News Archive: 2009

December 2009 News

 

The Society's last meeting of the year is a friendly get together to display members Christmas items and to enjoy a few eats and drinks ably provided by Alwyn Lowe. This year however we began by learning that two of our members were leaving us for areas new.

 

Our President Ian Furby, well known for his collections of Canada, Olympics and Penguins, etc., sprung a complete surprise by advising us that he had bought a property in Somerset and would be away in early January. Ian has been a member of the Society for some 25 years having served in various positions on the Committee. All wished him well for the future with a signed card including a voucher.

 

Also leaving was Paul Runacres who joined us about 3 years ago and is going to Inverness. Initially he will be away for 12 months and may return to the area at that stage. Paul was not able to be at the meeting but we all wish him all the best in Scotland.

 

 

November 2009 News

 

Future Society Auctions

Now that our Auction Catalogue is on the website we are proposing to discontinue distributing hard copies of the catalogue to other philatelic societies and individuals who we know have access to the Internet. Our catalogue will normally appear on the website about 4 weeks before the auction i.e. early May and early November which can then be printed off.

 

The e-mail address wokinghamauction@googlemail.com can be used for bidding. Online bidders unknown to us need to provide a reference from someone we know or can be readily identified.

 

Hard copies of the auction catalogue will still be available at Society Meetings prior to and on the evening of the auction. Those persons who have already paid for the May 2010 Auction Catalogue will still receive their copy through the post. If this presents any problems please contact Dennis Proctor, Auction Manager.

 

November 2009 Auction

There were 40 members in the room for our half yearly auction in the Bradbury Centre Hall. Our maximum number of lots for the evening of 303 were presented, of which 203 were sold. A sum of just over £900 was raised. A satisfactory evening for vendors and purchasers.

 

2009 Skittles Evening

Our annual skittles evening was held on the 1 December 2009 at the Dog and Partridge, Riseley.

 

Winners Highest Score

Ladies: Pam Harwood

Gents: Dave Gerken

 

Winners Knockout

Ladies Last one standing: Jill Furby

Gents Last one standing: Ian Furby

 

 

2009 Thames Valley 16 Sheet Competition

The Society had a strong entry in this Competition, hosted by Harwell Stamp Club, participating in all the classes with excellent results:

TRADITIONAL CLASS 1st Patrick Reid - Tasmania Postcards

POSTAL HISTORY 1st Eric Holmes - Gibraltar Handstamps

4th Derek Harwood - London General Post

THEMATIC CLASS 2nd Alwyn Lowe - All in a Life's Work

OPEN CLASS 2nd Trevor Cornford - Falkland Expedition

AEROPHILATELY CLASS 1st Derek Harwood - Falkland-Argentine Air Service

 

 

CAMBERLEY & DISTRICT STAMP CLUB ANNUAL FAIR

NEW OWLSMOOR CENTRE, SANDHURST 7 NOVEMBER 2009

 

We have been asked by the Camberley & District Stamp Club to provide an Exhibition by our members at this forthcoming fair. Some 6-8 members will be displaying their material. The fair opens at 10.30 am and includes, as well as the exhibition, various dealer tables and a public auction at 3.00 pm.

 

 

 

 

The Angus Parker Collection of Coffee House Mail to be auctioned

 

In September, Cavendish Auctions are selling The Angus Parker Collection of Coffee Houses Mail c.1679-1850. In the write up mention is made of Angus acquiring the intact collection of coffee house material of J. Franklyn Jones who had no less than 105 covers. Franklyn was a member of our Society in his latter years and donated the Franklyn Jones Cup for our Club Competition in 1985. Apparently his material is still on his original album sheets.

 

The Angus collection constitutes by far the largest holding of Coffee House material to ever come to the market. This is an extraordinary collection when one remembers just how rare most Coffee House covers are. It is said that perhaps there is seen one in 1,000 for pre-stamp covers and much less for the 1840+ period. Coffee Houses were primarily an 18th century phenomenon, they declined gradually during the 1800-35 period and had almost vanished by 1845. They were largely eclipsed by merchants acquiring their own premises and also by the rise of London Clubs.

 

In the introduction to Bryant Lillywhite's definitive tome, his 1963 "London Coffee Houses" he lists no less than 2034 Coffee Houses. Essentially they provided a Poste Restante mail service for merchants and others, being especially useful for businessmen from the provinces who needed a London accommodation address and part-time office.

 

Lloyd's Coffee House was probably the most famous - leading directly to the creation of the modern Insurance giant Lloyds of London, but in their time Jamaica, Jerusalem and American inspired Coffee Houses were equally vital for overseas communications. These in many cases offering better systems for sending mail than the Post Office. Letters would be regularly collected from Coffee House 'bags' (into which letters could be placed for 2d or 3d a time) by reliable ships' Captains bound for foreign parts. Cheap postage after 1840 undoubtedly hastened the decline of Coffee House's mail services.

 

 

Note on 2009 AGM

 

This year's Annual General Meeting was the third in the cycle where the Chairman automatically resigns resulting in other officers also changing. This provides us with the following officers for the coming year:

 

President: Ian Furby

Chairman: Alwyn Lowe

Vice Chairman: Alec Bunting

 

All other Officers and Committee Members remain the same with the addition to the Committee of Stephen Gardner.

 

The Society does like to confer on members who provide a long time service to the Club the title of Honorary Life Member and this has been given to Chris Rayner in recognition of his service as our Honorary Treasurer.

 

The Packet Secretary mentioned that obtaining material for boxes was continuing to be difficult and would be happy to receive material for the boxes or be put to touch with any vendors wishing to put material into our circuit.

 

Our membership numbers for the year stand at 121 being just one less than the previous year. This it is felt is a very good situation but new members are as ever very welcome. The facilities we have available are excellent and are probably not bettered by many Stamp Clubs in the Country. Approx 30/40 members continue to attend our meetings this is often a welcome surprise to our speakers.

 

The meeting thanked Stephen Gardner for getting the web site up and running so efficiently and hoped that members will make full use of the facility. The web site is for the use of all members who wish to provide philatelic news, stories etc. Stephen is the Webmaster and the Committee have given him overall responsibility for items that are placed on the web site.

 

 

2009 Club Competition

 

Wokingham are pleased to record the following successes in the club competition.

 

ADVANCED CLASS

1st Eric Holmes - Spanish Stamps used in Gibraltar

2nd Derek Steele - Scottish Wheel Tax: Type 2A

3rd Eric Harris - Columbia: Maritime Marks

 

POSTAL HISTORY

1st Derek Steele - New insights into Scottish Postal History

2nd Eric Holmes - Maritime Mail of Madeira

3rd Eric Harris - Paquebot Marks on Columbia Mail

 

THEMATIC CLASS

1st Alwyn Lowe - All in a Life's Work

2nd Derek Steele - Classical Mechanics to Quantum

3rd Ian Furby - Lunar New Year

 

CLUB COMPETITION

1st David Gerken - G.B. Varieties

 

OPEN COMPETITION

1st David Gerken - LZ 129 Hindenburg

2nd Trevor Cornford - Shackleton at South Georgia

3rd Ian Furby - Scout Christmas Labels

 

Congratulations to everyone.

 

 

 

2009 Thames Valley Philatelic Federation Competition

 

Wokingham are pleased to record the following success in the TVPFC by its members.

 

Traditional Class First: Eric Holmes with "GB Postcards used in Gibraltar"

 

Thematic Class First: Alwyn Lowe with "A Life's Work"

 

Aerophilately Class First: Derek Steele with "Arthur Sullivan's Survey Flights in Newfoundland"

 

Congratulations to all.