Society News 2007

 

International Registered Mail from Jack Davey 28 November 2007

 

Jack Davey’s presentation is a display rather than a talk. People are eager to see the material, which carries its own explanations.

 

The subject of international registered mail is of interest in the ways in which letters are registered, recomendada, recommandée or enschreiben in various countries, more in the fact that the addresses, attachments and postmarks illustrate the complexities of cross-border mail, and perhaps mostly by the comparatively high value or selection of actual stamps to make up the registration charges.

 

The variety of stamps is further enhanced by Jack Davey’s selection, from his albums and often changing collection, to illustrate post in so many parts of the world, for example Germany (especially Chemnitz, between the wars and before its spell as Karlmarxstadt), GB, North and South America.

 

Among the many stamps of particular interest were some Belgian pictorial charity stamps and very scarce 1930 US air mail Zeppelins on cover.

 

In fact the collection was so extensive that there was a bonus. After the speaker had been thanked by the Chairman for showing so much in the 144 items possible on the three display panels (before and after the coffee break), he then produced another 50 items for final delectation.

 

 

Visit from Thatcham & District Philatelic Society 24 October 2007

 

John Tingey called his presentation The Human Letter because the subject – Willie Reginald Bray – once posted himself at his local post office and was thereupon delivered home by walking there in the company of two post office staff.

 

From an early age, Bray studied the Post Office Regulations and thereafter set out to challenge the rules and resources of the post office in any way he could. Besides posting letters in a variety of shapes, he addressed some of them in verse, and gave other destinations by means of photographs or cryptic clues. He sent letters with challenges as to how they should be returned or left them hidden in periodicals like ‘Titbits’ for strangers to pick up and post on. His targets were worldwide. Many of them, and there were many thousands, were requests for autographs, on postcards to be returned, from people who were famous at the time – and a few who still are.

 

John’s collection of a hundred or so of the remaining Bray covers has been assembled in four months (!) since he tracked down the only dealer who had any to offer. But these treasures have been greatly enhanced by John’s additions to each sheet of whatever he could find, mainly on the Internet, with some relevance to each addressee or means of postage. An example is one of the now obscure notables whose autograph he sought who happened to be born in the Ionian Islands and who is shown together with a splendid mint set of the only three stamps ever issued in those islands.

 

John Baron’s display made a philatelic Aladdin’s cave out of letter covers, certificates and other documents related to banks and financial transactions.

 

An opening example of the wide range of the subject was a photograph of the ‘nails’ – stout bollard-like pedestals which still stand at the edge of the pavement on a Bristol street and where payment was once made to a nearby merchant ‘on the nail’.

 

The wealth of envelopes included several posted in the seventeenth century and a number of Bank of England covers with mystical A, B, C, D classifications that modern archivists at the bank cannot explain. Various irregularities are recorded (as they are on John Tingey’s display) including a cheeky National Savings stamp (familiar to many of us oldsters when we were young and saving to win the war) stuck on an envelope but rightly rejected and surcharged. Of further interest was the great variety of establishments involved in the various financial transactions. There were over a thousand banks in Britain at one time on the nineteenth century.

The ingenuity of both Thatcham philatelists in presenting comprehensive arrays of intriguing information about two unusual and original subjects is a matter for admiration and acclaim. The painstaking effort in producing 72 display sheets each plus various books and other documents is equally admirable.

 

Newsletter 1 October 2007

Hello Everyone,

The new season is now in ‘full swing’ with two meetings already behind us – how time flies.

I am told that the first meeting was both well attended and with some interesting items displayed, I was unable to be there, much to my disappointment, as I was in Eastbourne for a conference.

The second meeting a ‘West Indies Medley’ had some very nice early material on display – such crisp and clean designs and delightful colours we seem to have forgotten about.

I learnt, when I was away, that Malcolm had not received the programme in my email and I couldn’t remember which order the speakers were in, which may account for the low attendance last week – so I thought I had better just quickly write a note to tell you about the next couple of meetings!

Next week Wednesday 10 October Barry Horne from CGI Stamp Insurance Services is going to answer the questions you have regarding insurance and the best way to make sure that your collection helps rather than hinders your heirs! He will also show ‘The Skill of the engraver and other aspects of Czechoslovakia’ so please come armed with your questions so that we can also then enjoy his display.

Wednesday 24 October Thatcham Stamp Society will be bringing along two or three displays to entertain us so please do come and support them and perhaps renew old acquaintances.

In the meantime please get to work and put together up to 9 pages from your collection on ‘Beauty and the Beast’ – your favourites and those you think are really ugly/grim etc. (It doesn’t have to be the full 9 pages for those who are only just beginning to display or if there is someone who thinks they would like to join but not sure what to do - just come along and enjoy seeing and hearing about the displays).

14 November is the date for this and Richard Gash will be there as a Dealer as well as a member, so bring your pennies along (or perhaps pounds) and try and fill those gaps!

28 November we welcome back Jack Davey when he comes to display ‘International Registered Mails’.

Then Christmas looms. December is a short month with just one meeting followed by the popular Christmas Social on Friday 14th December at ‘The Barns’ Henley.

So we look forward to seeing you all at one of these meetings and to receiving your subscription – great value for 20 evening’s entertainment! And with coffee and biscuits included.

Don’t forget to start thinking about your competition entries; it is never too soon to start! The classes as usual Stamps, Postal History, Thematics, Cinderella and Postcards – if any of our new or prospective members are unsure of any of these categories then please do ask one of us and we will be only too pleased to help.

Also, although our next auction is not until October 2008 now is the time to think about it and putting aside those unwanted items – if they are sold you receive the sale price less 10% which goes to the club.

I hope you will agree that we have an interesting programme and we look forward to seeing you all, plus your friends and other new members on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at Bix Village Hall (between Henley and Nettlebed). Our meetings always have time for exchange of material and for a chat to other collectors so do come along ‘and give it a try’. See you all at Bix at 7.45p.m.!

With best wishes - Anne (on behalf of the committee)