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What you missed at recent meetings….
President’s Evening 1st September 2008
As usual the first evening of our Society year was the President’s Evening but as Bob Van Goethem was the other side of the pond, Derek Rock, our Vice-President, gave the main part of the evening display. However, the evening kicked off with a short display on the history of the Society given by Margaret Emerson.
Part 1
The display started with a piece in a 1931 edition of Philatelic Magazine stating there was a proposal to form a Society and was followed by a second stating that the Service Exchange Club had been formed rather than the CSPS. This display gave members a chance to see some archive material that is normally hidden away including the first Minutes book, which contained the Minutes from January 1948, when the first formal meeting was held to formulate the Society and the Minutes of the first Council meeting. (The January Minutes were reproduced in the Jubilee Bulletin.) There was also a copy of the first President’s address to the first AGM. A second book, which contained details of the Coronation Dinner, was shown and another book of Minutes from the mid-1950’s labeled ‘Ministry of Works Philatelic Society’. Margaret had been told they were the CSPS Minutes but as they were typed in Ministry of Works offices they were labeled as such. They included many references to Neville Jones, which proved their authenticity. An accounts ledger from 1970/71 with the last set of pre-decimal accounts was also shown. There were a number of pieces of memorabilia, which had been provided by George Goodall and Margaret extended thanks on behalf of the Society. These included an exhibition programme produced for the 21st Anniversary displays in January 1969 and a cover produced for the exhibition. There were details of the 25th anniversary exhibition and some items from the 55th Philatelic Congress of Great Britain, an entry badge and some covers. There was the menu for the first and, as it turns out, only, Annual Dinner in 1976. There was a selection of Bulletins or photocopies of the originals, including the earliest that had survived from 1950 to the Jubilee edition, a London Group Leader list from November 1968, various versions of the Society Constitution and Rules as well as a selection of Membership cards.
Derek Rock thanked Margaret on behalf of the Society for her time in assembling the display.
Part 2
The main part of the evening followed which was a display of GB material. The display started with 1d black reprints in many colours issued in 1940 with both stars and VR’s, followed by the ‘Jubilee’ series and the King Edward VII set. George V issues were next and Derek told us there were two watermarks to look out for, single watermarks and block cypher. There was a photogravure sheet and then the Seahorse issues. The 1924 and 1925 Wembley Exhibition issues were next including an offset.
The PUC and 1935 Jubilee stamps followed and the only Edward VIII issue. There were two dates for these as the 1d red was issued later. The first GVI set was simple and was followed by the 1940 stamp centenary issues and the second definitive printing of 1941 and 1942. The Victory issue was controversial as it had Masonic symbols included in the design. This was followed by the Silver Wedding issues of GVI and Queen Elizabeth and the 1948 Channel Islands liberation issue that was on sale and valid on mainland post. The 1948 Olympics and the UPU issue, the next set of definitives, when there was a colour change, the high values, the Festival of Britain sets and then the Coronation issue followed. This lead on to the first QEII definitive set and we entered the realms of phosphor bands and the Wildings.
High value castles followed including the miniature sheet to mark their 50th anniversary issued recently. Machins appeared next and the first issue of these was in Lsd and included the first multicoil. We then jumped to 1990 and Stamp World with PHQ cards and a miniature sheet. Two head versions of the Machin were issued to mark the anniversary of the Penny Black again with different papers, with imperf sides on some and three different printers, Harrison, Walsall and House of Questa. This stamp was re-issued ten years later in 2000 for 1st class mail.
There was a booklet stamp from the Stamp World, the Miniature sheet and the set. There were some FDC’s to mark the anniversary of the Penny Black issued in 1990, some of which were from the collection of the late Fred Brandeis. They had different cancels. There was a London Life book, which had a cancel as an entry to the Exhibition, a few Harrison and Walsall booklets and some Post Office Training stamps, both Wildings and false decimal labels, which were criticized as not be the real thing for staff training. These were cancelled in a number of ways, single lines, two lines and in thick and thin versions.
Part 3
Derek informed us that he stopped collecting new GB material as it was too difficult and there was too much of it. The next part of the display was for folded booklets. These came six to a set in the series and included Farm Buildings, Commercial Vehicles and Country Crafts. There was a 10p booklet from 1978 and various different layouts of books were shown. For example British Canals and Postal History. Books came in various values over the years £1.30, £1.40, £1.46, and £1.54. They came with left and right hand phosphor bands and there were different printings. There was one error where a booklet was charged at 50 pence but contained three 17 pence stamps and so should have been 51 pence. There were discount stamps with stars on the back and these came in different types. Next was the Scottish Experiment in 1977 with packets of stamps and there were two printings of these.
Aircraft featured next with a number of covers of events. In September 1911 there was the first bomb raid in Italy, the Royal Flying Corp was marked for its inauguration and then the RAF came into existence in 1918. There was a cover for the 50th Anniversary of the Schneider Trophy and signed covers. The Spitfire and Hurricane were featured and covers for the 60th and 75th Anniversaries of the RAF. Crown Agents made lots of issues for obscure islands marking the 80th Anniversary of the RAF. There was a RFC cover signed and one marking night flying and the Royal Naval Air Service. There was a cover for the anniversary of the 72nd Squadron and the 40th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, covers marking the Observer Corps and the 40th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. Airships were next with the R34 and then the VC10 aircraft and a 60th Anniversary cover of the first direct flight by Alcock and Browne across the Atlantic. The Air Transport Auxiliary was featured including Amy Johnson who was lost in the English Channel. Jet aircraft first flew on 15th May 1941 and there was a 40th anniversary item, Vulcan Anniversary covers, helicopters and pickup boats.
This was another interesting evening and members applauded in appreciation. Margaret Emerson gave the vote of thanks but this was deferred to the start of the October meeting.
6th October 2008 Kent Postal History and New Zealand
A two topic talk and display by Margaret Emerson
Part 1
The first item was a part letter from 1700 which really had no right to be in the display, as it was posted to Kent and The Countess of Roxburgh at Mount Ephraim, but Margaret wondered if any member could confirm the dating of the Receiver’s mark, a T, which she has reliably been informed was only in use in 1700. The Bishop Mark is unclear and the letter has no date as a page is missing. The next item was a wrapper dated 1782 from Stonecrouch one of the oldest post towns, to London with a Bishop Mark 28th November. This was followed by a Canterbury arc of 1793 and a two line Tenterden 57 from 1796. The next item was a local letter Ashford to Charing to Mr Smart, who Margaret pointed out we would meet again later on, it just has an Ashford arc. The next item was a Rochester concave arc and a Fevershan arc from 1799 followed, addressed to Messrs Norwood and Smart in Charing, with the 4d rate charged and then an additional penny. There was only a 3 times a week official post from Maidstone to Charing and an additional penny was levied on occasions by the Maidstone Postmaster for sending on some days. This has been the subject of some study and discussion and Margaret commented that a perpetual calendar might come in handy to see if the additional charge occurred on the unofficial post days. The next wrapper was from 1803 to Mr Smart at the George Inn in London with a Charing 51 mileage mark. Messrs Smart and Norwood featured again on the next item from 1802 to Charing from Evesham and the wrapper had been reused to send a reply, which took some deciphering.
A number of other straight lines followed: Chatham 31, New Romney endorsed Bye Post and a Dover 72 to Sir Henry Hawley at Leybourne Grange, Maidstone. Margaret told us he was the first Baron and showed a picture of the Grange, sadly now in disrepair as the 270 acre estate was for several years used as part of a Mental Hospital complex until 1996 and is waiting redevelopment. The next item was from Sir Henry Hawley to his solicitor in Ludlow with a Maidstone 38 in red. An 1810 letter with Maidstone 38 was next to Messrs Norwood, Smart and Norwood followed by a New Romney 92 to Charing. A red unframed Maidstone Penny post cancel was next from 1817 to Dover and two Dartford 15 mileage marks, a Tunbridge Wells circular mileage 36 and two Chatham 31 marks, a Maidstone 38 with a round topped 3 and another Dartford item from 1824. The next item was an entire letter dated 1825 from Cape Town to London bearing an India Letter Gravesend boxed cancel as well as a Cape Town mark. A misdirected letter from Beccles had an additional Canterbury 56 mark when sent from Higham, its original destination to Rochester, presumably then correct.
A cover from John Neame in 1826, presumably of Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham to Sittingbourne was reused and sent to London in reply, and this was followed by a Maidstone double arc (DDA) 1827, it’s first year of use, followed by an item with a Dover backstamp and endorsed X Post, going to Charing with an 1830 strike of an Ashford straight line. The next items were: a wrapper from 1832 Lydd to Charing via New Romney, a non-standard Tunbridge Wells mileage erased, a red Chatham double dated arc, a Tenterden arc mileage dated October 1835, a Footscray straight line, a Hythe backstamp item and a Cranbrook mileage erased cancel with an inspector’s star confirming the deletion of Ms8 for 1/1. A couple of Free Frank fronts were next from Maidstone and one with a Footscray DDA. A wrapper New Romney to Charing was next with a No 1 Receiving House mark, New Romney Penny Post, a New Romney DDA and a manuscript 9d uprated to 10d. Another Ashford DDA (Dated Double Arc) from 1839 was next then an Ashford Penny Post entire to Rye followed by an 1840 wrapper with a 1d Black Plate 3 to a local address in Ashford with Ashford Penny Post and DDA followed by a 1d Grey Black Plate 10 from 1841 with a black Maidstone Maltese Cross.
The next set was: a Rainham Penny Post mark in green, an Ulcombe UDC (Undated Double Circle) with other interesting cancels en route to Edinburgh, 1844 type cancels from Tunbridge Wells and Tunbridge the latter with a Pembury UDC, Tonbridge Wells (not a typing mistake) to Edinburgh with a DDA and no stamp, Tunbridge 1847 DDA, P.1d Universal Penny Post cancel and hence no stamp, two local covers Leigh and Wrotham one with DDA Seven-Oaks on the reverse, a Godmersham Penny Post on an envelope to London with a Canterbury 84 cancel and finally a Foots Cray straight line on the reverse of a re-directed letter. There followed a number of duplex marks of various types, 3CD, 3VOD etc with other interesting marks for example a red Loose undated double circle on a letter from Loose to London via Staplehurst, a Crook Log Bexleyheath 913 duplex and various duplexes with time codes. A few Maidstone items followed with different size circles and a newspaper wrapper with a poem forming the address and a St Mary Cray G09 dated 1898, a number allocated to Stonehosue Devon until 1887. The following marks had a mixture of times in full and code and one duplex was used as an additional cancel when an item had been forwarded. Double dated circles were next for Maidstone showing different codes and types. There was a selection of Station Offices including one for Ashford with the time in code F1*P. (Not one of my typing mistakes Ed.) and a Broadstairs skeleton.
Part 2
This section started with a number of Squared Circles but there was no Maidstone item as it did not have a Squared Circle. These included Bridge, Chilham, Halstead, Knockholt, Rainham, Rochester, Sandwich, Tontine Street, Snodland, Staplehurst, Swanley Junction and Ramsgate. Margaret explained there were different types with a different number of arcs in the four corners as well as different sizes. One Ramsgate mark had been used on a postcard as an arrival mark. A selection of circular marks came next including Tunbridge Wells with and without a time in the cancel. There were double rings, skeletons of various sizes and rubber cancels including a number of Maidstone cancels of different sizes. There was a damaged Tenterden cancel where the canceller had become distorted and a couple of instructional marked covers, one with a 1d postage due cancel and another with 1d 699 and a postage due label, from 1912 and 1932 respectively. Machine cancels were next with a number of Universal Machine marks, the earliest from 1916 for Maidstone with an arc at the base of the date ring. There was another from 1920 with a broken E in Maidstone that survived for 2 years and another with a frame break at 8 o’clock. Single and continuous Krags were next and another with fine letters for Maidstone dated 1926. There was a 1937 Coronation stamp on cover dated 13th May 1937 and another cancel with the wavy lines in three sections. Moving on to the QEII era there was a Post Early for Christmas cancel and then 2nd Universal postmarks on business mail, a First Class First Universal Machine cancel and a 2nd class postmark from a Pitney Bowes machine, then a few mishap items with squashed, doubled or upside down cancels. The last two sheets were of a cover Returned to Sender having been sent to Canada with various marks and cancels and a Returned Letter rubber from March 1982. A mobile post office mark from the Marden Fruit Show was followed by a Medway and Maidstone slogan ‘We Love Lead Free’ in green.
Part 3
New Zealand Selection
Margaret did not have a postal history item sent between New Zealand and Kent so she started with the Penny Universal, as the second section of part 1 had started with the era of GB Universal Penny Post and the Penny Black. The first sheet consisted of a single stamp with a first day of issue postmark, a block of 6 with a horizontal line through the Penny on the second row, a block from Plate 61 and another block from sheet 304. A block of 35 stamps on Basted Mills, thin, hard paper came next then a block on thick, soft Pirie paper, a single with a paper crease, a booklet pane of 6 on thin, hard Cowan paper and other varieties. There was a block with mixed perfs in the vertical, both 11 and 14 and a block from a worn plate, again with mixed perfs. Two 1913 Auckland Exhibition overprints, mint and used, were next and then examples of stamps from the Recess Government Printer in Wellington, including the new Royle Plate, an Official overprint, an example with the feather flaw and two showing the pale blue watermark and the yellow green watermark respectively. Typography papers were next from 1909 with different papers, stamps showing the Q flaw in the one of One Penny, the globe flaw, the feather flaw and then one with NZ and a star lithographed on the reverse. Margaret said the Penny Universal was complex as members could see, different perfs, different papers, different printings and methods, flaws and booklet panes, so she wondered why she had started!
Booklet panes were next, firstly the Penny Universal with bars in the selvedge, the George V Penny with bars, with bars and adverts in two different forms, and two booklet panes which had not been cut straight, the 1d Penny and ½ d green from 1928. A Kiwi booklet pane was next from 1935-1936, then the Silver Jubilee issue of 1937 in blocks of 4 showing different plates, although Margaret pointed out she still does not have the 6d value. Two blocks of the 21st Anniversary of the Anzac landing at Gallipoli followed and a 1937 Coronation FDC with a Cook Islands overprint. The 1937 Coronation issue also featured in 5 blocks of 4, the 1d, 2½ d and 6d values showing different plates in the margin and as imprint blocks.
The next two sheets were imperf pairs from the 1947-1952 definitive set to 9d on card and paper from the De la Rue archives. Coil stamps were next and 1952-53 1d and 3d overprints again in blocks of 4. Different papers with vertical and horizontal mesh were next and three different plate blocks, overprints with 1d on ½ d with two figures, and 2d on ½ d brown with one figure. There were two blocks of the 2d Orange with a coarse vertical mesh paper and other plated blocks of 6. Blocks of the high values from the 1947-52 set came next. The 1940 Centenary of Proclomation of British Sovereignty followed showing different plates of various values. The 1943 triangular Health Stamps were next featuring Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth with the perfs extending through the sheet margins. Various other Health issues followed including the Smiling Boy and Health Camp issues from 1931 and 1936 then the 1950 Centennial of Canterbury New Zealand issue, again shown in blocks.
There was a sheet of some advertisement stamps in use between February and December 1893. These were mentioned to Margaret by our member Peter Harris and she had taken note of his comments and looked some up.
The next sheet started what Margaret called the back of the book issues. Postal Fiscals were first, both from the Victorian era and the 1931-1940 series and there was an oddity with two mint blocks overprinted for postal use. Official Overprints were next on various issues including a pair of George V 2d orange stamps with misplaced perfs and printed on various types of paper, a block of Kiwis with a halo flaw, and some overprints on the 1940 Centenary of Proclomation of British Sovereignty issue, including one with a joined ff in the Official overprint. Postage Dues followed, again with some varieties such as a small D, large D in the value and a different number of dots and ornaments for the 1899 issues, then the later designs followed on different papers. Postage due stamps ceased in September 1951. Life Insurance Department stamps were next featuring lighthouses. A sheet of imperf pairs on card from the DLR archives of the 1947 set were shown and an FDC for the 1976 issue. Two Express Delivery stamps followed and plate proofs from the second side face values in grey plus later issues. The display ended where it began with some Penny Universals overprinted King Edward Island for the Shackleton Expedition to Antarctica in 1908 and blocks of 4 overprinted Victoria Land for the Scott Expedition in 1911, with an example of the no stop after land variety on one stamp. This sheet included a ½ d Green Edward VII issue with a special cancel used only at Cape Evans Base or on the Terra Nova.
The vote of thanks was given by Derek Rock, our President, for an interesting talk and display and members applauded in appreciation.
3rd November 2008 Albania A talk and display by Mrs Lyn Roberts, AEPS
The Society was very pleased to welcome Lynn to give us this talk on Albania. Before the talk and display started, Lynn handed out a sheet giving some background to Albanian philately by looking at the history of the country. This is reproduced below.
Albania was known as Illyria until the thirteenth century then after as Albania derived from Albanoi an Illyrian tribe from the second century AD. The Ottoman era lasted from 1389 to 1912 during this time the empire was divided into vilayets (Kosova, Iskodra, Monastir and Yanya) which were subdivided into sanjacks and then in to kazas.
Provisional government 1913-14. The independence of Albania from Turkish rule was declared on 28th November 1912 during the First Balkan War, and was recognised by the Treaty of London 30 May 1923.
Prince William of Wied 1914 – Prince William was offered the Crown on 1st February 1914 but he left Albania on 3rd September 1914.
The Albania Post Office in Shkoder was closed from May 1915 following occupation by Montenegro. The Austrians used their own Field Post Office there in 1916-1918 and the Albanian Post Office was re-opened on 15th January 1919.
The Provisional Government of Essad Pasha (Central Albania) 1914-1916. From 13th September 1914, Southern Albania was gradually occupied by Italian forces, and the north by Serbians and Montenegrins. After the defeat of Serbia at the end of 1915, Northern Albania was occupied by Austrian troops till the end of 1918. Essad Pasha ruled in Central Albania from January 1914 to 24 February 1916 when the Austrians took control.
Autonomous Province of Korce (Koritza) 1916-1919 On 11th December 1916 the French set up the area around Koritza in eastern Albania as an Autonomous Province to counter Greek and Italian influences. This autonomy ended when the French troops left in April 1919.
Provisional Government December 1918 to February 1920 - A Provisional Government under Turkan Bey was set up in December 1918 with the aim of establishing complete independence and to free the country of Italian troops who left on 2nd September 1920.
Shkoder was governed by an Inter-Allied Commission as a protection against Serbia form the end of 1918 until 11 March 1920.
Regency February 1920 to 21 January 1925
Republic 21st January 1925 to 1st September 1928
Kingdom of Albania 1st September 1928 to 7th April 1939
Italian Occupation 7th April 1939 to September 1943
Greek occupation - Italian troops invaded Greece from Albania on 29th October 1940. The Greeks counter attacked and occupied part of southern Albania including Koritza, until the German invasion of Greece forced them to surrender on 21st April 1941.
German occupation September 1943 to 29th November 1944
Independent State 22nd October 1944 to 11th January 1946
Peoples Republic 11 January 1946
Period of Soviet Influence 1948- 1960
Period of Chinese influence 1961 to 1978
1990 Communism comes to an end after 45 years.
Part 1
The display started with a map showing the country in 1816 and it was apparent that it was massive. It has often been the scene of conflicts and disputes, even in recent times and it was under Turkish rule until 1913. The first item was from 1709 and had travelled on the ship Antonia to Venice. The next was from 1808 and had a courier postmark and then a disinfected letter dated 1824 sent from the main port Durazzo, to Venice. A bank letter followed then a cover to France with a maritime mark. The 1892 Ottoman Empire stamps were next and a Bosnia, Armenian, Turkish envelope with seal. There were also some negative seals.
In 1878 the country was split into four garrisons with governors. In 1901 the coast was known as the Albanian Riviera and a selection of covers were shown followed by a 1903 letter to Germany. A selection of commercial covers with the Berat postmark were shown and a selection of pictures of the flag and some matchbox covers. Next came the era of the Austrian – Hungarian Levant, with Turkish and Italian interest leading to extra posts. Postage was to the border then extra stamps were used, actually postage dues. Bisects appeared as well to get the correct value. There was a postal stationery card from 1892 and various others. The Italians overprinted postal stationary cards in 1906 and these were shown followed by a 1907 commercial cover. There was a nice Maltese card to Albania.
The Provisional Government came in 1913 with local use stamps. The First Balkan War outcome resulted in Eagle overprints on Turkish stamps. There was a mixture of genuine and forged material so they prove interesting and they come as inverts and in different colours. To undercut other prices a discount mark was applied to some stamps and these we were told are difficult to obtain. There were two printings of the Turkish stamps and Lynn still has more to obtain. Commercial covers featured again with Eagle overprints and some postal stationary and these are the only ones overprinted in pink. Local stamps and postage dues were next.
Otto Bickel was next on a cover from a stamp dealer. There was an anniversary issue with a sewing machine used to make the perfs and the overprint was produced by three different stampings, frame, eagle and value. The Albania issue for 1914 followed and Prince William stamps. There were gold overprints for the first day of his reign. There was a postage due set and overprints for the anniversary of getting land back. Also in 1914 came potato stamps and then Greek Occupation issues North Epnis and skull and cross bones issue.
There were six types of the flag issue and an overprint issue that lasted just 2 days, 15th to 17th October 1914 issued by Moslem Insurgents. Postal stationary featured next and issues for the 2nd and 3rd Montenegrian and 2nd Serbian occupations in 1915.
Part 2
This started with the first Montenegrian occupation and there was a 1914/15 cover of Essad Pasha. There was an Italian occupation in 1914 and a Valona cachet from 1916 was displayed. Next was a cover that went up the Congo. In 1916 there was an invasion and Austro-Hungarin and Bulgarian cards were shown. The internal commission was next with British, Italian and French cards and postmarks. The meeting was in a palace the Italians had the first floor, the British the ground floor leaving the French in the basement. Postage dues were the next item and a commercial cover with Serbian overprint. There was another provisional government and an Italian Occupation cachet. There was a single headed eagle overprint, the rest seen earlier, had been double headed. This was a way of raising money. There was an Austrian registered item, Italian and Austrian stamps which were plated, Yugoslavian ‘wallpaper’ issues came next, some having been postally used.
More postage dues were displayed and landscape postal stationary, gold and red overprints. They ran out of stamps and so postal stationary envelopes were carefully cut to give stamps. Next were King of Albania overprints and the first day of issue set. There was a postcard of the marriage of King Zog and Queen Geraldine and a miniature sheet of the same. He had lots of sisters who went on a shopping spree to the USA. Wedding items were featured and the royal yacht, which became gunboat later on. There was an envelope from Japan which had been on the Trans Siberian Railway.
There was the first miniature sheet for the 25th anniversary of independence from Turkish rule. Next came a POW card from World War Two, USA propaganda and items from the German occupation. Locals and then independence issues were followed by a selection of more modern items, including Enver Hoska and the Workers Party. Art galleries and air sets were featured and commemoratives showing archaeological discoveries. USA covers and air letters lead into the last item, a selection of matchbox labels of flags.
The vote of thanks was given by Margaret Emerson, our Secretary who mentioned that at the beginning of the evening she would have probably have been able to find Albania on a map but knew very little of its history. Members applauded another enjoyable evening.
1st December 2008 Grand Auction
Twenty members attended the Grand Auction and very few lots were unsold, which was good news for vendors, especially those placing lots in aid of charity. Thanks are due to Bob Van Goethem our auctioneer, Derek Rock our runner and our scribes George Goodall and Ron Oughton for keeping track of the bids and monies.
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