Today in Postal History

This On Her Majesty's Service cover was sent
from Melbourne on the south coast of Australia.

The sender of the OHMS cover used the franking
authority of the Postmaster General of Victoria.

There is a nice indicia in a circle with
POSTMASTER GENERAL | OF | VICTORIA | FRANK STAMP
surrounding the Arms of Victoria.

The cover had a preprinted space for providing the month,
day, and year under the GENERAL POST OFFICE | Melbourne.

After posting, the cover received a Melbourne CDS strike 'socked on the nose' of the official indicia.

The destination was Helston in Cornwall.
Helston is about 15 km southwest of Falmouth near Land's End.

*Thanks to David Benson for reminding me that this cover
was from pre-federation Victoria and not Australia.
David also provided the following comments regarding this cover:
"There are many types of Free Franked Envelopes especially from Victoria & Tasmania.
Various government departments used handstamps and then later printed Frank markings.
This one is fairly common but unusual used externally.
Such markings could only be used on public business but of course some weren't.
No way of telling if that one is private use although it looks like it most probably is."


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