Australia: 1917-1988.
Slogan date stamps used at Victorian Post Offices.

Four Victorian Post Offices outside of Melbourne each used at least one slogan cancellation. They are:

  1. Ballarat;
  2. Bendigo;
  3. Colac;
  4. Geelong;
  5. Shepparton.

The use of slogans at these four Offices is described below.

Ballarat.

The only slogan used at Ballarat was HAPPY THOUGHTS ... and it was used during the 1955/56 Christmas period.

Datestamp: Circle (diameter: 22 mm).

Base inscription: VIC. AUST.

Characteristics:
Die 1A: 4th line is indented.
Has thin 1 mm side arcs.

Earliest recorded date of this format:
22 December 1955.

Latest recorded date of this format:
11 January 1956.

Number in the Census: 5.

 Ballarat HT
29 December 1955.

 

Bendigo.

Only one Telegram slogan is recorded as having been used at Bendigo. It was SEND A TELEGRAM and the only known example was used on 17 March 1939.

SEND A TELEGRAM.

Datestamp: Circle (diameter: 21 mm).

Base inscription: VIC.

Characteristics:
Die 4B: the A is above the G and the upright of the L, if extended, is to the left of the S above.
No separation marks in the date stamp.

Only recorded date of this format:
17 March 1939.

Number in the Census: 1.

 Bendigo 1939
17 March 1939.

 

Colac.

Only one Telegram slogan was used at Colac. It was SEND A TELEGRAM and it was used during three periods from 26 September 1936 to 1 April 1954.

SEND A TELEGRAM.

Datestamp: Circle (diameter: 22 mm).

Base inscription: VIC.

Characteristics:
Die 5A: the A begins on the left side of G and finishes at R.

Earliest recorded date of this format:
26 September 1938.

Latest recorded date of this format:
1 April 1954 (see Occleshaw).

Number in the Census: 10.

There were two significant time discontinuities in the use of this slogan:

  • from September 1938 to September 1947;
  • from October 1947 to April 1954.
The same die (5A) was used during the second period.		 Send 1938
26 September 1938.
Send NS 1938 Dec
27 September 1947 - earliest recorded use during the second period.

 

Geelong.

Two Telegram slogans were used at Geelong:

  1. HAPPY THOUGHTS: ... - in December 1941.
  2. SEND A TELEGRAM - in early 1942.
HAPPY THOUGHTS.

Datestamp: Circle (diameter: 22 mm).

Base inscription: VIC. AUST.

Characteristics:
Die 2: the four lines are left aligned and there is a space between NEW and YEAR.

Only recorded date of this format:
26 December 1941.

Number in the Census: 2.

 Geelong HT
26 December 1941.

SEND A TELEGRAM.

Datestamp: Circle (diameter: 22 mm).

Base inscription: VIC. AUST.

Characteristics:
Die 4A: the A begins on the left side of E and finishes at the end of G.

Earliest recorded date of this format:
22 January 1942.

Latest recorded date of this format:
4 February 1942.

Number in the Census: 2.

 Geelong SaT
22 January 1942.

 

Shepparton.

Only one slogan was used at Shepparton. It was SEND A TELEGRAM and it was used in 1954.

SEND A TELEGRAM.

Datestamp: Circle (diameter: 22 mm).

Base inscription: VIC. AUST.

Characteristics:
Die 5C: the A begins on the left side of G and finishes about the middle of R.
Has small separation dots in the date stamp.

Only recorded date of this format:
13 August 1954.

Number in the Census: 1.

 Shepp SaT
13 August 1954.