Counterfeit 2d Harbour Bridge Stamp

In 1932 the Post Office was alerted to the suspected forgery of the then current 2d Sydney Harbour Bridge stamp. The story of the forgeries was featured in the April 1979 edition of the Australian Stamp Bulletin.

The Post Office became aware of the forgeries in April 1932 when the Deputy Postmaster-General of Sydney received a letter from a South Australian philatelist, Dr. E. Couper Black. Dr. Black explained that he had been sent an envelope bearing two 2d stamps, which he believed were forgeries.

Not only was the overall appearance of the forged stamps different from the normal stamps but the perforations were dissimilar and the suspect stamps were produced on unwatermarked paper.

Dr. Black’s envelope originated in Sydney and had the address of T. Maher, 336 Elizabeth Street, Sydney stamped on it. The envelope had contained a circular relating to an Irish sweepstake.

Post Office investigators working with the police discovered that ‘T. Maher’ was one of a number of fictitious names used by an agent for the Irish Free State, Charles Jackson of Kensington. Jackson, who had previous convictions for illegal betting and breaking and entering, was put under police surveillance.

Following investigations, Jackson was arrested at the Sydney GPO while posting a handful of letters franked with the forgeries of the 2d Sydney Harbour Bridge stamps. The police also discovered that Jackson produced the stamps with the help of a process engraver, Harry Stewart Elderfield, who was a partner in a city firm.

A search of his offices uncovered a photographic negative of the plate already found at Jackson’s home as well as engravings of the 2d Bridge stamps and a printing machine.

As far as the perforating of the stamps was concerned, Elderfield stated that he carried out the work in the printing works of a close friend who was unaware of his purpose. The work had been performed at night when the owner of the machine was absent.

Jackson and Elderfield along with an accomplice, Ernest William Hemsley, who had worked for the Post Office until 1923, were remanded in custody at the Central Police Court.

Both Jackson and Elderfield pleaded guilty to being in possession of counterfeit stamps and a plate. They were sentenced to 12 months hard labour. Hemsley was charged with offences under the NSW Gaming and Betting Act but the State Attorney-General did not file an indictment because of lack of evidence.

The original stamps were printed in panes of 20 (4 across x 5 down), the forged 2d stamps were also printed in the same format. 1,200 were printed totaling 24,000 stamps (2d x 24,000 = £480). All the sheets with the exception of one pane of 20 stamps were retained for inclusion in the official Post Office collection. Five somehow were released to the public shortly before the remainder of the sheet was defaced when a black bar was overprinted onto the stamps.

The position on the pane is row 2/4. This stamp is in mint condition and very rare, even though being a forgery it is regarded as the “holy grail” of the Harbour Bridge series.