The Great Britain Philatelic Society 1955-2005

Golden Jubilee Display To The Royal Philatelic Society, London

Thursday, 1 December 2005

The Council and members of the Great Britain Philatelic Society are very pleased, as part of their celebrations to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Society's founding, to provide this display to members of the Royal Philatelic Society. It is recalled that the Society last provided a display to members of the "Royal" on the occasion of its 40th. anniversary.

The Society was primarily the brain-child of Ronald A.G. Lee and, following a notice appearing in philatelic magazines, a decision to form a Society "to promote, encourage and contribute to the advancement of the Philately of Great Britain" was taken in this room in December 1955 by 29 founding members. Today, the Society has a membership of 800, most of which is based, quite naturally, in the U.K. However, there are some 140 overseas members.

From its inauguration, many members of the Society, including 14 of its 18 Presidents, have been Fellows of the "Royal" and 5 have been Presidents of both.

Throughout its existence, the Society has pursued an active publishing policy. Apart from its acclaimed 44-page Journal, currently edited by Mike Jackson FRPSL, and 24-page Newsletter edited by Tony Walker FRPSL, both of which are received by members 6 times a year, the Society has published many important research works. The most recent of these are "Discovering Seahorses" by Brian Kearsley, "The Telegraph Stamps and Stationery of Great Britain 1851-1954" by Peter Langmead and Alan Huggins and "The Post Office and the Colleges" by Vincent West. Reference to the work of members frequently appears in philatelic catalogues, handbooks and periodicals. A selection of our publications is on show in the entrance hall.

The Society holds some 8-9 meetings per year in London, together with 2-3 in the provinces. A packet and a library are operated and auctions and annual competitions are held. Knowledgeable members act as consultants to respond to member's queries. Because the field is so vast, the material shown today provides only a glimpse of the extensive and varied aspects of G.B. philately that the Society's members like to study and collect. Thanks are due to the 33 persons who have contributed and it is hoped that all who view the display will find it rewarding.

Pre-Stamp

Frames 1-2. The origins of the British Post Office 1175-1661. J. Grimwood-Taylor.
These two frames include an 1175 A.D. deed showing early English writing, a London merchant's letter of 1458, a Royal Messenger's warrant (1565) and letter (1602), a "common carrier" letter of 1566, privately carried 1625/1636 letters (latter with relevant messenger's account), a 1633 letter from India to London, a 1637 letter from Essex to Kent (apparently carried by the very first PO system), Civil War letters (one smuggled out of the 1644 Siege of York; one of 1652 from King Charles II while "on the run"), 1650/5 "6(d) & "4(d)" postal charge covers, the 1656 "Post Office Act", a 1660 "Haste post haste" letter, and a first year Bishop Mark cover (1661; sent free of postage).

Frames 3-4. The Exeter-London Post Road. M. Lockton.
Shown is mail that has passed up or down the Exeter Post Road from Tudor times until the mid-eighteenth century. It was one of the major post roads out of London to bring news to and from Plymouth and Falmouth during times of war with Spain and France. The introduction of the Exeter/Chester Cross Post in 1698 was a major development in British postal history. The display shows the manuscript charge marks and early hand-stamps associated with the General Post.

Frame 5. The moveable boxes on boats crossing the English Channel. J. Levett.
This subject incorporates the transport of mail posted on boats into the boxes provided. The adhesives of France were franked at the British port of entry, and the British cancelled at the French ports. In the pre-adhesive period the "MB" mark was only used by the British.

Frames 6-7. Charles Whiting. His life and contribution to the concept of the postage stamp. M. Salmon.
Material is presented which provides an outline of all Whiting's work and that of James his father to show how their desire for a new use for their security printing technique (originally patented by Sir William Congreve) lead to such complete support for Hill's postal reforms.

Queen Victoria

Frames 8-9. The ld. black. A general study. S. Beresford-Wylie.
The 1d Black was the World's first adhesive postage stamp, coming into official use on 6 May 1840. It was printed from 11 plates, plate 1 being in two states. A further plate, lettered A, was used for the unissued `VR' Official stamp.

Frame 10. The 1840-41 ld. Plates 1-11. Cancellations and usages. J. Carruthers.
Hand printed by Perkins Bacon at their Whitefriars Street, London premises, the 'Penny Black' and contemporary Twopence were the world's first adhesive stamps. They remain charismatic and exceptional examples of intaglio (line engraved) printing. Precise instructions for their use were conveyed both to Postmasters and the public alike - even extending to information contained within the margins of the printed sheets of stamps. These instructions were sometimes contravened.

Frame 11. London numbers in Maltese cross. G. Booth.
The numbers 1-12 in the interior of the Maltese Cross were introduced in London at the Chief Office of the General Post in March 1843. It was the only deliberate and official deviation from the standard design of the Maltese Cross, and was probably designed as a check on the productivity of individual employees. The experiment lasted a relatively short time to May 1844, but a surprising variety of stamps and postal stationary exists, cancelled in this way.

Frame 12. ld. red "stars", post 1844. M. Batty.
Selected material is used to illustrate each of the many groups of the penny red stars issued between 1845 and 1864. This complex variety is due to the combinations of two head dies and four different check-letter alphabets on the printing plates, three watermarks in the paper, different shades of printing ink and paper, and by the stamp ultimately being issued either imperforate, perf. 16 or perf. 14.

Frame 13. The surface printed issues of 1867-1882. Commodore W.J. Keegan.
Examples of surface printed issues showing the confusion of corner letter types, colours and watermarks between 1867 and 1882. The seven duties shown from 2Yzd to £1 have 5 different watermarks (Cross, Anchor, Orb, Garter, Rose), large white corner letters and large coloured corner letters. The 4d is displayed in three colours; the block of 8d Orange is used in Panama, and the 4d Grey-Brown on cover used with a 6d is believed unique.

Frame 14. 70 years of collecting pre-1900 covers. G. Wheat.
One frame of some of the covers from this member's collections that have given him the most pleasure and the most pleasure to share.
The collections are:
1. Usages of the G.B. Q.V. Surface Printed Stamps.
2. Passage to India and the Far East 1843 - 1900.
3. Postal History of Sheffield.
4. Postal History of Wotton-Under-Edge.

Frames 15-16. The 1887 "Jubilee" issue. Lady Maid Bury.
Extracts from a comprehensive study of this issue, which is regarded by some as being Britain's first "commemorative" series. Colour trials and die proofs showing the development of the design are included.

Frames 17-18. Unusual Departmental mail. A. Wisemen.
The display comprises 17 overprints on cover, and 1 unstamped. 1883, 1898 and 1904 Inland Revenue covers. 1887 and 1893 pieces with Government Parcels overprints. 1904 (29th. February) large piece, 1 ½d. rate to Paris overprinted Bank of England and 11 Admiralty covers and pieces ranging from pre-1897 to May 1904.

King Edward 7

Frames 19-20. Aspects of the development of the designs forall values. W. Northcroft.
The display shows the development of the designs for the low values from the QV Jubilee issue and includes paste-ups, Transvaal and Canada Head essays. Also shown are some colour trials of 1901, 1906, 1909 and 2d Bradbury Wilkinson essays.

Frames 21-22. The low walues. Essays and proofs. G. Horton.
The Low Values of Ed.VII fall into two categories, those designed by Emil Fuchs and those based on QV issues. New Head Dies were needed; for the former category (½d, 1d, 2½d and 6d) a 'standard size' die; for the remaining values a small head, as in Victorian designs, save that the crown was separate from the royal image. Existing frame dies were re-employed. Proofs are shown for all values, together with certain essays.

Frame 23. H.M. Office of Works: Perfins, overprints &archives. 1895-1904. D. Milsted
The Office of Works requested its own Departmental issues in 1895. Essays were approved for overprints in 1896 following a perfin experiment. O.W. Official stamps were printed in a full range of values from a single overprint plate. The illegal trade in government stamps was highlighted in 1903 with the Richards and Creeke case, resulting in a general withdrawal of all "officials" on May 13th. 1904.

King George 5

Frames 24-25. The "Downey Head" ld., 1911-12. M. Sefi.
Examples of unaccepted designs are shown together with progressive die proofs leading to the first (Die 1A) die together with pieces showing constant plate flaws.
The second frame has Die 1B proofs and known constant plate flaws, followed by progressive die proofs for Die 2, colour trials and a page of "extreme" shade variations. The display concludes with examples of printings at Somerset House, including those on Multiple Cypher paper.

Frames 26-27. The 1 ½d. letterpress definitive. A. Jones.
This display shows the development of the design of the stamp, commencing with colour essays and sketch dies for the abandoned "Downey Head" issue. It then progresses to the die proofs for the eventual "coinage" profile head issue. A bromide and proof of the Mackennal frame are included. Imprimaturs are present for both the 1912 Harrison and 1924 Waterlow printings, also examples of the various trials of the paper supplied by William Joynson and Portals.

Frames 28-29. Coil stamps. Dr. Jean Alexander.
It was during the reign of KG V that most of the development work in relation to coils or rolls of stamps was carried out. Prior to the use of meter marks on mail, the use of stamp affixing machines was at its height. At the same time stamp vending machines were also a necessity allowing stamps to be purchased out of Post Office hours. Coils were produced for both stamp vending machines and affixing machines with the vending machines being used for sales of stamps to the public. The main difference between many stamp rolls often being the core size of the roll.

Frames 30-31. The "Specimen" and "Cancelled" overprints. P. Tanner.
Stamps overprinted Specimen or Cancelled were generally made for Official records, colour standards, trial printing, proof status, booklet panes and coils, and were applied by, or on behalf of, the authorities controlling production - the Postage Stamp Department of the Inland Revenue until 1915 and the Post Office stores department thereafter, or by the printers. Overprints were either hand-stamped or printed from type setting.
This small display covers the Profile Head printings from 1912 to 1936.

Frames 32-33. The "Seahorse" high values. L. Wilkinson.
George V High Value stamps (2/6 to £1), popularly known as `Seahorses', designed by Bertram Mackennal with lettering by George W Eve, were issued between 1913 and 1939. Four different printers were involved - Waterlow Bros & Layton 1913-1915, De La Rue 1915-1918, Bradbury Wilkinson 1918-1934 and Waterlow & Sons 1934-1939. Examples from each printer are shown, plus five sheets showing the story of 'Surreptitious Removal!

King George 6

Frames 34-35. The 10/- "Arms" high value. P. Dawson.
The 10/- Dark Blue, 1939 (SG.478) and 10/- Ultramarine, 1942 (SG.478a).
The first frame examines the three states of the single plate used to print the 10/- Dark Blue. There are three unmounted mint sheets, one for each State, and two used sheets for States 1 and 2. With the aid of illustrations the short study shows how the varieties can be used to identify the State and sheet position of a stamp. It also examines the approximate dates during which each of the States were printed.
The second frame offers proof, employing illustrated varieties and inter-stamp marks, that four plates were used to print the 10/- Ultramarine and shows an example of a complete sheet from each plate. It also provides a short study of the development of the plate crack on Plate 2, R4/5 (SG.Spec.Q.33b).

Frames 36-37. King George V1 booklets. I. Harvey.
A period of change covering the gradual use of vending machines, from dark colours to light during the war, then new colours in 1951. Sheet perforators were replaced by continuous perforation in the roll. Vending booklet panes of two and four were experimental from cut down panes of six, coil sheets and counter sheets before the printing of special booklet sheets. Panes of six were issued from ½d. to 2 ½d. as postal rates increased and show many perforation varieties. For the first time, miscut errors occurred and, uniquely, the reign ended with composite booklets during the overlap with Queen Elizabeth II.

Frame 38. Channel Islands occupation. The 1940 Swastika overprints of Jersey. A. Moorcroft.
The first philatelic effect of the German Occupation of the Channel Islands was the overprinting of the current British stamps with a swastika and the words Jersey 1940. This was objected to by the Bailiff of Jersey and after referral to Berlin the stamps were destroyed. However, a number of the stamps `escaped'.
This exhibit illustrates the examples of the overprints and the many forgeries that have been made of the overprinted British stamps.

Queen Elizabeth 2

Frames 39-40. Pre-decimal Machin definitives. A. Walker.
The 'Machin Head' definitives, introduced a modern design in 1967 that continues today, 38 years later. Its classic simplicity equates with its famous Penny Black predecessor, from which the designer the late Arnold Machin derived his inspiration.
The first 54 months of the issue incorporated the £sd currency, before decimalisation in 1971. The display is confined to a selection of material from this period, largely of unique items of preliminary design, submitted in competition for the design commission.

Frames 41-42. Q.E.2 Postal history. P. Kenton.
This exhibit can only show a glimpse of the various special services used since the start of QEII reign in 1952.
The first frame shows the Special Services for use on the Inland services, and the second frame the Special services for use abroad. It also shows the time period of each service, the cost of the service over the period of time the service was in operation, what service took over as Technology evolved over time and the current service offered to 2004.

General

Frame 43. Machine vended booklets 1931 to 2002. R. Tibbenham.
Shown are the highlights of a larger exhibit, which traces the development of machine vended booklets, from their inception. Considering the booklet covers specifically, with the printed information that was contained/or on them.
Some stamps (panes) are shown, but this is not a study of stamps - rather it is a study of their containers.
Much information has been obtained from:
British Stamp Booklets by Jean Alexander & Leonard Newbery
The Bookmark Catalogue of British Decimal Stamp Books

Frame 44. Express Services from 1891. G. Webster.
Until 1891, the Post Office steadfastly resisted requests and suggestions for express delivery services comparable to those provided by several foreign postal services. However, by 1891, the Post Office, having taken over the inland telegraph service in 1868, was ready to extend the telegraph delivery arrangements to the postal side of its business to provide various Express Delivery services and some additional related services. This exhibit looks at various aspects of these services which, over a century, have now mostly succumbed to the telephone and other means of passing quickly short messages.

Postal Stationery

Frame 45. The Mulready. "Mayflower".
Central to the implementation of Uniform Penny Postage and available form 1st May 1840 the usages of the Mulready Envelope and Letter Sheet are exhibited. Included are the only known dated Proof, pre 6th May and both 1 d and 2d First Day Covers. Distinctive cancellations and instructional markings are then represented followed by overseas and up-rated formats.

Frame 46. Mulready caricatures.Dr. C. Jarvis.
Caricatures of the Mulready were encouraged by an almost universally hostile press campaign. The first recorded use is of a Hume's Comic number 1, sent to the artist himself, on the 13th May 1840. Over thirty used examples are known of the most popular type. These sheets show unused examples of the less commonly seen caricatures. Some follow the original design closely while others depart from it very considerably in execution.Frames 47-48. Colour standards for stamped to order postal stationery. Dr. A. Huggins.
In order to provide a reference for the colour of the embossed dies used for stamping postal stationery at Somerset House, or sometimes for presentation purposes, impressions of each denomination in current use were struck on single sheets of paper, usually with SPECIMEN overprints.
A selection of these Colour Standards is shown covering the period from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II.

Frame 49. The Genesis of the Jubilee envelope. J. Davies.
1890 saw Great Britain's first commemorative postal stationery in celebration of the introduction of Uniform Penny Postage and the Penny Black fifty years earlier. Several major events took place, including the Conversazione & Exhibition at the Guildhall organised by the City Corporation of London. There was also a grand Post Office Conversazione at South Kensington Museum. Special postal stationery was prepared for these events. The display traces the development of the Jubilee Letter Card & Envelope. The original artwork and proofs are from the Archive of WT Shaw of printers, De La Rue & Co which was sold in the 1970's.

Revenue Stamps

Frames 50-51. Duty on Banknotes - The Congreve Duty Stamp. C. Harman.
Banknotes issued by provincial banks were first taxed in 1783 and, until 1821, the duty was denoted by colourless embossed impressions from the range of general duty dies held at the Stamping Office. At this time, the new process invented by Sir William Congreve was used, whereby a bi-coloured design was printed on the reverse of the notes by means of engraved interlocking plates.
The key items shown are the proofs from the original Congreve dies of each design relating to the two patents in 1820 and 1824. The issued notes show the use of the various dies during the period 1821 to 1830. After 1828, their use reduced as banks were able to pay an annual composition instead of each note having to be stamped individually.

Social Philately

Frame 52. Art through the post. J. Bohn.
An exhibit of Hand-Painted envelopes which talented Victorian artists - some professional but mostly skilled amateurs - sent through the post to friends and relatives. They were probably inspired to use postal correspondence in this way by William Mulready who designed Britain's first postal stationery and thus pioneered the idea of illustrated envelopes.
The twelve covers, selected for their originality and eye appeal, were hand-illustrated by various artists in the latter part of the 19th century.

For further particulars about the Society, please contact the Membership Secretary: Peter Tanner, "High Standings", 13, Huberts Close, Gerrards Cross, Bucks. SL9 7EN. Tel: 01 753 887755. E-mail: peter@tanner.freeserve.co.uk