Victoria - Colonial period: 1854-1900.
Post Office Telegraphs ordinary rate delivery form VC-DO-11.

 
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: Form number E.T. No. 1.
Heading is POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS.
No Crest.
Message area: 32 boxes in 8 lines.
Reverse side: Blank.
Colours (text & form): Blue on cream.
Size of form overall: 219 × 229 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:

 

 

VC-DO-11A VC-DO-11A.

Hobsons Bay Rail to Richmond
(31 January 1883).

Characteristics:

  • POST OFFICE heading is 132 mm wide;
  • smaller (22 mm wide) box in top right corner;
  • "Telegram for" is in italic sans serif font;
  • no schedule number - just form number and quantity printed.

 

CV-DO-11
Probably printed during 1885.
VC-DO-11B.
Melbourne to Richmond
(19 January 1886).

Characteristics:

  • POST OFFICE heading is 122 mm wide;
  • larger (31 mm wide) box in top right corner;
  • "Telegram for" is in italic serif font;
  • no schedule number - just form number and quantity printed.
May 23 Sand VC-DO-11C.

Melbourne to
Telegraph Office Sandhurst
23 May 1887.

Rare date stamp in blue.

Characteristics:

  • POST OFFICE heading is 122 mm wide;
  • 31 mm wide box in top right corner;
  • "Telegram for" is in italic serif font;
  • no schedule number or quantity printed under form number E.T.-No. 1
    in top left corner.

 

 

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number
Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
DO-11A None - only quantity printed (750,000). 31 January 1883 at Richmond. NC
DO-11B None - only quantity printed (750,000). 15 January 1886 at Richmond. NC
  None - only quantity printed (250,000). 23 August 1886 at Richmond. NC
DO-11C None. 23 May 1887 at Telegraph Office Sandhurst. NC