New South Wales - Colonial & Interim periods: 1857-1917.
Overview of delivery envelopes.

The following overview summarises:

Colonial period:

Interim period:

Ordinary rate delivery envelopes - Colonial period.

NC-EO-1:

Heading is ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH DESPATCH.

Very plain front.

Black printing on grey or white paper.

 NC-EO-1

Hancock hupothesises that the first delivery envelope for New South Wales had a heading of "New South Wales Electric Telegraph" either spanning a central Crest or positioned under the Crest. It is assumed it was printed in black on blue paper.

Hancock notes : "Examples .. have not been located but, from reports in old auction catalogues, they probably resembled the telegram forms then in use".

See a similar approach for the Queensland form and envelope.
NC-EO-2:

Has two octagonal frames with blue grounds which are embossed.

Heading is ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH DISPATCH which is embossed.

(Note: spelling has been changed).

 NC-EO-2_menu
NC-EO-3:

Heading is TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE which is printed.

Printed on blue paper.

Has embossed seal on the flap on the reverse side:

  • outer oval of the seal has
    NEW SOUTH WALES/ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH;
  • inner oval has one of 26 Telegraph Office names or SYDNEY or is blank.

Has DE LA RUE & Co, LONDON printed under the left side of the flap.

Has printed rectangular frame for the heading with decorations at the corners and midway along the top and bottom.

 NC-EO-3_menu
NC-EO-4:

Heading is TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE which is printed.

Printed on blue paper.

Has a printed seal on the flap on the reverse side.

Hasa printed rectangular frame for the heading with decorations at the corners and midway along the top and bottom.

 NC-EO-4_menu
NC-EO-5:

Heading is TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE which is printed.

Printed on white to cream paper.

Has a printed seal on the flap on the reverse side which is blank in the inner oval.

Has a printed frame for the heading in shades ranging from light blue through blue-green to green (later printings). The rectangular frame has decorations at the corners and midway along the top and bottom.

 NC-EO-5_menu
NC-EO-6:

Heading is TELEGRAM IMMEDIATE (without a comma) which is printed.

Printed in blue on white to cream paper.

Has a printed rectangular frame for the heading with larger decorations than in previous formats at the corners and midway along the top and bottom.

 NC-EO-6_menu

 

O.H.M.S. administrative envelopes.

Format can be small or large envelopes.

O.H.M.S. in letters or words at the top and various references for sending office in the ower left corner.

Embossed seal on the reverse.

Envelopes - administration. OHMS

 

Ordinary rate delivery envelopes - Interim period:

NI-EO-1:

No form number.
Heading is TELEGRAM. in red and without border.

Early printings has a red seal on the flap on the reverse.

 NI-EU-1_menu

Urgent rate delivery envelopes - Interim period:

NI-EU-1.

Printed in black on pink paper.

Two octagonal frames. Top frame has URGENT TELEGRAM.

No full stop after TELEGRAM.

Has a stores number St. 7000 in lower left corner beneath the frame.

 NI-EU-1