Machine cancellers were introduced to speed up postal operations. Like duplex obliterators, they combined the functions of the date stamp and the obliterator in one instrument, but were quicker and more efficient. They were introduced into the Brisbane GPO in mid-1906 and then to some of the larger Queensland post offices from mid-1908 onwards and seven different types were used
Top row: Left Type 1, right Type 2
Middle row: Left Type 3, right Type 4
Bottom Row: Left Type 6, right Type 7
Cairns - type 7
Charters Towers - type 3
Ipswich - type 7
Rockhampton - type 6
Toowoomba - type 7
Townsville - types 5 and 6
Warwick - type 6
Type 1 - Brisbane
Type 2 - Brisbane
Type 3 - Brisbane Charters Towers
Type 4 - Brisbane,
Type 5 - Townsville
Type 6 - Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville, Warwick
Type 7 - Cairns, Ipswich, Toowoomba
Detailed Information
Type 1
American Columbia machine. The obliterator area comprises three sets of six wavy lines, divided
by pairs of vertical lines; the total area is about 62 mm long and 17 mm high. At
the left is a framed circular datestamp, 22 mm in diameter, with
'BRISBANE' round the top and 'QUEENSLAND' round the foot (in 2mm high
letters, with a comma after the former and a stop after the latter); in the
centre, in three lines, are the month and day, time, and the year in full. The earliest date seen is 15 June 1906 and the latest is 21 December 1909. This type is only known for
Brisbane
Type 2
This was a continuous roller type.
The obliterator consists of a centre with six horizontal lines, 3mm apart, either side. There is a framed circular datestamp, 21 mm in diameter, with 'BRISBANE' round the top and 'QUEENSLAND' round the foot (in 2mm high letters, with a dash after the former and a stop after the latter); in the centre, in three lines, are the time, day and month, and the year in full. The earliest date seen is 17 August 1908 and the latest is 1 November 1910. Again, this type is only known used in Brisbane
Type 3
This was a continuous roller type of seven lines, the two outer being 24 mm apart. There are no circular datestamps, but the 3rd to 6th lines are interrupted in two places to include, first, 'BRISBANE' and below it in one line the time and month and day, and secondly, 'Q' with below it the year in full. This
is found for Brisbane, with dates from 4 March 1909 to 1911 and Charters Towers from 15 August 1908 to 12 November 1911. The 2nd 'R' in 'CHARTERS' is misshapen. (Campbell type 3a)
Type 4
A continuous roller type of six lines, the two outer being 24 mm apart. There are no circular datestamps, but the third to sixth lines are interrupted in two places to include the date portion of of four lines; 'BRISBANE', PAID *D, time/date (day, month, year in two digits), with amounts 0.5d, 1d and 2d apparently seen by Campbell. Known dated 10 February 1912. (Campbell type 3c)
Type 5
A continuous roller type of six lines, the two outer being 24 mm apart. There are no circular datestamps, and the lines are all interrupted to incorporate 'TOWNSVILLE', time, and date (in three lines), and also the third and fourth lines are interrupted to incorporate 'QUEENSLAND'. The only known date is 3 December 1912. (Campbell type 3b)
Type 6
The Krag continuous roller type, characterised by double-circle
datestamps, 24.5 mm in diameter and 52-53 mm apart, and between them six
straight lines, the third and fourth interrupted to contain 'QUEENSLAND'. The
datestamp portion comprises two circles, one outer and one inner, the latter
broken by two chords, between which, right across the centre of the outer circle,
are the day, month, year in two digits, and the time; with the outer inscriptions being the name is round the top with 'QUEENSLAND' round the foot. Used at Brisbane (10 October 1911 to 3 April 1913, Rockhampton (28 June 1912 to 11 September 1915), Townsville (23 October 1911 - 10 March 1913) and Warwick. (5 March 1913)
Type 7
The Krag continuous roller type, characterised by double-circle datestamps, 24.5 to in diameter 52-53 mm apart, and between them six straight lines, the third and fourth interrupted to contain 'QUEENSLAND'. The datestamp portion comprises two circles, one outer and one inner, the latter broken by two chords, between which, right across the centre of the outer circle, are the day, month, year in two digits, and the time; with the outer inscriptions being the name is round the top with three stars at the foot. Used at Cairns (4 January 13 to 8 July 14), Ipswich (6 January 1913 to 10 April 1913) and Toowoomba (29 November 1909 to 21 February 1913). (Campbell type 4a)
(Adapted from Campbell, Queensland Postal History, p. 201 and Marius Wytenburg's Brisbane GPO exhibit)
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