John Williams who passed away in February 2010 will be remembered as a long serving member of CSPS. He joined the Society as number 1298 on the 1^st April 1965 when he was employed at M.O.A. Powdermill Lane, Waltham Abbey. He remained in its employ throughout the various changes in title and acronym ending as a department of the M.O.D., until his retirement.

He was a life-long stamp collector specialising in Australia, but he also had interests, like many, in thematic subjects. As with many collectors he drew a line at a particular date and resolved to only look for stamps to fill the gaps, saying that too many stamps had been issued and it was not reasonable or possible to collect all the new issues.

John was an active and enthusiastic member of the Hoddersdon and Waltham Abbey stamp society holding many committee posts including Chairman/President several times. Many of the H and WA society were also members of the CSPS and this encouraged John to take on the role of EBS, foreign postal in 1991 when this became vacant. John held this post for many years and attended Council meetings and club nights.

Having finally decided to move from his home in Hoddersdon to Ross-on-Wye John gave up his membership of the H and WA society but kept in touch with the members. As a member of Council he received copies of the Council minutes. Shortly after his move CSPS Council was reorganised and the E.B.S.’s were made ex-officio members of the Council. This helped not only John, but the other EBSs as they all were living some considerable distance from London which made travelling difficult. John managed to keep the Foreign circuits alive after his move but was eventually forced to close the section as membership and trading dropped away. John closed the section and resigned as EB in 2008, but he continued to keep contact with CSPS and received books via the Single Country section, attempting to complete his collections.

Condolences were sent on behalf of the Society and Members stood and observed a minute of silence at the start of the March meeting in memory of John.