The century in stamps...
100th birthday celebrations by the North of Ireland Philatelic Society
William Thompson
Introduction
The North of Ireland Philatelic Society was founded in the autumn of 1907, just 67 years after the introduction of the postage stamp. King Edward VII, Queen Victoria's eldest son, was on the throne and Theodore "Teddy Roosevelt was President of the USA. For any society to have not only survived but flourished over the next century is no mean achievement.
The last 100 years have been a period of monumental change. They have witnessed such developments as the sinking of the Titanic, the partition of Ireland, two World Wars, the formation of the welfare state, television, the Beatles, the assassination of JF Kennedy, the Northern Ireland Troubles, the moon landings, the internet, and 9/11.
Could the six keen philatelists who between them formed the North of Ireland Society in Belfast, have had any idea that their creation would still be in existence 100 years later? Did they consider, when they first met together in the Grosvenor Road premises of Mr HP Woodside in 1907, that they were creating a piece of history in the city?
Stamp collectors are, of course, keenly aware of history - their prized possessions, after all, commemorate key events and people. Belfast might well have felt like a place on the move in 1907, with its booming shipbuilding and linen industries. Just a year earlier the imposing City Hall, in the city centre, first opened its doors. Membership of the Philatelic Society quickly increased after its formation and its monthly meetings were moved to the Church of Ireland Young Men's Society in Donegall Square East - with a fine view of the newly built splendour of the City Hall.
Various locations have since been used for the Society's monthly meetings and the list provides a window into life in Belfast over the past century. It includes such names as the Carleton Café, the Lombard Café, the King George VI Memorial Hall in May Street, the top floors of the Imperial Cinema in Arthur Square, the International Hotel, the City YMCA and currently Hunter House College. Unfortunately, several of these locations no longer exist. In 1924, a well-known Ulster philatelist, Mr T Macgregor Greer DL, who had taken a great interest in the society, presented an elegant silver cup for the first of the annual competitions. The Greer Cup has been awarded every year since then, and its winners form a Who's-Who of prominent philatelists in Northern Ireland over the years.
In 1941 history imposed itself cruelly on the Philatelic Society when its valuable library, treasured records and minute books were destroyed in an air raid. Even the Luftwaffe's bombs could not halt the organisation. It continued to meet throughout the war years and saw its membership grow further after the war.
In 1948, a change in philatelic fashions was recognised by the Society with the inauguration of the Gordon Cup for theme-based collections. Like the Greer Cup, it is the subject of enthusiastic competition every year.
The Society marked its 50th anniversary in 1957 in fine style, with a major exhibition at the Belfast Museum and Art Gallery featuring over 15,000 stamps from around the world. It could boast of 200 Members by the time of these Golden Jubilee celebrations. The commemorative cover prepared by the Society for this event is shown on the back cover. The Belfast Telegraph recorded the event by devoting a special half-page feature to "The Hobby of Kings. The article, which appeared on 9th October, 1957, was penned by the Philatelic Society's then Chairman. It stated: "Philately is indeed a fascinating hobby. History is writ large upon our stamps.
The Society continued to meet through the dark days of the Troubles - there were occasions when bombs went off in the city on meeting nights. It was a tribute to the members that monthly meetings continued to be well attended throughout this period, and that members continued to present material for display.
In recent years, the awards made annually by the Society have increased. There is now a Chairman's Award (from 2002); the Post Office Trophy (from 1983), to be awarded for a display of UK items; and the Nevin Cup (from 1984), for the best annual display by a member.
The Society is very grateful to the Nevin family for a bequest, the interest from which is available to boost the Society's interests. The Nevin Bequest is administered on behalf of the Society by John Finlay.
The North of Ireland Philatelic Society faces the next 100 years with great optimism. Despite all of the distractions which come with modern living, the Society continues to flourish. It hosts a varied programme of fascinating monthly presentations at its current meeting place, Hunter House College in south Belfast. It currently has about 100 members, drawn from all parts of the province and from all walks of life.
As ever, it has only one qualification for membership - an interest in the fascinating hobby of philately.
Note 1: all exhibitors have, in the past, won one or more of the Society's competitions.
East Africa 19th and early 20th Centuries
Ian Bailey's interest in the stamps of East Africa dates from the five year period that he spent working in the region between 1969 and 1974. Ian is a member of the East Africa and the Rhodesian Study Circles. He also collects the early stamps of Rhodesia, South and West Africa ― countries that he has visited on numerous occasions.
Ian's display illustrates the early stamps of East Africa; a range of these issues is shown here, from the first issues of Zanzibar to those of British East Africa at the time of World War II.
The stamps shown above are part of the 1896 - 1901 issue depicting Queen Victoria, taken from a full length portrait of the Queen painted in 1885 by Heinrich von Angeli, the Austrian born artist. De la Rue carried out the printing on Crown watermarked paper, perf 14.
New Zealand
Jonathan Barkley has been a collector for a number of years. His collecting interests lie in New Zealand and Dependencies, specialising in the Postal Stationery and Queen Victoria issues. Jonathan is currently the youngest member of the North of Ireland Philatelic Society.
Jonathan's display of New Zealand material is in two parts: The first frame deals with the Chalon Head definitive issues between 1855 and 1872 and some associated covers. The second frame displays the examples of the 1882 long-type Stamp Duty fiscals with values to £1000 including some on their original documents.
On the right is an 1866 cover from Nelson to London, franked with a pair of the 2d blue perf. 12½ and single 6d red-brown perf. 12½ 'Chalon Head' definitives which make up the 10d rate to England via Marseilles.
The Free City of Danzig
Samuel Barkley has been a collector for more than 20 years and his collecting interests are primarily in the German area, which include Danzig, Saar and post-war Germany. He also has subsidiary collections of material relating to France and Irish postal stationery.
As a result of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles and the reparations imposed on Germany, the German City of Danzig was given 'Free City' status, under the authority of the League of Nations. Samuel's display examines the stamps issued by the Free City from the first overprint issue in 1920, to the various definitive overprints required to cope with the effects of hyper-inflation in 1923. Various postal rates are illustrated by contemporary covers.
A complete sheet, with marginal print markings of the 1916 Germany 5 mark value overprinted for use in the Free City of Danzig.
1 + 1 Frame on Zeppelins with a Liechtenstein connection
John Burgoyne has been a member of the North of Ireland Philatelic Society since 1970 when he was introduced to the Society by the late Leslie Brown. John collects Ireland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. He is also a member of the Lagan Valley Philatelic Society and the Belfast Philatelic Society were he won the Victory Cup on several occasions.
John is exhibiting two frames, the first shows the Irish Overprinted stamps of Ireland from the first day of issue, 17th February 1922 until November 1934. John’s second frame features a small collection of Zeppelin Covers with a Liechtenstein connection. Liechtenstein was among the early countries to conclude an agreement with the Reichpost in Germany for the carriage of its mail by Zeppelin. These countries became known as “Treaty States”.
The three high values shown on the cover above were the re-engraved GB Seahorse issue which were overprinted prior to the introduction in 1937 of Irelands own high value stamps.
GB QV Id Blacks and 2d Blues
Lady Mairi Bury began collecting stamps when she was eight years old, being encouraged by her Mother and Father. In 1970 she started a Specialised British Collection and was completely won over by the fascination of the Queen Victoria 1d Black and the 2d Blue issues. In this she has been greatly helped by Tony Alcock, Robert Tyrell, Donald Forbes-Smith and Andrew Lajer who all gave her wise advice, for which she expresses her deep gratitude. Lady Mairi has received a number of major awards, including ten gold medals, and is a member of the RPSL.
Lady Mairi will display 4 frames concentrating on the 1840 1d Black, the 2d Blue stamps and their uses.
Shown on the right is a Queen Victoria 1d. grey-black plate 1A on cover cancelled with a stunning BRIGHT VIOLET waterbound Maltese Cross applied in GLASGOW. The cover is dated on the reverse side 19th May 1840. Coloured examples of the Maltese Cross cancellation tend to be scarcer than the normal black examples.
Gibraltar Postal Stationery
Ivan Edmondson has been a member of the Society since 1977 and his past collection interests have included GB Machins and Irish Railway Letter Stamps. For this latter collection Ivan was awarded a Gold Medal at the International Stamp Exhibition, Wembley, in 1999. Ivan’s current collecting interests are Gibraltar Postal Stationery for which he has received a number of awards including a Large Vermeil at Stampex National 2002, a Large Vermeil at Stampex International 2003 and Vermeil at FIP Level, Sydney 2005.
This display shows examples of Gibraltar postal stationery. On the 1st January 1886 the responsibility for the Post Office in Gibraltar was transferred from The General Post Office London to the Colonial Office. From that date Gibraltar postal stationery was available from the Gibraltar Post Office and the Sub-Post Offices in the Morocco Agencies.
The initial Post Office rates and fees were in Sterling; a change to Spanish currency was made in 1889. An example of a De La Rue overprinted Spanish currency Size G Registered Envelope is shown above; issued 1 August 1889. Postally used items of stationery from the Morocco Agencies are much scarcer than used items from Gibraltar. This provisional overprinted Registered Envelope is one of only two recorded used from the Mazagan Agency. This Size G example is used from the Mazagan Agency to Manchester via Tangier and Gibraltar; dated 16 November 1889. The Magazan Morocco Registered Oval, without code letter, has been recorded only between 29th November 1888 and 27th November 1889.
British Grahamland Expedition 1934-7
John Finlay is a retired local government officer and a vice-President of the Society. He has been a member since 1964 specialising in Antarctic postal history and latterly the postal history of Belfast, with a particular interest in the linen trade. John is also a member of the Polar Postal History Society, GB.
John’s display shows covers with polar interest and, in particular, those with a Northern Ireland interest.
On the right, an airmail letter to Port Stanley, via Montevideo. Postal rate 8/-, with 3 of the 1/- stamps affixed on the reverse. The cover is cancelled MOY DUNGANNON, CO. TYRONE, 16th April 1936; transit marks on the reverse PARIS / 17th April 1936 and MONTEVIDEO 26th April 1936. It was then carried to Port Stanley by S.S. 'Lafonia'. The PORT STANLEY arrival stamp is indistinct, possibly 7th May 1936. The letter was delivered directly to R.Y. 'Penola', as she had arrived at Port Stanley on 24th March 1936 to over-winter.
Surg. Lt. Cmdr. E.W. Bingham was the son of Mr Robert W. Bingham, headmaster of the Royal School Dungannon. He was a highly regarded polar explorer, holder of the Polar Medal for both the Arctic and Antarctic, a rare and unusual distinction. He died on 1st. September 1993, aged 92.
South Africa, Postage Dues 1914-72
1914-22 The stamps are perf 14, printed 'typo' by De La Rue with springbok head watermark.
Selwood Fitzpatrick has wide collecting interests including South Africa/RSA, South West Africa, Nyasaland, Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Northern and Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia (DI period); Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA, Isle of Man, George VI (GB), Elizabeth II ( GB ) Northern Ireland, Gaelic postmarks and Denmark.
Selwood’s first exhibit shows the evolution of the postage-due issues following the inception of the Union, and subsequent transaction to a Republic until their cessation of use in 1975. Selwood’s second frame shows USA art on stamps.
The image on the right is an extract from Selwood’s Postage Due collection of South Africa.
Travelling Post Offices of North of Ireland
John Gilpin has been interested in stamps since his childhood and keenly interested in the postal history and postal markings of Ireland for some 30 years. In addition to building up various Irish postmark collections, he maintains a sideline collection of the stamps of Chile. Society memberships include North of Ireland P.S., Portadown & District P.S., Belfast P.S., British Postmark Society, Irish Philatelic Circle, Railway Philatelic Group, Postal Mechanisation S.C., Civil Censorship S.G., Chile Specialist Association.
John’s display shows covers illustrating the Travelling Post Offices (TPO) relating to the North of Ireland. The first public railway in Ireland opened in 1834. As early as 1835, the Post Office began to use the railway to carry mail. The first Travelling Post Office - for sorting the mail on the train, during the journey - was introduced in 1855, on the railway between Dublin and Cork.
In a northerly direction, a TPO began to run between Dublin and Belfast in 1868 and another between Clones and Omagh in 1865 (later extended to Dublin and Derry). The Belfast & Northern Counties TPO, between Belfast and Coleraine, began in 1881.
The last TPOs in Northern Ireland ran in 1940 and all TPOs in Ireland ceased in 1994.
Shown are some examples of the range of handstamps used on the TPOs of the North of Ireland, dating from 1875 to 1938.
A Philatelic History of the Boer Wars
Jim Hamilton has been collecting stamps from the age of six years. Travel as a pilot in the R.A.F during World War II enabled him to increase his collection and created an interest in stamps with a war connection. A further 14 years in Africa as a pioneer missionary after the war gave further opportunity to expand his collection; since then he has specialised in items with a war theme.
In this display Jim shows stamps from the Boer war. When the Boers invaded Natal in October 1899, Baden-Powell with 500 irregulars, dug in at Mafeking. For 217 days they held out under siege against 10,000 Boer troops, using bluff and improvisation, with dummy forts and arms made from unlikely materials, such as a heavy gun from a 4 inch pipe and 'dynamite bombs' in meat tins.
The examples at the top show cadet Major Goodyear and Baden Powell. They were produced photographically by Dr D. Taylor on horizontal laid paper with sheet watermark "OCEANA FINE", and perforated 12. The centre and lower examples show stamps overprinted "Mafeking Besieged" and surcharged by Townsend & Co. Mafeking during the Siege which lasted from 14th Oct 1899 – 6th May 1900.
Kingfishers of the World
Peter Harris joined the North of Ireland Philatelic Society in 1982. His philatelic interests have centred largely in thematic collecting. Topics covered include trains, early sailing ships, paintings, (with a particular focus on Renaissance and Baroque art) and birds on stamps.
There are 87 species of kingfisher all fairly similar in appearance but vary greatly in size. The tiny Genus Ceyx, such as the African Pygmy Kingfisher is a mere 10cm. in length and is illustrated above. In complete contrast, the Magaceryle Maxima, the African Giant Kingfisher is from 42 to 46cm in length.
Two a Penny
Clifford Holmes joined The North of Ireland Philatelic Society in 1964 and is one of the four Vice Presidents of the Society. He is also a member of The Letter Box Study Group, and has a thematic collection featuring Post Boxes. After many years working for British Airways Clifford now works as a Business Travel Advisor for an independent travel agent.
Clifford’s display is entitled Two A Penny, to qualify for inclusion each cover or card must have a reference to a ½d or a ½p either in a cachet, postmark or cancellation, or a ½d or ½p stamp used on a cover or card. Within the display there is a collection of additional halfpenny tax covers dating from 1813.
Shown on the right is a 1916 letter from London to France containing Printed Matter. Postage paid by George V stamp, cancelled by a Triangular Mark on London Postal District WC, undelivered and opened by French Controle Postal Militaire backstamped circular Lieu de Destination Envari. Resealed by Postal Control Label, French RETOUR A L'ENVOYER in rectangle m/s London Angleterre. English mark ½p Postage Due for Return to Sender in square cachet. Postage Due label cancelled London 20th May 1916.
Stamps and Covers of the Australian States
Bill Murphy has collected stamps, on and off, since he was a boy. Initially his collecting interest was in the stamps of Great Britain but in recent times this has changed to those of the Australian States within the Colonial and Commonwealth Periods. [1852 to 1913]
Bill’s display shows the stamps and covers of the Australian States. It includes items from a variety of Australian States for the Commonwealth period.
The registered cover above bears a variety of Australian States and early Australian Commonwealth stamps cancelled by an Adelaide CDS at 2 PM on the 21 August 1913. The Cover bears stamps to the value of sixpence. The Inland rate at that time was Id, per ½oz suggesting a weight of 2oz for the registered packet plus 2d, registration fee. It is backstamped "Registered Perth 27. 8. 13"
The first postage stamps inscribed with Australia were not issued until January 1913. This Cover bears a ½ d green "roo" together with a Id red horizontal pair Die 2 and five States stamps. South Australia ½ dpale green and 2 x Id rosine, New South Wales ½ d bluegreen type 2 and a Tasmania Views ½ d green Litho printed.
Wickies World by Jonathan Perrott
Jon Perrott has been a member of NIPS since 1964 and is currently the Packet Secretary. His collecting interests include GB overprints, social philately and postal history as well as lighthouses, all of which have featured regularly in both displays and competitions. He shares his philatelic interests with his wife Rosemary. He is a member of the RPSL, all five of the Northern Ireland societies and a number of specialist societies both in the UK and overseas.
Wickie:- Origin Scottish. One who tends the wick. A nickname for early lighthouse keepers who spent much of their watch trimming the wicks of the oil burning lamps.
The display outlines the keepers duties and the environment in which they had to operate. This was influenced by developments in technology and routine maintenance programmes.
This advice card from Weser Lighthouse recorded the arrival of the steamer Chelydra at Bremerhaven from New Orleans. It illustrates the importance of one of the lighthouse keeper's duties, that of watch keeping.
Irish Postal History
From his childhood days Desmond Quail has collected stamps and in his teens, in the early 60s he joined the Portadown and District Philatelic Society. In 1964 he joined the North of Ireland Philatelic Society and considers it a privilege and an honour to be their Chair-person during the centenary year. His collecting interests include GB QEII commemoratives, Malta, and Irish Postal History. Des also collects Irish topographical postcards.
Desmond’s display shows selected pages from the Irish Postal History exhibit Merchant Post To Maltese Cross 1591 to 1841. It was awarded the David Feldman Trophy for the best exhibit at the National Stamp Exhibition, Stampa 2005 and a gold medal. It traces the development of the posts in Ireland.
1762 (November) entire from Norwalk, Connecticut to London showing the small distinctive type SHIP handstamp of Belfast. The original charge of 9 included the ship letter charge of Id + 8d double (over 40 miles) Belfast to Dublin. The Dublin to London rate was 6d x 2 = 1/- making a total of 1/9. This is the earliest recorded SHIP handstamp of Belfast.
Postal History of County Antrim
James Rankin lives and works in Randalstown County Antrim. He has been a member of the Society since 1990. His main collecting interest is in the postal history of County Antrim but specialising in the Randalstown area. James is currently working on a book listing all of the Postal Markings of County Antrim up to 1970. He hopes to publish this work in the near future.
Jim’s display shows items of postal history of County Antrim including some hand drawn envelopes.
Shown here is one of his illustrated envelopes consisting of a watercoloured envelope of a coaching scene sent from Randalstown by Charles McClintock to Miss Lyster in Brighton. Miss Augusta Lyster was the youngest daughter of Robert Lyster. The stamp was originally cancelled with a very weak strike of the '382' numeral of Randalstown and then overstruck with the Belfast Duplex dated 19th April 1861. Randalstown and Brighton circular datestamps on the reverse.
WW2 NI connected items (1) airgraphs (1)
Norman Scott started as a schoolboy collector whose enthusiasm grew with the years. For the last 25 years, he collected cards and covers and the postmarks and cachets applied to them. His main interest remains Irish Postal History and Censored Mail with a Northern Ireland connection. Norman is a Vice-President of the Society.
Norman’s first frame shows incoming international mail and outgoing mail from Northern Ireland during the World War II period. Norman’s second frame is concerned with The Airgraph Service in World War II.
Shown here is an item of mail addressed to Belfast that passed through Hong Kong where it received a strike of the Single Circle A.V.2. mark (designated as Type 5) struck in violet. At this time, the stamps of China were supplied without gum and were pasted on in the Post Office.
The Ships of Harland and Wolff
Jim Stothers’ engagement with philately began when his father passed to him his old stamp album. At his school, the late Kenneth Beales ran a stamp club and through his encouragement Jim joined the North of Ireland Philatelic Society in 1971 aged 17. Jim’s collecting interests embrace any aspect relating to Ulster. He also collects British Antarctica.
Jim’s display covers some of the ships built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast. Highland Monarch, Highland Chieftain, Highland Brigade, Highland Hope and Highland Princess were sister ships built by Harland & Wolff for H.&W. Nelson Ltd. between 1928 and 1930. They carried passengers and cargo on the route London Boulogne - Corunna - Vigo - Rio de Janeiro - Montevideo - Buenos Aires up to 1932. When the line merged into Royal Mail Lines Ltd. They operated the route UK - Bermuda - West Indies - Colombia - Central America - Pacific USA ports Vancouver.
The Jamaica 3d 'banana' definitive of 1938 (with colour changes in 1949 and 52) shows the Highland Monarch offshore.
The Paris Registered Cover of 12th July, 1939 is addressed to Buenos Aires 'Par SIS HIGHLAND BRIGADE via BOULOGNE-SUR-MER.'
The Kingdom of Italy and the Great War
David Sweeney has been a keen philatelist all his life and has formed a number of collections which include Great Britain, Australia and the postal markings of Ulster. Since 1990 he has been specialising on the Kingdom of Italy, forming collections of the 4th issue of Sardinia used in the Kingdom of Italy, the De La Rue series, fascist Italy and concentrating more recently on The Great War.
David’s display gives an overview of various aspects of the posts of the Kingdom of Italy relating to The Great War. Examples shown include the Posta Militare service, propaganda style field postcards, censorship of international mails, medical services, POW and 1919 Paris Peace Conference mail.
The card illustrated indicates an Ulster connection in the role played by the volunteers of the British ambulance units (many of them being Quakers) on the Italian front from May 1915. It is an Italian 10c. postal stationery card from a George Metcalfe, a member of the British Ambulance Unit for Italy, addressed to his Mother in Belfast. The card bears strikes of an Italian Military Postal Service datestamp and the unit cachet POSTA MILlTARE./28 10 15/UFF. PRESSO COMMANDO SUPREMO, THE BRITISH AMBULANCE UNIT FOR ITALY. The sender informs his Mother ... send my mail to - First Ambulance Unit for Italy, 123 Pall Mall, S. W.
The City of Lisburn, 1700 to 2000
Bob Teeney has been a dedicated stamp collector for over sixty years. His collections include Great Britain 1840-1970, Ireland 1922-1970, Australia and Canada to 1952 and the Postal History of Ireland. Bob was elected to the Life Presidency of the North of Ireland Philatelic Society in recognition of his services to philately in Northern Ireland.
The subject of Roberts display is Lisburn City. It is one of Northern Ireland's newest Cities, having been awarded the accolade during the Queen's Jubilee Year. It was founded in the early 17th. Century and named Lisnagarvey, which means 'Fort of Gamesters'. It has been suggested that Lisnagarvey was changed to Lisburn after the town was burned in the rebellion of 1641.
Penny black, plate 2 tied to an entire from Lisburn, County Antrim to Tramore, County Waterford by a magenta maltese cross. Backstamped with a double arc town date stamp of Lisburn for 2nd August 1840 which was a Sunday, also a red Dublin diamond mark code 1M dated 3rd August 1840 and a double arc town stamp of Waterford for 4th August 1840.
The White Plague - A History of Tuberculosis
William Thompson, has been a member of the N.I.Philatelic Society for 8 years. He has pursued this fascinating hobby of philately with enthusiasm since his retirement from academic medicine. A long time interest in all the various aspects of the history of medicine has provided the basis for many of his recent philatelic presentations. His other major collecting interest is the Levant, fostered by many years of travel to countries in the Middle East, which at one time formed a major part of the Ottoman Empire.
Over the centuries tuberculosis has been a major scourge of humanity and during the 20th century it was often referred to as the "The White Plague"; a reminder of another natural disaster, "The Black Death or Plague", which ravaged Europe in the 13th century; and was also caused by a serious bacterial infection. William’s thematic collection of world-wide philatelic material focuses on 11 topics which demonstrate some of the influence tuberculosis has had on society and the lives of so many people including the great and famous. It also traces the advances in our understanding, prevention and treatment of this most serious infectious disease which, even today, continues to plague humanity.
The stamps show two people who made very important contributions to the fight against tuberculosis - Robert Koch discovered the causative organism in 1882 and Albert Calmette introduced, in 1921, the first human vaccine to offer protection from the disease.
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