At the meeting on 28th September John Lea showed us his splendid collection of DISASTER MAIL. He gave a highly entertaining, informative and wide-ranging display.
Disaster Mail (or Interrupted Mail) could include anything which interrupted the journey of a piece of mail and included such as a Plane Crash, a Ship Sinking, Railway Fires, Fireworks in Letterboxes, Eaten by Snails, the interruption caused by war etc. Such mail almost always broke the philatelic rule of condition – the worse the condition, the better to display the disaster. Most affected mail had a cachet put on it to indicate the nature of the problem, crash or damage.
The earliest item shown was 1886, but there was much else including 1898 “Collision on the Nile”, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, 1907 Harwich-Hook of Holland Ferry disaster, to more recent such as the mail on ships held in the Suez Canal after the 1967 War (until 1975), and the IRA Bombing of the Sorting Office in Birmingham.
The main sections were concerned with Ship and Air Disasters, as these are by far the most (too) frequent events; possibly by testing the vessel or plane to its limits in the interests of speed and endurance. Some letters received more than one cachet, sometimes bi-lingual, sometimes only handwritten, sometimes very specific, sometimes so vague as to require considerable research.
Some particular items featured, included Amundsen’s North Pole Flight in 1925, the last flight out of Singapore before the Japanese Occupation, a KLM flight from Switzerland to Germany shot down by the Luftwaffe, mail rifled from Post Office Sacks on a train and thrown away by the thieves, Balloon mail, and an American V-Mail (Airgraph) item replacing one which had been lost when the plane carrying the original had been lost.
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At our meeting on 12th October, Dr Jean Alexander FRPSL. showed "MODERN GREAT BRITAIN".
Dr. Alexander introduced the display by saying that the 12 frames would each contain a different aspect of her interest in GB. Commencing with the issues for the Coronation she showed Printers’ and Ink Manufacturers’ publicity cards and packs, the development of the Wilding portrait, and the introduction of Air Letters using the Coronation design. Her “interest” in flyspecks was illustrated by a range of these on the 46th Parliament issue of 1957.
The 1960s saw the introduction of Pictorial Air Letters represented by unadopted designs of various buildings, Shakespeare Air Letters with woodcuts signed by the designer, a range on Santa Claus mail, cards and replies (including Welsh editions, and the 1999 thermo-ink item).
In 1968 booklets were introduced with pictorial covers, and many of these were shown with actual photos of the buildings taken by Jean (or her husband, Crawford) on their various trips, even including private houses such as The Vineyard, and Moncop Castle printed back to front on the booklet.
In 1969 sample stamps for the press were introduced in plastic packs. A display of the 12 Days of Christmas included the designer’s Xmas card and signed woodcuts, and in 1978 Hotel/Stamp Exhibition/Fairs privately produced booklets/packs were introduced.
In 1981 Reader’s Digest Coils appeared, shown with original cards and Coil Leaders, followed later by Tourist Packs for places such as Kew, Holmfirth, Stonehenge etc.
The 1990s saw the introduction of Greetings stamps, the story of the 1991 Ordnance Survey Map stamps, and sample Xmas stamps from printers competing for the new contract.
Scotland Pictorials, and the 2003 Xmas issue were shown and explained, including the Xmas Air letter and the Lucky Dip.
A fascinating display with much unusual and rarely seen collateral material
-------------------------------------------------------On 26th October, Bryan Dowler gave us a fine display of of "SIAM to 1910"
Bryan Dowler began by advising members that he had spent a considerable time in what is now Thailand, had been married to a Siamese lady and was well versed in the culture, politics and history of the country.
Originally united in 1770 by Taksim, when the Burmese were driven out, the country had remained a monarchy to the present day. The major developments had occurred under Mong Kut Rama IV (of King & I fame), and his son Chula Longkorn, the “Great King."
Siam issued its first Postage Stamps and Stationery in 1883, had joined the UPU in 1885, and repelled French attempts to overrun it in 1897. The first half of his display was of Picture Postcards, all postally used and usually to overseas destinations with appropriate frankings. Cards from 1899 for example were displayed going to Russia, Germany, Sweden etc. usually routed via Singapore. There were many other destinations and some cards were registered, others were under-franked and incurred Postage Due markings. All the relevant issues of stamps were shown in use including the provisional surcharges, and currency changes. The picture sides illustrated all strands of Siamese life, culture, art, scenery, transport and religion etc. (including a few Liebig trade cards from the 1870s).
The second half consisted of a comprehensive display of the early Postal Stationery cards, all postally used, and again with a high proportion being sent overseas. These also included provisional and surcharged issues, a number of registered items, and postage due and tax-mark items due to constant rate and currency changes. A rare item was the reply half of a “double card” postally and correctly used.
The 1899 “Full Face” issue, which was rejected by the King, and withdrawn from postal use, was represented by 3 used copies. All remaining stock was rounded up and destroyed in 1903.
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On 2nd November Bob Deakin gave us an excellent and informative display of St Helena.
He began by giving a review of the history, geography and political status of the island, and its importance on the route to South Africa and India. Early maps from 1596, 1601, 1670 and 1730 were shown. St Helena is about 4,500 miles from the UK, 1000 miles south of the Equator, 1200 miles from the nearest land, (Angola), and is still a British Colony. The first settlers were survivors of the great fire of London, and some thirty families arrived in 1667. The present population numbers about 4000-5000.
Most people associate St Helena with the second exile of Napoleon in 1815, and he died there in 1821.
After the Zulu war King Dinuzulu was exiled there in 1896 and stayed for eight years.
During the Boer War, the island housed Boer prisoners of war, including General Cronje who was defeated at Paardeburg in 1899, firstly in Deadwood Camp from April 1900, and additionally in Broad Bottom Camp from 1901, when the Orange Free Staters had to be separated for the Transvaalers.
Bob showed a wide range of early letters, all the issues of stamps with details of the printing methods, the layout of the plates, many covers with stamps showing various rates and routes. The earliest item was to Guernsey in 1827. Particular emphasis was given to the wide variety of “cork” cancels used during the 19th century, as well as postal stationery, and later picture postcards.
In the second half, Bob showed a wide variety of Prisoner of War mail, including some to German, French and Scandinavian individuals who had fought on the Boer side: even an Irishman. Interesting items included hospital mail, a copy of the prisoner’s newspaper, hand painted cards, and various censor and service suspended marks including Schweizer Renwich in 1901. A particularly interesting item was an original Erich Mayer drawing on card. Mayer, a South African artist, became famous for his many paintings of the camps and prisoners during his period of captivity, and a book with many of these illustrations was also on view
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At our meeting on 22nd February, Paul Davey, President of Kent Federation of Philatelic Societies gave his display Postage Due Mail.”
Paul began by explaining what constitutes Postage Due, and a brief history of its development and rules for calculation and collection, an overview of the various marks and manuscript annotations, problems regarding calculation of rates, and a showed a range of the literature available to help.
The display consisted of covers to illustrate all forms of Postage Due, both that on internal GB mail, but also on mail going abroad from the UK and that coming into the UK, the latter also including the collection of VAT and Customs Duties. Inter alia, these showed Overweight, Redirection, Double Deficiency, Treat as a Letter, HMS Ships abroad, Oversize Picture Postcard, Disallowed Stamps, Training School items, Contrary to Regulations (eg Cellotape over the stamp), Business Post Licence Expires, Late Fee Not Paid, Registered letters Posted Out of Course, and many more.
Paul showed many examples of the marks used to identify Postage Due including “PD” “T” “FS” “Deficient Postage” “Fine” “Half Fine”. Postage Due labels were shown from many different countries correctly used on covers, including multiple-country items, additional labels of explanation, pre-cancelled Postage Dues, Meter-type labels, etc.
The collection was well written up and attractively displayed and accompanied with a lively, informatate and, at times, humorous discourse.
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On the 12th April, John Rawlings, making a return visit to the Society, introduced his talk with material from the “Columbus” cruise liner, which, in August 1939, cut short its Caribbean cruise, ran for cover in Curacao, then Vera Cruz and finally some three month’s later was scuttled off the coast of Virginia.
Overseas mails services were the first to be affected by the war, but the German PO was at pains to persevere with “normality” as far as possible and this was demonstrated throughout the display by the many regular annual issues such as Hitler’s Birthday, the Brown Ribbon, (even including the 1944 event which never took place), the Hanover and other Exhibitions etc.
Gradually as the war impinged, more evidence begins to appear in Slogan Postmarks, the development of Censorship regulations, the increase in the numbers of Camps, (and their postmarks/cachets), for various purposes – POWs, Concentration, Internment, Foreign Workers, Company Workers, Eastern Workers etc. Later there are cards highlighting the conditions in Germany and the relief needed for those affected by Bomb Damage, Food and Supply Shortages, Salvage Efforts, Communication Problems.
The return of various “old German” areas produce new issues, the German-Italian Alliance is commemorated, Nazi Party Local issues (and cancellations) are evident, issues are made to celebrate the Armed Forces, the Postal Workers, for Winter Relief etc. The postal system is revised to create numbered Districts; a re-location and search system is set up. Hitler Head definitives are issued in 1941.
John’s display included stamps and postal stationery, but also many covers, cards, and other material to illustrate the wide variety of issues, types of mail, Censorship, including “Israeli” compulsory name requirements, problems of delay, miss-directions, interruption of services etc, all presented in a most knowledgeable and entertaining manner.
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BRIAN SOLE, the President of the British Thematic Association, at our meeting on 26th April, began by putting up several displays that were not competitively acceptable, but which epitomised what Thematic Collecting was all about, and illustrated the differing approaches to presentation, and use of material. These included Architecture (all GB stamps), Cycling and other categories of Poster Stamps, “K” is for Kung Hei Fat Choi (the Chinese New Year) with Hong Kong miniature sheets etc, “Wish You Were Here” based on slogan Postmarks and poster stamps for various British resorts, “Summertime,” built around the GB set with maxi-cards etc, finally a display of Insurance, in all its different categories.
In the second half, Brian talked about accumulating material, and the use of lateral thinking to bring in material and make it relevant to the theme.
Then he considered the “Plan” and showed his various attempts to please judges over the years by use of different layouts, contents and auxiliary material to liven up the page.
Then he showed a selection of “No No’s” and explained why they were disallowed even though they were entirely relevant to the theme.
Finally he put up 36 pages from his medal-winning Cycling thematic collection, including stamps, covers, postal stationery, postmarks and meter-marks, telegrams, airmails, booklets, advertising envelopes, tax-stamps, luggage labels etc. A number of members asked questions and Brian proved to be an excellent ambassador for thematic collecting.
Members are reminded and encouraged to participate in our own Thematics Evening on June 14th and which is closely followed by Thematica in London on 24/5th June
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On the 10th May four members of Bexley put up displays and were introduced by their President, FRANK PARSONS.
JULIE LESTER showed a wide-ranging collection of Lundy, including very early material with cards, letters, Registered mail, including one from 1911 with a fiscal stamp used postally. In addition there were sections of picture postcards showing the people and scenery of the island, and the wreck in 1906 of HMS Montague, a British battleship. Julie also gave details of the Post Office period and the later periods when the island was in private ownership and the arrangements for carriage of the post and the issue of the Puffin labels and other items.
MIKE THOMPSON showed a selection of competition entries including Ceylon 1st issues both imperf and perf, the latter including a rare strip of 5 of the 1d. He followed with the 1954 Australian Antarctic Expedition labels mint and used with some on covers. Rolvenden postal history included a 1d black used from there (though Rolvenden may not have had any 1d blacks), an 1815 earliest use straight-line postmark, and a Uniform Fourpenny Post item. Finally Mike showed a short history of the Balloon as a “rich man’s toy” including sporting events such as the “square flight” competition in the USA.
PAT PARSONS continued with a thematic display about the Police and “Law and Order” in its various forms including personalities, Uniforms, Prisons, (many long since closed and demolished), Prisoners’ Letters including a very early item from 1721. Pat included many covers, picture postcards and photographs etc.
DON BROOKFIELD completed the team with a display of, mostly European Miniature Sheets with many of the 1920-50s period including rare items such as Philatelic and Postal Exhibition items, the Czech National Anthem sheets from 1931, Berlin Olympics, Stratosphere Balloon from Poland, Netherlands’ Legion items, Egypt Cairo Exhibition and much else
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