Printed Registered Envelopes extract - Collas

An extract from the booklet Queensland Postal Stationery by P. Collas, published in 1979, on the Queensland McCorquodale and De La Rue printed registered envelopes. Click on the images to see them in more detail

For postally used examples, see here:

Registration Envelopes

The passage of the Postal Rates Act 1910 by the Federal Parliament, this coming into force on 1 May 1911, brought, for the first time, uniform postal rates for the whole of Australia.

It had been tentatively planned to present the Bill to Parliament some years earlier but this intention was frustrated by the fact that the original financial clauses of the Constitution, intended to terminate after five years, were extended on several occasions, so that it was not practicable to proceed with the new postal bill until a firm date had been fixed for the expiration of the temporary financial provisions.

As a further move towards the equalisation of postal facilities in all States, additional to the now uniform postal rates, it had been decided that in States where distinctive registration envelopes were not currently on sale at post offices they were to be provided.

The Queensland administration of the Post Office had been aware of the intention for some two years or more before the passing of the Act and at that time had made some progress towards procuring supplies, although final arrangements were not concluded until 1909.

Years earlier, in 1879, as related in Part One, the Queensland Post Office had on sale, for one halfpenny, an unstamped specially printed registration enve-lope, supplies having been obtained from McCorquodale and Co., London. For the new requirement the Queensland administration turned to the same firm for quotations and advice, it being necessary that a 3d registration stamp be impressed on the envelope flap, this particular position being widely favoured at the time. Sample envelopes were considered and also proposed forms of the registration stamp.

A rough proof for the latter, contained in the official Post Office collection, shows a three-quarters presentation of King Edward VII much in the style that can be seen on the 1901-02 21 and 22 adhesive stamps of Victoria this proof being dated 5.10.08. The shield shape and background appearing in this proof were the same as later adopted. However, for ease of production, an embossed profile of King Edward VII was accepted in lieu of the portrait earlier proposed.

The impressing of the stamp on the flap of the envelope was effected by surface printing, combined with embossing. "Queensland" appeared above the royal head and "Three Pence" below. These expressions, as well as the profile head and decorations within the shield, were all embossed, the background printing being in red colour. This same type of registration stamp, with necessary variations in names and values, with either the profile heads of Queen Victoria or King Edward VII, was used for registration envelopes provided for a number of British possessions.

The envelopes supplied by McCorquodale and Co. were basically a stock line and with the same form of presentation, or "formula", as those which had been supplied in 1879, as earlier related, and sold for a halfpenny each. They were made of stout deep buff linen-lined paper and measured 150-151 x 95 mm. The general printing, in red, comprised the usual cross lines, back and front. On the front of the envelope was the admonition, "This Letter must be given to an Officer of the Post Office to be Registered and a Receipt obtained for it". Just below, at the left within a panel, was the word "Registered". Within a square at the top left part of the flap (which folded over to become part of the front) were the words, "The Stamp to Pay the Postage must be Placed Here". It is noticed that a wrong font "s" was used in "Must". In the centre of the flap, and facing inwards, was the impressed registration stamp. The name of the contractor appeared beneath the flap. The printing on the envelope exhibits two variations, being found with and without the stop after "it" in the words "obtained for it".

Among the consignment of McCorquodale envelopes were some made of a lighter fawn paper. There were probably only a few of them and I have dis-covered only one unused example to date. This envelope exhibits the stop after "it" variety. However, the most remarkable characteristic is that the royal head in the stamp impression is featureless and completely flat, the appropriate raised head embossing die apparently having been omitted from the forme during the printing process. Strangely, the lettering was embossed as before. Mr B. Beston has reported a used example of this particular envelope with the Brisbane date of 5 September 1910.

The registration envelope was first issued in 1910. I have a used example which bears the Ipswich postmark of 5 March 1910. Statistics relating to 1910 indicate that 4230 such envelopes were distributed to post offices in that year, these certainly being all of McCorquodale and Co. stock. It has not been possible to obtain a note on the quantity ordered and supplied by the contractor. But, apparently, the initial order was not substantial as in 1912 very similar envelopes, this time supplied by De La Rue and Co., London, were placed on sale.

There were some differences between the two envelopes, apart from the fact that the name of the second contractor can likewise be found printed beneath the flap. The De La Rue envelope has a flap more strongly curved than before and the stamp impression differs slightly, although being of the same design.

The registration envelopes continued to be on sale at Queensland post offices until well into the uniform period, and after Australian registration envelopes had become available so that it would appear that stocks continued to be sold until exhaustion. Mrs P. L. Turnbull has reported that she possesses the McCorquodale envelope postmarked at Roma on 26 September 1912 and the De La Rue envelope at Brisbane on 30 December 1912. It may be remarked that in unused condition the De La Rue envelope is the scarcer. Used, both are very difficult to find.

A third type of envelope, uncatalogued, was recently discovered and reported by Mr Carl L. Stieg, to whom I am indebted for particulars. Generally, it resembles the McCorquodale and De La Rue envelopes but it does not have a contractor's name under the flap. The size is slightly smaller (146 x 88 mm) and it is not linen-lined. The stamp impression is in salmon pink colour, instead of red. This particular envelope was postmarked at South Brisbane on 11 February 1913. Mr Stieg suggests that it was printed in very small quantity to fill the gap before the uniform Australian envelope became available.

Since the above paragraph was written I have had the opportunity of viewing a C.T.O. example of the envelope with the Brisbane date of 9 December 1913. The 3d stamp is a copy of that on the earlier envelopes and was printed in red colour and not embossed. There is a heavier line of colour around the head. On the front, the word "Registered" is in a smaller box than before (31 x 8 mm) and the square intended for additional stamps does not contain any inscription.