NOTES FROM OUR Â 2018/9Â SEASON'SÂ Â MEETINGS
A fascinating display and talk about the significance of the Czech gymnastic organisation to the growing pressure for national independence from the 1870's through to modern times. The display utilised 'open' material (cards, covers, photographs, letters, stamps, etc) to bring out the scale of the events, and the use of the national colours and powerful symbolic designs.
Thursday 1 November 2018
Guest Presenters: Tony & Linda Bosworth
"GONE FISHING"
Member's displays on 16 November 2018
FROM IZAAK WALTON TO IRISH WATERWAYS
Bob Holmes provided an engaging summary of the development of 'angling' from Izaak Walton onwards (and some 'fishing' stamps from Turks and Caicos - most attractive destination).
Peter Wood presented some Irish green revenue dies, and machine issued self-adhesive stamps illustrating Grand Canal Waterways.
FROM WWII TO HOLIDAYS IN ST LEONARD'S
Brian Sole started his display with tales of rather unsuccessful boyhood fishing in St Leonards, and then took us on a journey of seaside poster stamps and postmarks, before showing a rare Admiralty Marconigram sent 25 December 1940 with a message from HM King George VI thanking all British Fishing vessels for their invaluable work and inspiration at a time when they were facing brutal assaults.
6 DECEMBER - OUR CHRISTMAS SOCIAL
No philately allowed ! So Turkish, Egyptian and Arab coins and tokens;Â Memories of the Arctic convoys;Â Paper weights;Â Boer War bibles and post horns; Remembrance of WWI and a mechanical calculator! Plus excellent food and convivial company.
FRIDAY 21 DECEMBER
Countries or Themes beginning with the Letter "S"
We saw exhibits based on slogans, town names, surcharges, and stamps which showed sports, shellfish and seascapes.
Saint Kitts, Saint Helena, and Sweden featured. As did the order for some Otter Skin gloves. The Island of Sabrina provided a new perspective on Guernsey.
Irish slogans proved intriguing and we took a guided tour of the geography and history associated with the Seine.
Check out more Kingston and District Philatelic Society articles.
3 JANUARY 2019: CHARITY AND POSTER STAMPS
An evening of surprises and interest.
SERVICE
From Railway Poster stamps (and a discussion on what are 'Poster Stamps'?) to 'stamps' for transit on the boats of the Faroe Islands.
SERVICE
From South African stamps in aid of disabled children to stamps to raise funds for the unemployed intellectuals of France.
SERVICE
From stamps raising money for Christmas charities to issues celebrating cycling and Charles Dickens.
FRIDAY 18 JANUARY: AUCTION
Held jointly with Epsom & Ewell PS; Twickenham & District PS; and Wimbledon PS.
Over 450 lots.
Single stamps, sets, album leaves, mixtures.
Attendance from all four societies.
About forty bidders.
Hidden treasures
Mixed lots of old albums, glory boxes, and collections.
THE PRESIDENT'S DISPLAY
Thursday 7th  February
IT'S AN IRISH WORLD
How Ireland and the Irish are recognised and celebrated throughout the world - as represented through philately. Including the naming of a famous US Navy destroyer.
THEMATIC AND OPEN MATERIAL
Stamps, covers, ephemera and postal history in a glorious mix; and a story of an ongoing diaspora that reaches all corners of the world. With Ireland cancellations in Japanese characters and the spelling of Hibernia.
A "TOUCH OF THE BLARNEY"
Why British cars race in green; how Irish athletes are celebrated on North Korean stamps; why some Australians forged a common definitive; why so many famous musicians have Irish surnames, etc!
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FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY; "FLORA AND FAUNA"
A cornucopia of philatelic delights - and stories
FROM THE USA
Animals and plants from South Africa and the USA including birds from every state of the USA.
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PLENTY TO LOOK AT
Kenya Uganda and Tanganyika, Ireland, New Zealand and France also had flora and fauna to delight us.
FROM THE FAROE ISLANDS
For islands that claim to have little fauna and limited flora the Faroe Islands suprised us all.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS:
7 MARCH: "WARTIME ISSUES"
A Members's meeting with some guests. Displays on ambulance trains;Â wartime issues from the Dominions;Â letters to and from Scandinavia; stamps from South Africa (including 'bantams'); Ottoman stamps from WWI; The French State under Vichy; Bicycle issues; and British ships used as hospitals and for prisoners of war. Stamps, overprints, covers, censor marks, postcards, ration cards, bills of health, and requisition forms - etc!
CORRESEPONDENCE WITH THE FAROESÂ AND SCANDINAVIA
A range of covers and letters were displayed, including this item where a keen philatelist was informed that he could not exchange stamps with a friend in Sweden until he has first obtained permission from the British Philatelic Association!
BICYCLES IN WAR
Another fascinating display including the forms needed for permission to buy a new inner tube, or spare part, in German occupied Norway: and this beautiful card of the volunteer cyclist corps.
AMBULANCE TRAINS
A wealth of detail on the often little known provision of ambulance trains to carry wounded soldiers from WWI through to the Cold War - including in France, Egypt, Austria and Germany. With one train personally financed by a daughter of Queen Victoria.
OUR AGM AND COMPETITIONS
On Friday 15 March we held our AGM reviewing the last year, electing officers, and discussing plans for the future. We also viewed the displays from our annual competition and were very grateful that John Hayward was willing to be our guest and act as external judge.
PETER WOOD THANKS JOHN HAYWARD
We were very fortunate to have John Hayward, a former President of the British Thematic Association, to act as external judge for our competition. We also appreciated his comments about the high standard of competition entries this year.
OUR OFFICERS
The President - Peter Wood; Hon. Treasurer - Ian Amy; and Hon'Secretary - Brian Sole; were duly re-elected; and Eddie Weeks was appointed as honorary auditor. The accounts for last year were approved and the activities of the Society discussed.
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PETER WOOD AND EDDIE WEEKS
Peter Wood presented Eddie Weeks with the Harmer Bowl (named after our first President) for his entry in Class 2 of the Competition, "Traditional Philately". Eddie Weeks also won the Thames Trophy for Class 4 "Open Class Philately".
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
"THE GOLDEN AGE OF POSTCARDS"; Guest Speaker - MICHAEL MILLER
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DELTIOLOGY
Michael explained and illustrated the importance of postcards and postcard collecting in Victorian and Edwardian times, and showed some beautiful albums recording travels and keepsakes.
FROM 1869 TO 1980
He succinctly summarised the development of the postcard from the first Austro-Hungarian card of 1869 through the standardisation of size and format, inclusion of pictures, and relaibility of the postal service.
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DISPLAY AND SLIDE SHOW
In addition to the physical display Michael showed a variety of postcards on screen, allowing for detailed explanation of themes such as topography, local history, seaside humour, and transport
FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS
"FROM OUR SIDELINE COLLECTIONS"
WIRELESS MAIL FROM SHIPS
From the earliest transmissions from ship to ship, and thence to port - to ship to shore. Examples of Morse-coded ticker tape, and shipping logo forms used to transcribe messages received on shore, and then onward transmission to the recipient by registered mail.
THE CENTENARY OF THE' PENNY BLACK'
Stamps and covers from around the world as postal administrations marked 100 years from the issue of the first postage stamp. Some beautifully reproduced, but in strange colours, others reflecting how difficult it is to reproduce the head of Queen Victoria; and with some strange choices of corner letters.
THEATRE, MUSIC AND SPORTS PROGRAMMES
Some examples from the growing interest in ephemera; showing the development of such programmes from relatively simple information sheets to glossy revenue generating magazines. Leading to a discussion of the place of such material in thematic or open classes of philately.
MAY 2ND - "THE SEVENTIES"
MEMBERS AND VISITORS DISPLAYS ON "THE SEVENTIES"
A very popular and well attended meeting where ten Members showed material with most starting by saying that the topic challenged them but then proceeded to unearth and display a series of philatelic treasures!
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These included:
Stamps from the West Indies showing ships, and GB showing trains - with an interesting reference to the design and production of Hornby and Airfix kits in Berrylands in the 1960's.
Some rarities from philatelic exhibitions in Scandinavia including stamps of the Greenland.
Modern stamps of Ireland "by number" - the varieties from 1 to 8!
Early Jamaican stamps with cancellations from the 1870's.
Shipped mail from the Faroes, rare cancellations from York and an envelope & letter intriguingly sewn with string.
Fascinating correspondence from the 18th and 19th Centuries from Purbeck, including from Tynham village.
Some of the beautifully designed Hong Kong stamps of this period.
A spectacular display of GPO Greetings Telegrams from the 1970's
A pot-pourri of British & Irish mail from the 70's including the "siege of Balcombe Street'.
French Red Cross booklets from their heyday in the 1970's.
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PREVIOUS MEETINGS
We were honoured to receive a visit from our neighbours and friends from the Wimbledon Philatelic Society on 17 May.
BUTLIN'S
Russell Hill entertained us with a potted history of "Butlins", including during the war.  His display was primarily of postcards but also some exceptional ephemeral items; and captured the affection he and his family had for this holiday camp provider.
GB PROTECTIVE OVERPRINTS AND UNDERPRINTS
Andy Donaldson gave a display of G.B. protective underprints & overprints and the specialist companies that used them. Underprints were printed onto gum, so very few survive. The introduction of perfins soon brought an end to the use of underprints.
INFLATION MAIL FROM ZAIRE
Michael Round displayed the inflation mail of Zaire from the assumption of the Presidency by Col. Mobutu in 1972. The display used many covers indicating the inflation of currency as seen by the stamps affixed when the Zaire decreased by 50,000,000 in value.
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6 JUNE 2019, "GAMES PEOPLE PLAY"
a theme that challenged the ingenuity of our Members and guests and prompted the display of some fascinating material.
USA AND SOUTH AFRICA
There was a good display from Chris Oliver on sports and associated games from South Africa and the USA. It was interesting to see how many recent issues were accompanied by explanatory information. Gary Player also figured, and perhaps his famous maxim "the harder I practice the luckier I get" might apply to stamp collecting?
THEMATICS WITH A TWIST
Brian Sole presented a fascinating frame combining stamps, booklets, and maxi-cards - each illustrating a theme such as cricket, tennis or visits to the seaside. A wonderful example of how to combine seemingly disparate elements and also a reflection on some of the more quixotic elements of the British at play.
IRISH INVENTION
Peter Wood found a surprising number of stamps, covers, and mini-sheets where The Republic and Northern Ireland figured: often in very small print. The innovation of the Irish Post Office was also to the fore, not least with a pair of holographic stamps where the ball splashes out of the bunker as the angle of the stamp to the light is moved.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS - FROM OUR 91ST SEASON
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Friday 21 June 2019
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Postal stationery from any country. A series of displays by Members that included early Monaco, modern Croatia, USA reply paid cards, the French pneumatic post, military cards from WWI, and Red Cross cards from WWII and the three displays illustrated below.
GB ILLUSTRATED AEROGRAMMES; CELEBRATING NATIONAL EVENTS
A spectacular display of these beautifully designed air letters with many celebrating events in Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND USE OF GB STATIONERY UPGRADED WITH THE NEW IRISH STAMPS
A fascinating insight into the period following the establishment of Eire showing a pragmatic approach to utilising available resources
ILLUSTRATED GREETINGS ENVELOPES AND AEROGRAMMES FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Introduced during WWII of varying sizes including aerogrammes issued to South African troops posted to Korea.
