NSW Delayed

New South Wales.
Delayed/Detained message markings.

The hand stamps below show the Detained/Delayed message in its various forms as used in New South Wales (see the classification of hand stamps elsewhere). These formats were:

oval hand stamp (RO3 or RO4) with the top line DETAINED;
oval hand stamp (RO7) with the top line DETAINED;
oval hand stamp (RO2) with the top line DETAINED BY;
oval hand stamp (RO7) with the top line DETAINED BY;
oval hand stamp (RO7) with the top line DELAYED BY;
one line hand stamps;
two line hand stamps.

Examples are shown in the above order within the three main periods:

the Colonial period (to 1900);
the Interim period (1901 - 1916);
the Commonwealth period (1917+).

The Colonial period.

NC-DO-10A.

Moruya to Sydney.
Electric Telegraph Office oval date stamp of 16April 1890.

DETAINED/
BY INTERRUPTION OF LINE.

Format: RO7.
Size: 34 × 56 mm (e = 0.79).
2 mm separating arcs.

Used in violet.

Hancock claims this handstamp was used from 1888 to 1898 at Sydney and in 1906 in Newcastle. Examples have not been cited. She also notes three other formats as being:

RO4 - used in purple at Sydney 1876;
RO3 - used in black at Sydney between 1879 and 1882 and at Grafton in 1911;
RO7 - used in purple at Sydney between 1897 and1904 and at Tamworth in 1915;

The Interim Period.

NIDO5A
An important message which reads:
"You have not sent beer with my order. Send four eithteens soon as possible.

And then the telegram was delayed!!!

NI-DO-5A.

Garah to Newcastle
5 November 1907.

Has scarce Postal & Tel. Dep. date stamp.

DETAINED BY/
INTERRUPTION OF LINE.

Format: RO7.
34 × 58 mm (e = 0.81).
1 mm separating arcs.

Used in violet.

Hancock claims this handstamp was used from 1888 to 1898 at Sydney and in 1906 in Newcastle. Examples have not been cited. She also notes another format as being:

RO2 - used in purple at Sydney between 1901 and 1903.

NI-DO-6B.

Rockhampton to Australia Hotel, Telegraph Branch Sydney.
5 April 1911.

DELAYED BY/
INTERRUPTION TO LINE.

Format: RO7.
Size: 42 × 70 mm (e = 0.80).
No separating arcs.

Used in violet.
Hancock notes this format had been used in red in 1909 and in purple in 1913.

Hancock also notes other sizes of this format as being:

34 × 56 mm (e = 0.79) used in purple between 1904 and 1905;
37 × 64 mm (e =0.82) used in purple between 1906 and 1908;
43 × 73 mm (e = 0.81) used in purple between 1908 and 1912;
47 × 80 mm (e = 0.81) used in purple between 1912 and 1913.

The Commonwealth Period.

AE-DO-2A.

Used at C.E.T.O. Sydney
28 February 1924.

DELAYED BY INTERRUPTION.

Format: Straight line.
Size: 4.5 × 77 mm.

Used in black.

Hancock notes:

a one line hand stamp "Delayed by Interrption to Lines" had been used in purple in Armidale in 1911;
two line hand stamps were used between 1913 and 1915 in four formats/fonts.