Description:

AN EARLY INWARDS LETTER TO A SMALL TASMANIAN VILLAGE

1838 (Aug.7) lengthy cross-written entire social letter from England to "Thomas Rawling, Bull Inn, Prossers Plains, Van dienab Land" with unframed "PAID AT BRISTOL" handstamp and rated 1/-; with "PAID SHIP LETTER" in red and a fine strike of the scarce first type boxed "SHIPLETTER/3DE/1838" on arrival. The Prossers Plains post office had just opened in early August 1838.

The area around Buckland was originally settled around 1820. It was called the Prosser Plains as it was near the Prosser River. The oldest remaining house dates from 1826, and is called Woodsden. The village was renamed Buckland by the then governor, John Franklin in 1846, gaining its name from William Buckland the Dean of Westminster. The Buckland hotel was built in 1845.

Framed and glazed so that all text and postal markings are visible. Overall 53 x 37cm.