Page 3 - 148 Years of the Royal Philatelic Society London

In 1869: Suez Canal opens, Siege of Paris starts (Ballon Monte), U.S. Transcontinental

Railroad completed, Cutty Sark is launched.

Inaugural meeting of The Philatelic Society, London.

President Sir Daniel Cooper, Bart., F.R.G.S.

Membership rose from 14 founding members to 35 at the first A. G. M. on 29 May 1869.

DIARY RECORD

1869 ( \l \lontll 10 SATURDAY Ctoo-io~l April

OF THE 1869

MEETING

From the archive of The Royal

Philatelic Society London

Inaugural meeting of the

Philatelic Society London

On Saturday April 1oth 1869,

the first ever meeting of the

Philatelic Society, London took

place. One of the fourteen

founding fathers of the Society,

Colonel Joseph Speranza

attended this meeting and

recorded it in his diary. Major

J. E. Speranza discovered his

father's diary while in Malta

and presented it to the Society

along with two photographs of

his father. In gratitude, Major

Speranza was duly elected an

Honorary Fellow of the Society,

r-A~ ., .. .,,. /: and the diary is proudly

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