T canceller used Sep-Oct 1969 at Legerwood (see image: http://tps.org.au/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5& ... 1865#p1865)

RS of former Pipers Brook canceller used Oct 1969 at unknown location

LO of former Loyetea canceller used Oct 1969 at unknown location

RA of former Magra canceller used at Cape Barren Island Oct 1969 to May 1970(not used all the time as I have seen letters in the period canceller by pen mss)

SM of probable unseen Smithton canceller used Oct 1969 at an unknown location

ON of former Stonehenge canceller used Oct 1969 at an unknown location

TE of former Montello cancller useb Oct 1969 at an unknown location

RD of former Guildford Junction canceller used Oct-Nov 1969 at Calder Upper

TO of former Toiberry canceller used ???? at an unknown location

Is is worthy of note that in Oct 1969 5 of the normal relief stamp in use(normally numbering 9 would have been out of use getting their own date lines changed so this may have contributed to these short term reliefs being used.

With the exception of the two "commoner" Em and RA cancellers the only uses are Oct 1969 and early Nov 1969.

[John Hardinge]

With the benefit of notes........types known are 11. They are:

EM of former Emita canceller used Prospect Vale used Oct 1969-Jan 1970

PS of former Hampshire Canceller used Oct 1969 at unknown location

BY of former Derby 5T canceller used SEp-Oct 1969 at Legerwood

RS of former Pipers Brook canceller used Oct 1969 at unknown location

LO of former Loyetea canceller used Oct 1969 at unknown location

RA of former Magra canceller used at Cape Barren Island Oct 1969 to May 1970(not used all the time as I have seen letters in the period canceller by pen mss)

SM of probable unseen Smithton canceller used Oct 1969 at an unknown location

ON of former Stonehenge canceller used Oct 1969 at an unknown location

TE of former Montello cancller useb Oct 1969 at an unknown location

RD of former Guildford Junction canceller used Oct-Nov 1969 at Calder Upper

TO of former Toiberry canceller used ???? at an unknown location

Is is worthy of note that in Oct 1969 5 of the normal relief stamp in use(normally numbering 9 would have been out of use getting their own date lines changed so this may have contributed to these short term reliefs being used.

With the exception of the two "commoner" Em and RA cancellers the only uses are Oct 1969 and early Nov 1969.

I must be losing the plot. It's RA of Birralee, not RA of Magra, sorry.

[Robbie McDonald]

There are a few additions to the list of cut down reliefs provided by John.

These are:
AT of former PAID AT BURNIE 5R canceller usage unknown
TH of former Leith 4a canceller usage unknown

There is also an ST which could correspond to the former Preston South 5 canceller.

[Ross Ewington]

____BY · 8 A-4NO69 · TAS-AUST

“manufactured” from Derby Type 5T and used briefly at LEGERWOOD
during September / October 1969

[attachment=0]z2217.jpg[/attachment]