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 Australian Local Parcel Carriers

NO tramways, air mail, newspaper, pigeon, phantom, rocket, emergency, etc

Also See Australian Tramway Parcel Carriers

No modern labels as this could fill 100 pages

 

ISSN 1836-0084

Back to Catalogue Index

This is a 'work in progress' from a series of on line catalogues to help the collector and dealer alike.


 


 

This FREE online catalogue is courtesy of Dave Elsmore 

This is a Catalogue only.

Nothing is for sale from these pages. It is purely to help guide you to better collecting.

Priced from Collectors, Dealers & Auctions.

I would welcome any comments to improve the pages.

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Australian Local Parcel Carriers

Section I

Contents:

1. Queensland: City & Suburban Parcel Delivery. Chalks Express. *Cobb & Coy

2. New South Wales: John Woods & Co. Yellow Express Carriers Ltd. Whitehead & Co

3. Tasmania: Tasmanian Parcels Express Delivery Co. Webster Rometch Ltd. Astor Motors Pty Ltd. O'May's Steamers

4. Victoria: W McCulloch & Co. Victorian Parcels Express. Melbourne Express Parcels

5. South Australia: Bradley & Co. Wm. McCulloch & Co. R Cocking. Combe, Green & Co [Trading as Globe Parcels Express]. Combe, Green & Co [Trading as McCulloch, Combe, Green & Co]. Co-Operative Carrying Co. H. Graves & Co. Parcels Express Co.

6. Western Australia: C. L. Moorehouse & Co [Crews & Moorehouse]

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 Australian Local Express Post

Section II

Contents:

7. Victoria: Burdell & Co British & Australian Express. Boyd's City Express Messenger Co Ltd

8. Western Australia: Coolgardie Cycle Express Company. Express Carrying Company

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Australian Local Steam & Ferry Post

Section III

Contents:

9. Queensland: Hayles Magnetic Island Pty Ltd

10. Victoria: Murray River Steam Navigation Co

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Below is the odd black & white photocopy, maybe you have the original? if so please send me a scan

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Australian Local Parcel Carriers

Section I

1. Queensland

City & Suburban Parcel Delivery

1895

Imprint - Outridge printing Co Ltd Litho

 

Adelaide St

c1895 No Watermark Imperf Top horse and carriage pointing left

3d-$3000.00

--

1898

Imprint - Watson & Ferguson

 

Adelaide St

1898 No Watermark Imperf Top horse and carriage pointing right various other changes in design

3d-$1200.00

--

1900

Imprint - Watson & Ferguson

 

  

Adelaide St

1900 No Watermark Roulette 7˝

3d-$150.00 3d[perf 10x12]-$350.00 3d[perf 10]-$250.00 6d-$200.00 9d-$600.00 1/--$1200.00 

--

1913

 

1913 No Watermark Roulette 7 with phone numbers 211-212

4d-$700.00 9d-$900.00

--

1940

Imprint -  JO's [Jackson & O'Sullivan]

 

Ann St

1940 No Watermark Roulette 7

9d-$1200.00 1/--$800.00 

--

1940

Imprint -  JO's [Jackson & O'Sullivan]

Black Control Numbers

 

Adelaide St  

 

No Imprint

1940 No Watermark Roulette 7

6d-$100.00 9d-[Black Control Numbers]$700.00 9d-$500.00 1/--$900.00 1/-[perf 12˝]-$900.00 1/-[No Imprint][roul7 x perf 12˝]-$1000.00  1/-['THE' missing]-$1000.00 

--

1950

  

 

Adelaide St

1950 No Watermark Roulette 7 Full stamps Genuine Used x 10

6d-$40.00 9d-$40.00 1/--$40.00
1/-
[Bi-Sect corner to corner lower section manuscript 6D. One recorded used, numbered 50?? also has.under O of NO]-$4000.00

Mint remainders are in the market place

Read more on this carrier here

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BEWARE

Forged surcharges are known on the last 1950 series, after full sheets of surplus were sold to a collector who was later found to have printing blocks for the surcharges and sheets partly surcharged if found place in the bin!

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Chalks 'Express Delivery Co'

1898-c1907

 John Chalk held Mail Contract licence No1 in 1868 for the Brisbane to Breakfast Creek run

Address: Wakefield's Buildings, 166 Adelaide St, Brisbane

1898 No Watermark Imperf

3d-$5000.00

Read more on this carrier here One copy reported

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*Cobb & Co Ltd

*Caveat

*Cobb & Co nerver issued Local Carrier Parcel stamps. The Passenger Tickets listed below are NOT Parcel Carrier Stamps

Company Seal 1881

*The above are Passenger Tickets and NOT Local Carrier Parcel stamps. Listed here to save confusion

There has been a large find of these tickets in 2012, prices below are for undamaged tickets. Damaged tickets half catalogue

c1920 *These Passenger tickets listed here from 3d - 3/- are for local Brisbane passengers only. No other Cobb & Co Qld route appear to have issued tickets

3d-$15.00 6d-$15.00 1/--$15.00 2/--$15.00 3/--$15.00

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 There is a company listing for Brisbane Parcels Express Co Ltd 1884-1892 but no stamps have surfaced to date

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2. New South Wales

John Woods & Co

1880

Barrack St Sydney. Imprint at base C Troedel & Co

c1880 No Watermark Perf 11

9d-$2000.00

--

Yellow Express Carriers Limited

1923

Prymont Sydney

c1923 No Watermark Perf x Roul

Paid-$300.00

--

Whitehead & Co

c1930

 

c1930 No Watermark Imperf

5d-$150.00

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3. Tasmania

Tasmanian Parcels Express Delivery Co

Advertising Flyer

--

1902

          

Spelling  Error? PPY LTD

                              1902                                               1903                                               1904                                              1904

Although a Parcel Express service the manuscript 3d value was for letter delivery only and not a parcel

         

                                  Manuscript 3d                                                                Manuscript 1/- [4 prepaid booking fees]

Printer: E C Treadwell, Print Wright's Lane Melbourne

1902

Butt[2 types]-$50.00ea 3d-$150.00

--

1902

Manuscript 3d

Printer: McCarron, Bird & Co 478 Collins St Melbourne

1902

Butt[2 types]-$50.00ea 3d-$150.00  6d[prepaid for New Zealand residents]-$250.00

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Webster Rometch Ltd

1917

Booklet tag. Huon & Channel Districts

c1917 Pre printed on tag

6d-$300.00

--

1917

Swansea, Huon & Channel Districts

     

c1917 Perf 11˝ Yellow paper. Value & town name in red or blue

6d[no stop]-$150.00 6d[roulette 9˝]-$180.00 6d[red & violet same as 9d but large stop]-$150.00 9d[violet]-$200.00 9d[red]-$150.00

--

1918

Swansea, Huon & Channel Districts

  

6d & 9d font change

c1918 Perf 11˝ Yellow paper. Value & town name in blue

6d-$100.00 9d-$120.00

--

1920

     

  

    

c1920 Perf 11˝ White paper. Various town name fonts. Value & town name in red or violet

6d-$100.00 1/--$100.00 1/3d-$180.00

--

1920

     

                                                                                                                    Shades

c1920 Roulette 9˝ White paper. Value, town name now in black

6d-$100.00 1/--$100.00 1/3d-$180.00

--

Webster Rometch Ltd Astor Motors Pty Ltd

Webster Rometch amalgamated with Astor Motors Pty Ltd to become 'Webster Rometch Astor Motors Pty Ltd' incorporated on 7 Oct 1932. Huon & Channel District Services continued with Swansea and East Coast district removed. As Swansea was deleted from the run only a 6d value was needed

1932-1946

c1933 Pre printed on tag

6d-$300.00

 

  

Overprinted 'Astor Motors Pty Ltd'

       

  

c1933 Roulette 9˝, 11 or compound White or yellow paper. Value, town name Blue or red

6d-$100.00 1/--$120.00

--

O'May's Steamers

Left Parcels Ticket [Cloakroom]


Run by Messrs O'May Brothers

North Hobart to Bellerive

Two part ticket. Left side 82mm x 46mm. 154mm total. Left side afixed to parcel right side retained by sender this part could be posted to the recipient of the parcel for collection.

c1905 Perf 11 black on dull pink paper. 56lbs - 1d per 24 hours.

1d-$100.00

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4. Victoria

 McCulloch & Co

1880

c1880

Gummed advertising label-$1200.00ea

--

1880

 

19 Queen St

c1880

Prepaid-$450.00ea

--

1880

123-125 Collins St

c1880

Prepaid-$450.00

--

1880

Registered A

    

      

c1880 Registered A

6d-$1100.00

--

1880

Registered B

     

    

    

     

c1880 Registered B

6d-$900.00

--

1880

Registered C

  

  

c1880 Registered C

6d-$900.00

--

1880

Registered D

c1880 Registered D

6d-$1200.00

--

1881

Promotional envelope? [unseen in private hands]

Manuscript 'Registered'

    

Vertical 'REGISTERED.' lower left

c1881 Registered

6d[Manuscript Registered]-$2500.00 6d[Registered]-$1300.00

It is unclear if this was an additional 6d for registration of a parcel

--

1890

Registered C

   

New design

c1890 Registered C

6d-$900.00

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Victorian Parcels Express

1902

Although a Parcel Express service a manuscript 3d value denotes 'letter delivery only' and not delivery of a parcel

Printer: E C Treadwell, Print Wright's Lane Melbourne

    

1903

1902

Butt-$50.00ea Nil value prepaid[3d]-$150.00

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The Melbourne Express Parcels Co Ltd

1954c

Printer: unknown

1954c

6d-$450.00

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There is a company listing for "Reynolds and English for freight" 1865 but no stamps have surfaced to date.

There is a company listing for "John Cockburn Supercargo" 1865 [Cockburn owned shares in the Murray River Steam Navigation Co. 1860's] but no stamps have surfaced to date.

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5. South Australia

W. Bradley & Co Railway & General Carriers 

28th October 1880

Late of Graves & Bradley

1880

 'J. R. Cocking' in red after the c1885 takeover

1880 [From 28th October 1880]

6d-$7500.00 [One recorded]

Notes: William Bradley left England for Australia arriving in Sydney in 1848, 10 months later making his way to South Australia. Two years later he went to Victoria and was successful in diggings. In 1853 he started in business as a carrier on the Port-Road and was first to introduce wagons on the road for carrying purposes. For a number of years he conducted the businesses alone, and then he entered into partnership with M. Treleaven. Later known as Bradley, Treleaven & Co. The firm later joined Messes. Hill, Mills & Co and out of that came the 'South Australian Carrying Company'. Later Graves & Bradley and finally from 28th October 1880 W. Bradley & Co Railway & General Carriers, Adelaide & Port Adelaide. Retiring in 1882 W Bradley died 1912 leaving one son William Bradley jnr.

Stamp News 'Revenue Review' Feb 09; William Bradley, Carrier is listed in the 1872 directory at West St Brompton. The 1882 & 1884 directory lists the company as Bradley & Co at 26 Currie St Adelaide. The 1885 directory shows the company at the corner of Grenfell St Lipson St Post Adelaide. The company is not listed in the 1886 directory.

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W McCulloch & Co.

[South Australian Office from April 1881]

1881

  

Small SIXPENCE

1881 Perf 12 No Driver

6d-$1500.00

--

1890

  

Larger SIXPENCE. Grass appears mowed under horse and between wheels

  

 

c1890 Perf 12 No Driver

6d-$1100.00

Address: Currie St till 1899 then Topham St

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J. R. Cocking

1886

 

Address: 66 Currie St

c1886 Perf 12 Red

6d-$2500.00

--

1892

  

Address: 37 Currie St

  

 

c1892 Perf 12

6d-$1000.00

--

1897

  

Address: 37 Currie St

  

c1897 Perf 12

4d-$1000.00 6d-$1000.00

--

1930

Address: 34 Waymouth St

c1930

Coupon-$50.00

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Combe, Green & Co.

Trading as Globe Parcels Express

McCulloch manager M Combe goes it alone setting up Globe Parcels Express

1896-1899

Orange/vermillion

Address: 15-19 Currie St

1896 Imperf

6d-$3500.00

--

1897

 

                                                       Orange/vermillion                                                                             Rose

New Frame & Font Design

1897 Perf 11˝

6d-$2000.00

--

Combe, Green & Co

Trading as McCulloch, Combe, Green & Co

McCulloch Carrying Co. Pty Ltd sold off their carrying business to Messrs. Combe Green & Co Adelaide on 28 Feb 1899

From 28th Feb 1889 Trading as 'McCulloch Combe Green & Co'

1899

   

SIXPENCE small font

   

       

--

    

SIXPENCE now larger font. Overstamped font change to lower 2 copies

W. McCulloch & Co Parcel stamps were handstamped with the new company trading name 'McCulloch Combe Green & Co'

1899 Two SIXPENCE fonts found

6d-$1500.00ea

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Co-Operative Carrying Co Adelaide 

1909-1913

Address: Cnr Franklin & Bentham St Adelaide

c1909

Nil value-$800.00

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Henry Graves & Co Carriers

Late of Graves & Bradley

H Graves & Co take over Globe Parcels Express from Combe Green & Co

1916

  

Address: Old Exchange Adelaide

c1916 Perf 11, 11˝

6d-$1500.00

Graves & Co Carriers 1st listed in directory 1895 at 39 Currie St

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Parcels Express Company

1948

Address: Cnr Pitt & Grote St

1948 Imperf?

6d-$1200.00

Adelaide Parcels Express 1st listed in directory 1902-05 at 10 Topham St, then 1919 28 Waymouth St, 1923 30 Waymouth St, 1932 Morney St, 1948 Grote St.

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City Carrying Co. Pty. Ltd

1968

26 Aug 1968 In Blue or Red. Roulette 10

3c-$75.00

--

c1972

c1972 Blue background, phone numer added. Roulette 5

3c-$75.00

--

 

There is a company listing for "Globe Parcels Express" 1916 39 Currie St,  but no stamps have surfaced to date.

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6. Western Australia

C. L. Moorehouse & Co

Trading as 'Perth & Suburban Parcels Express'

Crews & Moorehouse taken over 10 May 1896

1896

Registered C

    

1896 Perf 12 Registered C [short lived take over 10 May 1896 - 27 May 1896]

6d-$3000.00

Crews & Moorehouse taken over by 'C. L. Moorehouse & Co. NOTE: Handstamp incorectly spells 'MOOREHOUSE' 'MOORHOUSE'

On March 25 1895 Mr. F. Crews left Port Adelaide for the West, where he and Mr. L. Moorehouse opened up a carrying business. Trading as 'Perth & Suburban Parcels Express'.

This venture was short lived existing only 14 months and by 10th May 1896 F. Crews was bought out and existing stamps were overprinted 'C.L. Moorehouse & Co.' C L Moorehouse being the son of L. Moorehouse.

NOTE: No un-overprinted 1895 CREWS & MOOREHOUSE locals have surfaced as yet.

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Australian Local Express Post

Section II

Contents:

6. Victoria: Burdell & Co British & Australian Express. Boyd's City Express Messenger Co Ltd

7. Western Australia: Coolgardie Cycle Express. Express Carrying Company

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7. Victoria

Burdell & Co British & Australian Express

1854

Type II

Although Howard Burdell's company was in fact registered as a parcel delivery service no evidence has come to light that the Burdell label was used on parcels

Type I:    S of BRITISH under left side of D in BURDELL. Broken g in Packages

Type II:   S of BRITISH under right side of D in BURDELL

Type III   Smaller capital A in Adelaide. Du and st of Dust are not aligned

Type IV   Comma after Ireland

1854 Imperf

Nil value-$1200.00

On cover-$5000.00

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Boyd's City Express Messenger Co Ltd

1894

 

Boyd's City Express was established in New York in 1830 by John Boyd. After the government closed him down in 1883 Fitz Boyd John's grandson migrated to Australia. By 1894 Boyd was managing director of Express Messenger [city] Co Ltd

The name changed 4 times:   Express Messenger [Boyd's] American Dispatch.   Express Messenger Dispatch and Cycle Bureau.   Express Messenger and General Agency.   Express Messenger Co. Stamps are recorded up to 1910

Boyd's City Express Messenger Co Ltd was a letter delivery service no evidence has come to light that the City Express Messenger Co label was ever used on parcels

2 different printings c1894-1901 & 1902-1910. Cancellation of the first issue was by tearing the corner off! [teeth perforations]. The second issue has five different cancels recorded

1894 No watermark Perf 12˝ Used on piece x 3

Nil value-$250.00

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8. Western Australia

Coolgardie Cycle Express Company

1895-1896

Full cancel reads: "Per COOLGARDIE CYCLE EXPRESS CO./HUNT STREET

1895 No Watermark Perf 12 Prices are for used copies, for mint copies deduct 75%

1/--$120.00 2/6d-$300.00

1/-[imperf at right]-$600.00

Plenty of mint remainders are in the market place inc full sheets

Coolgardie to Lake Lefroy, delivered by bicycle as an extra fee to post office stamps which delivered to Coolgardie only

--

1896-1897

     

New Design

Lithographed by G Vindin

1896 No Watermark Perf 12 Used copies x 2

6d-$200.00 2/--$350.00 5/--$550.00

--

1896 Papermakers Watermark [R Turner, Chafford Mills] Perf 12 Used copies x 2

2/--$600.00 5/--$800.00

--

Express Carrying Company

1897

  

Usual manuscript cancel found 'H & M'

1897 No Watermark Perf 12 Prices are for cancelled or un-cancelled stamps most copies are off centre. Prices are for average condition the above copy would be a premium on the below price. Damaged copies by negotiation. Other cancels include the circular date stamps of Coolgardie & Kalgoorlie

6d-$5000.00

6d-Tete-Beche pair [a unique vertical pair exists]-$10,000.00+

There are 15+ other Cycle Express couriers recorded in WA. To this date no stamps from any of these have come to light

Further reading: Reynolds, M. and Pope, B. Western Australia: A Guide to the Goldfields Locals, Western Australia Study Group, Perth 1993.

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Australian Local Steam & Ferry Post

Section III

Contents:

9. Queensland: Hayles Magnetic Island Pty Ltd

10. Victoria:  River Murray Steam Navigation Co 1855-1899

--

9. Queensland

Hayles Magnetic Island Pty Ltd

1919

     

c1919 No Watermark Roulette 7. 3d in light blue or dark blue 

1d-[only known mint-$40.00 3d-$1500.00

1d for newspapers 3d for parcels

--

1939

c1939 No Watermark Perf 12 or Roulette 11

6d-[only known mint] Roul 11-$60.00

6d-[only known mint] Perf 12-$75.00

--

1966

1966 No Watermark Roulette 7 Printed in sheets of 12

5c-[only known mint-$12.00

Issued in books of 48

--

1971

    

Recorded on cream or white paper. Two different fonts to 'C', large and small, large shown at left

c1971 No Watermark Roulette 7 New Numeral Design. Printed in sheets of 8. Large 'C' for cents x 3

20c-[only known mint-$4.00 50c[1981]-[only known mint-$8.00

20c and 50c Issued in books of 40. A few remainder booklets are in collectors hands

20c for letters 50c for parcels

Hayles was brought out by Magnetic Island Ferries c1984 which issued a pre paid green freight label with black wording

--

1980c No Watermark square crackback generic blue/green 'freight paid' label

Nil value-[only known mint-$6.00

--

10. Victoria

River Murray Steam Navigation Co

Buyer beware

  It has been established these Cinderella's are BOGUS.

The Facts

This carrier has more questions than answers. There are no records at all to establish authenticity.

Survival of these Cinderella's being 99.9% mint, with only 2 loose stamps with odd bogus cancels, a bogus cover also exists bearing a 2d postage stamp and a 3d Murray label is also recorded [cover only is genuine] why it would cost 3d to forward a single intrastate letter is questionable to say the least. The 'JK M' initials tying the stamp to the cover are purported to be that of K J Mayne who was manager of the Echuca branch of W McCulloch & Co but research shows Mr Mayne never signed with his initials, he always signed ‘K J Mayne’. Further it is known who the perpetrator was who added the bogus 3d with both Rod Perry and myself hearing it from the horse's mouth. BUYER BEWARE.

Each value appears to be struck singularly from secondary dies [each showing separate die characteristics] & poorly line perforated. The 1d is known as a die proof struck in green also the 1d does not have the value numeral in the upper corners unlike the other three Cinderella's, the ˝d is found ‘HALF PENNY’ & ‘HALF PENCE’.

1863

  

Top left frame week above numeral, present on all known 3d values

c1863 No Watermark Rough irregular line Perf 12 [12-14][read notes above]

˝d[HALF PENCE]-$100.00 ˝d[HALF PENNY]-$15.00 1d-$15.00 2d-$15.00 3d-$15.00

1d-Green die proof on card [read notes above]-$35.00

3d On cover [read notes above BUYER BEWARE]-NIL

Remainders inc FULL SHEETS are in the market place

I stand by my prices above, again DON'T BE FOOLED - BUYER BEWARE.

In early 2013 a large group of these inc full sheets have come onto the market. Unfortunately a local Australian NARCISSIST [who goes by several names] has a different opinion. He obviously is a fantasist clearly lacking any knowledge thinking he knows it all in a true narcissistic manor!! happily putting people and websites down that do not agree with him further putting his incorrect information onto the internet for his sheep to follow. Simply scare mongering, don't be fooled.

Stay away from this bogus series altogether. Happy to answer any emails on this subject.



Line Perf 12-14

Remainders inc FULL SHEETS are in the market place
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Email Dave Elsmore: anytime! - I am happy to answer any questions you may have [if I can], I am also happy to buy your collection or single items of Locals Stamps

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All Graphics. Dave Elsmore

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