Kangaroo Island Post Office Memorabilia

Historic Reeves Point Post Office Ink Pot
Approximate age between 1836 – 1876

This historic ink pot was dug up at Reeves Point, by contractor Robert Patterson who was working for the council. The site was South Australia’s first European settlement and the first unofficial post office, which operated between 1836 to 1876. The post office was initially established by Samuel Stephens, the first manager of a South Australian Company, and later managed by members of the Reeves family – Charlotte Reeves (1847 – 1855) and Augustus Reeves (1855 – 1869).

This ink pot, made from durable vitreous stoneware, was unearthed during the construction of the Reeves Point monument, offering a fascinating glimpse into the daily workings of the early postal service. The inscription on the pot reads:

“Vitreous Stone Bottle, Warranted Not to Absorb, J. Bourne, Denby & Codnor Park Near Denby.”

This pot was manufactured by Joseph Bourne & Son, a renowned English pottery company founded in 1809 in Denby, Derbyshire. The company specialized in high-quality stoneware, and was known for its high-quality salt-glazed and vitrified stoneware, making their products widely used and respected across the UK and internationally. Their ink bottles were ideal for storing ink – an essential supply for writing letters, ledgers, and official documents in the early days of settlement.

This artifact serves as a valuable reminder of the resilience and resourcefulness of Kangaroo Island’s early European settlers and their efforts to establish communication links with the mainland and beyond.

Proudly displayed in our MacGillivray Post Office as part of Kangaroo Island’s rich heritage.

Donated with thanks from Maggie Patterson Kingscote

The First Post Office in South Australia – The Cairn

This cairn marks the site of South Australia’s first post office, and first official European settlement, established by the South Australian Company on 27 July 1836. Originally a dwelling from 1857 to 1883 and a official post office from 1871 to 1883. It stands near the beach overlooking the Bay of Shoals, built partly with locally made bricks from a factory at Penneshaw, stamped with a Kangaroo and “K.I.” Nearby, you’ll find a well that supplied water to the first settlers, remains of early dwellings, and an old road cutting. The historical old mulberry tree the first fruit tree planted in South Australia,  it still bears fruit, the original jetty, the island’s first well. A walk to the top of Flagstaff Hill offers stunning views of Kangaroo Island and Backstairs Passage to Cape Jervis and a monument commemorating the first settlement.   (Found on SATC website)

First Settlement at Reeves Point – Art Gallery of South Australia

Background History
There is confusion about the first Post Offices on Kangaroo Island. In the beginning, there were no
official Post Offices as we know it now.
In the early days, there were locations like Reeves Point and Penneshaw where mail was collected from
passing boats [travelling from Perth & from overseas to Melbourne / Sydney/ Hobart 1
etc] and then sent onto Holdfast Bay by local ketches and cutters.
References Trove [ KI Courier & other written articles e.g. Harry Bates, plus “Register, South Aust. & Chronical newspapers, various books on KI etc
The SA Post Office Act was passed in 1839 and by 1840 the postal system was in place and post office
was first opened at Port Adelaide, with a daily mail to and from the city

So recent research suggests that ‘Reeves Point’ was the first Post Office on Kangaroo Island in
1847? F H Baur Vol 1 pp 32: The first post office was at Cygnet River, opened in 1870, and closely followed by Kingscote in 1871. Cape Borda was made a post office in 1877, and in 1882 Wisanger was added, in 1883. Cape Willoughby became the fifth, and the Queenscliffe office, the official name for the new township at Kingscote, was opened in the same year, Finally, in 1884, Hog Bay, whose residents had long felt slighted in this respect, received due recognition with the creation of an official post office.
There is debate by many researchers which were actually “unofficial” Post Offices V/S “Official Post
Offices

Some historical information donated by Geoffrey Chapman

I find all these dates interesting and different? So have published all of my findings. ~~ Bev~~