Handbook of Queensland Datestamps and Instructional Markings 1850-1913 by Dr Jeremy Hodes: Loose Ship Letters

Loose Ship Letters

Brisbane Ship Letter Page

Loose Ship Letters

Loose Ship Letters were letters posted in boxes aboard ships, the contents of which were handed in to the post office at the next port of call. They might bear stamps of the country where they were handed in, or alternatively stamps of the country of the previous port of call.

They were marked with a special handstamp at the post office where they were handed in, usually on the cover, but occasionally on the stamps; for Queensland they all show 'LOOSE SHIP LETTER'

In addition, from 1 April 1873, a Late Fee was imposed on Ship Letters, 3d on letters for within the Colony or inter-Colonial, and 6d for foreign destinations. After 1887 the fee was reduced to 1d for places in Queensland and was charged until at least 1895

Late Fee applied as per regulations (1892)

There are two main Loose Ship Letter types (as well as Paquebot examples at the bottom of the page).

Loose Ship Letter Handstamps

These are found for Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville. They are all unframed except for Brisbane. They all have two lines except for Brisbane and Rockhampton type 2, which are on one line. Townsville type 2 has 'LOOSE SHIP" on the top line whereas Rockhampton type 1 and Townsville types 3 and 4 only have "LOOSE" on the top line. They are reasonably similar and so ideally should be collected on cover

Brisbane type 1 (framed) - 1869 to 1873
Rockhampton type 1 - 1875
Rockhampton type 2 (one line) - 1886 to 1895
Townsville Type 2 - 1894 to 1896
Townsville Type 3 - 1898
Townsville Type 4 - (Loose Ship one line) - 1909 to 1910

Brisbane Type 1 - A rectangular frame with chamfered corners 48.5 x 10 mm with "LOOSE SHIP LETTER" with seriffed letters in one line. Dates seen are 1869 - 1873. Rated 4R

Rockhampton Type 1 - An unframed two-line handstamp, with 'LOOSE' in the top line and 'SHIP LETTER' in the second (40 mm long); the letters are 4½ mm high. Very similar to Townsville type 3 but the 'I' of 'SHIP' is under the midpoint of the 'L' of 'LOOSE'. Date seen is 1875. Rated 5R

Rockhampton type 2 - An unframed single-line handstamp, with 'LOOSE SHIP LETTER' approximately 48mm long and the letters 5mm high. Examples on Queensland stamps with letters 3.5 mm high are South Australia! Dates seen are 1886 - 1895. Rated 5R

One line Loose Ship Letter handstamp with Queensland stamps but a South Australian handstamp! Letters are 3.5 mm high whereas the Rockhampton Loose Ship Letter type 2 handstamp has letters 5 mm high

Left to Right: Brisbane type1, Rockhampton type 1, Rockhampton type 2

Townsville Type 2 - A two-line handstamp similar to Type 1 of Rockhampton; the 'L' of 'LETTER' is under the first 'O' of 'LOOSE', (which is how you distinguish it from Townsville type 3 and Rockhampton type 1 where the 'L' is under the midpoint of 'OO') and the overall measurements are approximately 40 x 9½ mm. Dated seen by Campbell and myself are 1894 - 1896. Rated 5R

Townsville Type 3 - As Type 2, but the overall measurements are about 39½ x 11 mm, and the 'L' of 'LETTER' is under the mid point of 'OO' of 'LOOSE'. Very similar to Rockhampton type 1 but the 'I' of 'SHIP' is under the end of the 'L' of 'LOOSE'. Date seen is 1898. Rated 3R

Townsville Type 4 - Another unframed two-line handstamp, but with 'LOOSE SHIP' in the top line and 'LETTER' in the second, the overall measurement being about 37½ x 12½ mm. The only handstamp with this configuration. It is possible that it may actually be Rockhampton! More examples on cover need to be seen to confirm that it is actually Townsville. Dates seen are 1909 - 1910. Rated 5R

Left to Right: Townsville type 2, Townsville type 3, Townsville type 4

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Loose Ship Letter Ovals

These are all framed except Thursday Island. Townsville type 1 is a large framed circle, Normanton type 1 is a small framed circle and Cairns has arc separators instead of dots. Again they are mostly so similar that to be certain of which port was involved they need to be collected on cover

Bowen type 1 - ? mm, 1894
Brisbane type 2 - 27.5 x 23.5 mm, 1871 - 1901
Brisbane type 3 - 26 x 21 mm, 1895 - 1915
Brisbane type 4 - 29.5 x 23 mm, 1903
Bundaberg type 1 - ? mm, 1884 - 1891
Cairns type 1 (vertical separators), 29 x 23 mm, 1904 - 1907
Gladstone type 1 - ? mm, 1906 - 1910
Mackay type 1 - 28 x 21½ mm, 1904
Maryborough type 1 - 28 x 22½ mm, 1874 - 1883
Maryborough type 2 - 30 x 22 mm, 1894
Normanton type 1 - (circle) 21 mm, 1903
Thursday Island type 1 - UNFRAMED, 24½ x 18 mm, 1903 - 1907
Townsville type 1 (circle) - 54 mm, 1881 - 1884
Townsville type 5 - 27 x 22½ mm, 1899 - 1907

Bowen Type 1 - The same general type, the 'E' of "LOOSE" is nearly touching the 'P' of 'SHIP' and there is a rectangular stop at each side. Similar to Brisbane type 3 but it is missing the horizontal line on the top left hand side of the 'H' in 'SHIP'. Dates seen are 1894. Rated 5R

Bowen type 1

Brisbane Type 2 - A framed oval, 27.5 x 23.5 mm across the axes, with 'LOOSE' round the top, 'SHIP' in seriffed letters in the centre, and 'LETTER' round the foot; at each side is a smallish round dot. Seen from 1871 to 1901. Rated 2R.

Brisbane Type 3 - A framed oval, 26 x 21 mm across the axes, with 'LOOSE' round the top, 'SHIP' in seriffed letters in the centre, and 'LETTER' round the foot; at each side is a smallish round dot. Seen from 1895 - 1915. Rated 2R

Brisbane Type 4 - A framed oval, 29.5 x 23 mm across the axes, with 'LOOSE' round the top, 'SHIP' in seriffed letters in the centre, and 'LETTER' round the foot; at each side is a round dot. Exceptionally rare on cover. Seen in 1903. Rated 5R

Left to Right: Brisbane type 2, Brisbane type 3, Brisbane type 4

Bundaberg Type 1 - The same general type, the bottom foot of the 'P' of 'SHIP' is abnormally long, the 'S' of 'SHIP' is broad, and there is a rectangular stop at each side. Dates seen are 1884 - 1891. Rated 5R

Cairns Type 1 - The same general type, 29 x 23 mm, with 'SHIP' in seriffed letters, the 'OO' of 'LOOSE' nearly 4½ mm high, and short vertical strokes at each side. Dates seen are 1904 - 1907. Rated 5R

Gladstone Type 1 - The same general type, the 'S' of 'SHIP' is broad, and there is a rectangular stop at each side. Dates seen are 1906 - 1910. Rated 5R

L-R: Bundaberg type 1, Cairns type 1, Gladstone type 1

Mackay Type 1 - The same general type, 28 x 21½ mm in diameter but 'SHIP' is in larger letters and the 'S' of 'SHIP' is distinctive, and there is a rectangular stop at each side and the distance between the two is 23 mm. Dates seen are 1904. Rated 5R

Maryborough type 1 - Very similar to Brisbane type 2, the oval being approximately 28 x 22½ mm, with round dots at the sides. Dates seen are 1874 - 1883. Rated 5R

Maryborough Type 2 - The same general type measuring 30 x 22mm; the letters of 'LOOSE' are taller than in any other of this type (4½ mm). Date seen is 1894. Rated 5R

Left to Right: Mackay type 1, Maryborough type 1, Maryborough type 2

Normanton Type 1 - A small framed circle (21 mm in diameter), with 'LOOSE' round the top, 'SHIP' in seriffed letters in the centre, and 'LETTER' round the foot; at each side is a very thin vertical dash. Dates seen are August 1903. Rated 5R

Thursday Island Type 1 - The only UNFRAMED type measuring 24½ x 18 mm; 'SHIP' is in sans-serif letters and the dots at the sides are large. This is Campbell's Brisbane type 3 which he incorrectly allocated to Brisbane. Dates seen are 1903 - 1907 and possibly also on Papuan issues from late 1910 onwards. Rated 5R

Left to Right: Normanton type 1, Thursday Island type 1

Townsville Type 1 - A large framed circle (54mm in diameter), with 'LOOSE SHIP LETTER' round the top, 'TOWNSVILLE' round the foot, and a stop at each side; the date is in one line in the centre (year in two digits). Dates seen are 1881 - 1884. Rated 4R

Townsville Type 5 - As Type 2 of Brisbane, the oval measuring 27 x 22.5 mm but 'SHIP' is in sans-serif letters, with a large 'S' and narrow 'H'. Dates seen are 1899 - 1907. Rated 4R

Left to Right: Townsville type 1, Townsville type 5

Queensland Loose Ship Letter regulations including charging a Late Fee

From the 1892 postal regulations

Paquebot Handstamps

Paquebot mail is carried by a foreign ship and is processed by postal authorities at the next port of call. Here are examples of paquebot handstamps seen on covers with Queensland stamps