our next meetings
Tues. 16 April (Zoom) 7.30 – 8.30pm. Keith Burton. "A visit to Harrogate by postcards"
Tues. 14th May 7.30 – 8.30pm. Nigel Gooch - "The Life and Times of Ahmad, Shah of Persia, 1909-1925"
Tues. 11th June 7.30 – 8.30pm. Tony Bosworth – “1936 Olympic Games”
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KINGSTON AND DISTRICT PHILATELIC SOCIETY
2023 - 2024 SEASON
WE MEET AT THE CLAYGATE DAY CENTRE, ELM ROAD, CLAYGATE KT10 0EH
We are a "Philatelic Society" or "Stamp Club" for collectors of postage stamps, postal history, thematic philately, aerophilately, postcards and ephemera: in Kingston-upon-Thames, Claygate, East & West Molesey, Esher, Ham, Hersham, Surbiton, and Thames Ditton.
WHO WE ARE AND OUR WEB-SITE
OUR PRESIDENT WRITES:
It is, with some sadness, that I need to report the demise, after ninety-seven years, of the Kingston upon Thames and District Philatelic Society. It was becoming increasingly difficult to run the Society without the support of the majority of the members. A number of regular members have not renewed for this season. Face-to-face meetings have now ceased although virtual zoom meetings will continue until the end of the season.
Should attendance at zoom meetings increase, I would be prepared to continue these to the year end. The website will operate for a while to ensure that folk are aware of the situation.
My thanks to the committee for their work to keep the Society on track, particularly to Brian Sole who has done sterling work as our secretary for longer than I have been a member, and to Ian Amy who, I believe, has been involved in the financial aspects of the Society for 50 years.
I hope that you will continue collecting and enjoying the superb world of philately.
Twickenham & District P.S.; Wimbledon P.S. and Epsom & Ewell P.S. have expressed that they would welcome any of our members who would wish to join them. Have a good Easter.
Christopher Oliver.
OUR ACTIVITIES
Exploration, Research, Discussion, Enjoyment, Companionship.
"I conceive of a stamp being a fragment of history, a word in the annals of human experience, a picture of an ideal fresh from the human heart. The design impressed upon it signifies what the nation may be at the moment."
(Harold LeClair Ickes; United States Secretary of the Interior, 1937-1946)
REGULAR MEETINGS
Guest Speakers
Members Evenings
Annual Competition
A regular journal
Visits
WE MEET TWICE A MONTH IN CLAYGATE DAY CENTRE (KT10 0EH)
From 8 pm until 10 pm on the first Thursday and the third Friday of each month.
AUCTIONS
Our next auction will be held on 19 January.
NEWS FROM KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES LIBRARY SERVICES
The Kingston-upon-Thames library research staff staff under Lily Stevens are currently working on a "Postal Service History" guide for the library's American History series.
In undertaking this, Kelly, a member of the research team found a very useful site that can be reached through the following link.
https://wyomingllcattorney.com/Wyoming-Virtual-Office/US-Postal-System-Business
This link provides an excellent overview of the history behind the US Postal System, covering the Fairbanks Tavern (the 1st post office), the Hutchinson Affair, and how the evolution of technology led to the modern postal system in use today.
We are grateful to Kingston Library for sharing this research with us.
NOTES ON RECENT MEETINGS
Full notes of the meetings may be found in the quarterly Newsletters, circulated free to Members..
Thursday 4 January 2024
Material presented by Members on the theme of Royalty
Brian Sole presented recent GB material including special cancellations marking the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and the new King Charles stamps. Roger Niven presented a pot-pourri of postcards from Bulgaria and France, and Chris Oliver presented material from South Africa focusing on the George V and George VI issues.
Following these Simon Taylor presented a series of fabulous USA covers with rates and cancellations that pre-dated the membership of the UPU and meticulously written up by the previous owner Malcolm Montgomery: a real treat.
Thursday 2 November: Members' Meeting: "Sideline Collections which have grown"
The meeting started with a tribute to Alan Tyler who sadly passed away in October. A former President of the Society he presented many collections over the years, including from Scandinavia, Straits Settlements and Israel/Palestine.
Brain Sole then presented a display about British Exhibitions, as celebrated by stamps, labels, and special cards.
Paul Lang explained that he had a small collection of the British part of the New Hebrides Codominion which is now part of Vanuatu and he displayed some colourful stamps from these islands.
Chris Oliver concluded the displays by recounting how he branched out from collecting South Africa into the USA: starting with a large box bought in a local club auction. From there has collection has grown with stamps reflecting the History of the USA, and its natural history, architecture and sports
"Postcards": 20 October 2023
Friday 20 October:
A Member's Meeting with guests
A fascinating evening with Brian leading off with varieties of postcards - all featuring bicycles both ancient and modern.
Following this Ian brought some wonderful cards (from his father's collection) all connected to greetings (New Year, Birthdays, Easter, Maytime and Christmas) many very elaborate.
Paul then displayed postcards of Surrey, with Edwardian cards showing such sites as the Coronation Stone in Kingston.
Susan showed us more of her Faroese postcards depicting the way of life in these remote islands.
Finally Chris showed some recent acquisitions of Purbeck postcards.
A highly entertaining evening that was enjoyed by all.
ZOOM Meeting: Tuesday 10 October:
Jim Wigmore "Cyprus Airmails and "Aophrodite's Island"
The airmail displayed included pre-1932 covers, including a cover flown by Imperial Airways from London to Marseille and then onto Famagusta by ship. Another cover dated 1929 came from Stockholm via Malmo to Croydon, then by Imperial Airways to Cairo, and then by sea to Cyprus.
Specially marked test letters used by Imperial Airways to test the effectiveness of the flying boat routes were another highlight.
In the next display Jim explained the Greek legend about the birth og the goddess Aphrodite in Cyprus and then went on to display how she has regularly appeared on the stamps of Cyprus, both in the now Turkish and Greek Cypriot territories.
The presence of the Knights of St. John provided another rich slice of history; as did an explanation of the significance of the Orthodox Church.