New Hebrides: Early Mail: 1842 entire addressed to “Revd. Henry Nisbet/Island of Tanna/Polynesia” sent by Andrew Macfarlane from Glasgow with lengthy letter dated May 26, without postal markings having been carried amongst goods consigned, “written in great haste to catch your box”. Rev. Henry Nisbet (1818-1876), missionary for the London Missionary Society, had left England for the Pacific Islands in Aug. 1840 and with Rev. Turner had reached Samoa from Sydney a year later. They continued to Tanna where they arrived in June 1842 but the only date mentioned in Nisbet's diary when the missionaries received mails was Dec. 9 1842 when a ship arrived which had met with the “Camden” on her way from Sydney to Rarotonga. Some ‘Nisbet’ letters may have reached him in Tanna during his time there from June 1842 until the end of Jan. 1843 when he, Rev. Turner and their families were picked up by the “Highlander” and brought to Samoa. Photo. (Image1)

New Hebrides: Early Mail: 1842 (Sept.) outer lettersheet sent from Sydney addressed to “Mr Nisbet/Tanna” with added late note telling of a fatal accident that had just befallen a servant of Rev. Robert Ross (minister of the Pitt Street Congregational Church and the agent of the London Missionary Society), the receiving endorsement identifying sender as Lydia Crook, daughter of noted missionary, William Pascoe Crook. Rev. Henry Nisbet (1818-1876), missionary for the London Missionary Society, had left England for the Pacific Islands in Aug. 1840 and with Rev. Turner had reached Samoa from Sydney a year later. They continued to Tanna where they arrived in June 1842 but the only date mentioned in Nisbet's diary when the missionaries received mails was Dec. 9 1842 when a ship arrived which had met with the “Camden” on her way from Sydney to Rarotonga. Some ‘Nisbet’ letters may have reached him in Tanna during his time there from June 1842 until the end of Jan. 1843 when he, Rev. Turner and their families were picked up by the “Highlander” and brought to Samoa. Photo. (Image1)

New Hebrides: Early Mail: 1842 entire addressed to “Rev. H. Nisbet/Tana”, with interesting three page letter written by fellow missionary Rev. Mills at Samoa headed “Upolu Nov. 15th 1842”. Rev. William Mills (1811-1876) was missionary at Apia from 1836 until forced to leave through ill-health in 1854. Rev. Henry Nisbet (1818-1876), missionary for the London Missionary Society, had left England for the Pacific Islands in Aug. 1840 and with Rev. Turner had reached Samoa from Sydney a year later. They continued to Tanna where they arrived in June 1842 but the only date mentioned in Nisbet's diary when the missionaries received mails was Dec. 9 1842 when a ship arrived which had met with the “Camden” on her way from Sydney to Rarotonga. Some ‘Nisbet’ letters may have reached him in Tanna during his time there from June 1842 until the end of Jan. 1843 when he, Rev. Turner and their families were picked up by the “Highlander” and brought to Samoa. Photo. (Image1)

New Hebrides: Joint Naval Commission 1887-1908: 1889 envelope to Lincolnshire endorsed from “H.M.S. “Swinger”, New Hebrides” and sent from Havannah Harbour dated “15/7/89”, sent to his future wife by seaman John E. Young and countersigned by Lt. George W. Cornish as commanding officer, sent at concessionary rate paid by 1d. lilac cancelled “LONDON E.C./7/SP 23/89/K” with Boston same day arrival backstamp, a little roughly opened. Ex Gregson. Illustrated as fig. 1-2 in “The New Hebrides: Their Postal History and Postage Stamps” by Hals & Collas (1967). The Ariel class gunboat “Swinger” had served on the Australia station since 1883 had been despatched to undertake a five month cruise in the south-west Pacific based in NoumŽa. A most important item, only two “Swinger” covers being known sent from the New Hebrides. Photo. (Image1)

New Hebrides: New Caledonia used in New Hebrides 1903-08: A selection, incl. 1907, unaddressed picture postcard (“Plusieurs Perogues Indigenes a l’abri dans une baie aux Nlle Hebrides”) bearing 1901 5c. tied by “NLLES HEBRIDES/PT SANDWICH” c.d.s., 1908 (Nov. 24, Nov. 28) two attractive locally addressed registered ‘Rossi’ covers, the former a New Caledonia 10c. stationery envelope bearing 1905 5c. and 1903 Anniversary 5c. used with British issue 1/2d., 1d., French issue 1908 5c. and 10c., the latter with New Caledonia 1892 30c. strip of four, 1903 Anniversary 30c. and 1905 40c. pair, good to fine “PORT-VILA/NELLES HEBRIDES” c.d.s’s and “R” in octagon handstamps, three picture postcards bearing 1901 5c. (other adhesives removed) or 1905 5c. (2) cancelled “NLLES HEBRIDES/PT SANDWICH” c.d.s., 1904 card bearing Anniversary 4c. and 1908 card with 1900 10c. cancelled “PORT-VILA/NELLES HEBRIDES”, range of adhesives similarly cancelled, etc. Photo. (Image1)