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What you missed at meetings earlier this year
7th January 2008
This evening was as usual given over for members to display postcards and the following displays were given:
Margaret Emerson: Margaret displayed Kent scenes on postcards from the Edwardian era bearing Kent postmarks. This display included two cards depicting Rochester Cathedral a matter of a year apart but one had the wrong spire on the cathedral, although the rest of the building was correct. This remains an unsolved mystery.
Bob van Goethem: Bob displayed early postcards printed prior to 1902 and then a selection of Valentine’s and cards from all ages including comic ones, India and items from the 1971 Postal Strike.
George Goodall: George brought along cards, stamps and Quarters for each US state. These depicted the state bird and flag. There was also a selection of cards showing bridges in the USA including the Old London Bridge, famously bought and sent to America under the impression it was Tower Bridge.
Mike Thatcher: Mike displayed an impressive and extensive display on the Festival of Britain including a 50th Anniversary card and ones depicting Skylon and the Dome of Discovery. Next year Mike is giving a talk and display on this subject so we will see and learn much more.
Derek Rock: Derek displayed matchbox covers including Webb, Brymay, Swan Vestas, England’s Glory and Morelands. There were also postcards of Bournemouth from all ages and Margate.
Derek Ward: Derek displayed cards showing trains, the Antarctic and penguins.
Thank you to the above members who brought along items for display.
February and March 2008 – These meetings were our Diamond Jubilee Meetings and the write ups appeared in the Diamond Jubilee edition of the Bulletin.
7th April 2008
This evening was divided into three parts with three talks and displays given by Members.
Prestige Booklets from Australia A Talk and Display by George Goodall
George displayed the Prestige Booklets in exploded or expanded format as he explained it was the only way to see all the contents, although in some circles this is frowned upon. He started with the 150th Anniversary of the Eureka Gold Rush Stockade and then moved on to Threatened Wildlife. Some of the stamps in the booklets are se-tenant or different printings to the standard stamp issues.
Railways were next, then Wines, followed by Botanic Gardens. Each state had different features. Lastly came Royalty showing various paintings of the Queen, including the recent Rolf Harris Portrait.
Columbian Exposition Envelopes 1893 A Talk and Display by Peter Coe
Part 1 This is an embossed issue and shows Columbus, Liberty and an Eagle with writing around the outside. There were various values, 1,2,5 and 10c. People did not use the correct envelope for the rate and so extra stamps were added. The first item was a cover from 1893 which had the year only and no date. Next was a cover to Harrow-on-the-Hill with a backstamp, to an address which is still there. There was a 1c envelope with a 5c Columbian stamp in addition. Next was a cover with the 1893 World Fair cancel which was sent to Paris and an advertising cover to New York with an advert for the Garfield Injector Company. Next was a 1c item, the circular rate, and a SS Venezuela mark.
A registered cover followed and a 5c cover to Geneva, a 4c plus 1c stamp and a 5c envelope to Saltzburg with a black seal. There was a 5c cover to Germany and a World Fair station cancel on an item to Berlin, a New Jersey to Zurich cover with additional stamps, an internal US cover, New York to Switzerland via Southampton, New York to Zurich with an extra 6c stamp, a Wells Fargo cover and a 2c New York to Baden Baden with 3, 6 and 8c stamps plus lots of backstamps.
Part 2
This section started with a Philadelphia to Chicago item with a Special Delivery Stamp, followed by New York to Switzerland re-directed to Stuttgart, then an item to Sierra Leone, a rare destination. Then followed a cover with a hardware company advert and another with a chair company advert, then a cover Boston to Basle was displayed followed by New York to Copenhagen, with a Brittanic straight line ship mark, and then a kicking pony cancel on a cover to Dutch India. A few internal USA items were next followed by one with a trade mark. New York to Switzerland came next and San Francisco to Calcutta with lots of backstamps. Photocopies of the envelope backs were displayed for many of the items and we were able to see the backstamp letters eg B for Berlin, C for Cologne and D for Delhi. There was printed matter item with 1c going New York to Berlin which was probably checked and this was followed by Missouri to Leipzig. There were various other covers, many registered, including 10c registered San Francisco to Lima, but the stamp had been removed. There was a cover New York to Paris via the SS Oceanic, which was a printed cover with a backstamp on the front. The last two items were San Francisco to Guatemala and then a stamp dealer’s item with the first 6c airmail stamp posted 1918, which was a late use.
Seahorses A Talk and Display by Peter Harris
Peter’s display started with two Roosevelt covers and these were followed by stamps paying a telephone bill. Various covers were displayed including one to a VC holder from WWI, Brigadier CC Foss. A parcel label was next and a pair of 10s Seahorses. Most of the stamps were the first Bradbury printing but a few were Waterlow. Various Airmail items were displayed and then the 1936 Christmas issue. A contract for a house was next with a Seahorse attached. Then came a Guernsey Customs item and parcel label. There were many to worldwide addresses and there was a commemorative cover for the 2/6 stamp bearing a £10 Brittania stamp. There were also some reprints and parcel cancels and overprinted issues from Ireland, British Levant and the Morrocco Agencies and a Barbados seahorse. Finally there was an actual seahorse given to Peter in a plastic case.
The vote of thanks was given by Margaret Emerson for the three talks and displays and the assembled members all applauded another interesting evening. Council has considered this format, which gives more people a chance to produce and talk about a small display, without committing to a 120 sheet display, and, as you will see, another is planned in our 2008/09 programme.
12th May 2008.
Taylyllyn Narrow Gauge Railway
Talk & Display by Mike Thompson.
Part 1
We were shown a map of Wales to give the location of the Railway. We understand it was the first Narrow Gauge (NG) Railway to be preserved, that was in 1957. It runs from Tywyn to Abergynolwyn in mid-Wales and was originally for carrying slate from the slate quarries as were other NG Railways in Wales.
First shown were picture postcards of the locomotives and the surrounding lake and countryside. Then followed a short history of the Railway. It opened in 1865 and was the only NG Railway to run every year since then. Henry Hayden Jones MP (later Sir) agreed to run the railway every year he was an MP and kept his word. The railway ran at a loss every year and when Nationalisation occured in 1948 it was not included. After the death of Sir H H Jones enthusiasts asked to run the railway for four weeks as a tourist attraction. There was only one loco and this was done up and they opened up. They had no money but plenty of helpers,
In 1957 to obtain revenue they said ‘Why don`t we introduce a Railway Letter Service?’ This commenced with green stickers (with advertising) which were shown and are now rare. There were also some in brown and green but these are not seen. A set of 6 labels at 11d each was produced (a sheet of 6 at 5/6d). Collectors could buy two sheets at 11shillings but that was a lot of money so not many were sold. The rate was regulated by British Rail and on 1st August the rate increased to 1/-. A handstamp for the extra charge was made and used on the stamp or the envelope. Quite a few covers were shown including rare early ones. Of these was a cover with all 6 stamps, a miniature sheet on cover and 11d value but only the front was available.
There were four services available:-
- Service 1 Sent to Tywyn for delivery by the GPO
- Service 2 Sent to named station To Be Called For.
- Service 3 Sent to named station To Be Posted on Arrival
- Service 4 Sent to London (Paddington) and posted for delivery to a Foreign country.
Examples of all these services were shown on covers. During 1957 there was no track so only 5 covers are known although there were 15 shown. Covers included a selection from 1958-1965 with the 1/- stamp, overprinted ones, last day of issue, then demonetisation. Also shown were imperf blocks of proofs; a BR rail cover with 1/1d overprinted; some scarce items with a miniature sheet of 6; a rare 6d rate to USA (only known cover) and covers with special GPO handstamps.
Part 2
There was a competition for new stamps and essays were shown and the different printings as drawings. Rates were increased to 1/2d and up to 1/6d. A FDC of the Prince of Wales issue with the railway stamps was shown. Also in this part were: proofs, sheets of the stamps, and the change to 1/3d (2nd Class) 1/7d (1st Class) and some of the later issues with some scarce items and some GWR 150 overprinted sheets, of which only 200 were printed, with 190 on FDC`s. This was the end of the Talyllyn display, the Worlds First Preserved Steam Railway.
Then to complete the evening the following were also displayed:-
Middleton Colliery Railway (The First Preserved Standard Gauge) with a Mulready posted on 1st May 1840, it was not valid so 2d TO PAY and it was sent back 4th May.
Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway - 10p, 15p, +5p overprints, special events cancels, triangular labels and specimen values.
Mid Hants Railway - 1979 Railway Letter stamps including a block of 20. (Unauthorised).
Bluebell Railway - Railway letter stamps confiscated by GPO and sheets of four, error on sheets with Bramwell instead of Branwell (Emily Bronte`s Brother).
B R stamps from Talyllyn to Welshpool - two covers shown.
Ravensdale & Eskdale Railway covers and finally B R Newspaper stamps on covers.
This was a very fine and interesting display for which the vote of thanks was given by Derek Rock and applauded by all.
2nd June 2008
Annual General Meeting and Grand Auction
This was our AGM and was followed by a Jubilee Grand Auction. The AGM Minutes follow on pages 18 to 23 .The auction went well with a good selection of lots submitted and a high per centage of sold lots. It will be interesting to see if there us any impact on the monthly auctions for the rest of the year, the December Grand Auction or indeed our 2009 Postal Auction.
6th July 2008
Members Displays
The following members brought items in to display:
Bob van Goethem: Bob displayed several sheets of bulk mail cancels showing the wide variety of types now on offer. There are numerous different types with wavy lines.
George Goodall: This was a two part display comprising an exploded Jersey prestige booklet and a display of hot air balloon items. There were a number of balloons over Australia, cards and covers as well as stamps from other countries.
Peter Harris: This display started with a 2/6 Seahorse on cover that Peter had just acquired. There were two interesting books, ‘A Handbook of Thematic Philately’ and ‘British Pictorial Envelopes of the 19th Century’, the latter published by the Collector’s Club of Chicago.
Derek Rock: There were a number of special packs of stamps, 3d, 6d and 1/- for example the moon rocket, Mongolia and Poland. There was an edition of Stamp Finder, which Derek told us was the first stamp book he had purchased. There was also a Colour Guide, the first Stanley Gibbons production he had acquired.
Derek Rock: The second display showed a set of playing cards from the 1930’s and 1940’s featuring Grant’s and recently received fronts from packets sent in the post with loads of stamps from the 1980’s used as postage. Derek explained that selling mint commemorative GB stamps issued at that time often meets with a rebuttal from a dealer but they can be used as postage.
Derek Ward: The theme here was railway items. Derek displayed an exercise book in which he had saved all his bus tickets from 1947. There was also a railway fares book from 1923.
Brain Viner: This was a display of American and music themed items. There were cards of the Mayflower and bears, a nice large photograph of Johnny Cash and June Carter and items from Memphis.
The Society expresses its thanks to those who brought items in for display to round off the Society’s programme for 2007/08.
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