WA - Oval date stamps

Western Australia.
Oval date stamps produced for Cue.

Other listings of Cue oval date stamps list three formats. The formats were RO2, RO6 and RO7. The following analysis extends these previous classifications to eight distinct types. There were two different inscriptions at the top - either TELEGRAPH OFFICE or POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICE (with variations). There were also the three different formats for the ovals.

Information which extends any of the statements is most welcome. An overview of date stamp classification and a description of eccentricity to measure their shape is provided elsewhere.

The Cue Telegraph Office opened in November 1894.

The date stamps are arranged below in order of complexity of design and then
by TELEGRAPH OFFICE and then POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE.

Two outer rings only (RO2) - both TO and P&TO;
Inner ring is a continuous line (RO6) - TO P and TO, P & TO.
Inner ring is a scalloped line (RO7) - TO and P & TO.

Click on the following hyperlink for details of the Australian classification scheme for Telegraph date stamps.

RO2 - TO. There are two formats for this type - distinguished by the eccentricity of the oval - the lower the value, the more circular. There are no separation markings between upper and lower inscriptions in either format. "CUE" is not followed by " W.A." but is followed with a stop.
Used: 30 September 1946. Size: 35 × 43 mm (e = 0.58). Rated: RRRR. No. in the Census: 1.	30 September 1946. In violet.
Used: 13 October 1947. Sizes: 34 × 54 mm (e = 0.78). Rated: RRRR. No. in the Census: 1.	13 October 1947. In violet.

RO2 - P & TO.

Post & Telegraph Office.
Has "&" after POST.

Used in violet: 16 February 1900
Used in blue: 17 June 1899 to
24 November 1900.

Size: 29 × 43 mm (e = 0.74).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 4.

17 June 1899.
In blue.

See rare use of this format and together with format RO7-TO on the same delivery form.

Although few examples of this format are recorded, all have an overinked C or the letter had not been cut correctly.

24 November 1900.
In blue.

4 March 1901.
in violet.

RO6 - TO.

Has stars for separation between upper and lower inscriptions.

Used: 28 November 1894 to 4 December 1897;
Size: 27 × 45 mm (e = 0.80).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 6 (where date is discernable).

Many of these date stamps are very light and the 9 is missing in many of the year entries.

See the use on the two special W.A. INTERNATIONAL forms.

Telegraph Office.
28 November 1894.

Used on WC-DO-4Ca.

21 June 1895.
Telegraph Offive in violet.
On piece.

10 September 1895.
Telegraph Office in violet.
Used on WC-DO-4Ca.

RO6 - P and TO. Has "AND" after POST and no space after "W.".
Used in blue: 28 March 1899 and 12 June 1903. Size: 30 × 50 mm (e = 0.80). Rated: RRRR. No. in the Census: 2.	Post and Telegraph Office - in blue. 28 March 1899.	Post and Telegraph Office - in blue. 12 June 1903. Used on the rare Urgent Telegram delivery form ( WC-DU-1).

RO6 - P&TO.

Has "&" after POST.
No separation markings between top and lower inscriptions.

Used: 21 and 25 March 1902,
3 October 1906 and 1 September 1907.

Size: 29.5 × 50 mm (e = 0.81).

Rated: RRR.

No, in the Census: 4.

21 March 1902.
Post & Telegraph Office in violet.
Used on WC-DO-5B.

1 September 1907.
Post & Telegraph Office in violet.
Used on WI-DO-2A.

RO7 - TO. Has separations rosettes between upper and lower inscriptions.
Used in violet: 14 July 1898 to 10 January 1901. Size: 25 × 38 mm (e = 0.75). Rated: RRRR. Number in the Census: 5. See a rare use of both this format and format RO2-P&TO on the same delivery form.	14 July 1898. Telegraph Offoce in violet. Used on WC-DO-4C.
29 October 1898. Telegraph Office in violet. On piece.	Telegraph Office in violet. 10 January 1901. Used on a rare international Cablegram form IWI-DC-1.
Some examples - especially the later ones, the C of CUE has no gap.
6 May 1899. Telegraph Office in blue. Used on WC-DO-5A.	12 September 1899. Telegraph Office in blue. Used on WC-DO-5A.

RO7 - P & TO. Letters in the outer area are larger than previously and extend beyond the horizontal diameter on both sides. Separation arcs are small dashes and they are indented from the ends and placed on either side of CUE WA.
Used in violet: 8 June and 14 November 1905. Size: 29 × 49 mm (e = 0.80). Rated: RRRR. No. in the Census: 2.	8 June 1905. Used on WI-DO-1A.	14 November 1905. Used on WI-DO-1A.

RO7 - P & TO. Post & Telegraph Office in top border confined above horizontal diameter.
Type 1: Rosettes used to separate the two inscriptions are placed approximately on the horizontal between the 2nd and 3rd lines. Used in violet: 4 March 1909 - 8 March 1913. Size: 24 × 48 mm (e = 0.86). Rated: RRRR. Number in the Census: 5.
4 March 1909. Used on WI-DO-2Ba. Earliest recorded date.	8 March 1913. Note in both of these date stamps, the small splits in the both ends of the inner scalloped ellipse.
12 January 1912. Oval used in violet on a piece cut from an urgent rate telegram. Note the small split in the LHS of the inner scalloped ellipse is the same in both.	19 June 1912. Note the small split in the LHS of the inner scalloped ellipse is the same in both. Used on WI-DO-3B.

Type 2: Rosettes used to separate the two inscriptions are placed well below the horizontal between the 2nd and 3rd lines.
Used in violet: 21 March 1907 and 16 September 1912. Size: 24 × 48 mm (e = 0.87). Rated: RRRR. Number in the Census: 2. NOTE: the inner ring is broken at the LH end on both date stamps.
	21 March 1907.	16 September 1912 - in violet.

RO7 - P & TO. Post & Telegraph Office in top border confined above horizontal diameter - the same as for the previous entry. For these date stamps, the inside scalloped design is only partially seen.
Used in red: 7 June 1917, 25 June 1918 - 22 August 1919.. Size: 24 × 47 mm (e = 0.87). Rated: RRRR. Number in the Census: 2.	7 June 1917. Used on WI-DO-5Cb.
25 June 1918.	22 August 1919. Overinking on C of Cue.

Has small vertical dash separation marks at either end of the outer ring.
NOTE: Month before Day.

Used in violet: 16 December 1931.

Size: 30 × 48 mm (e = 0.78).

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

16 December 1931.
Used on Commonwealth delivery form AB-DO-6A.