February 2025

• The First Stamp to commemorate Christmas : Julian Bagwell  sets out his criteria for which issues should be regarded as special ones for Christmas and examines which ones were the first.

• Herbert Edgar Watson and The Stamp Collectors Miscellany by Brian Birch. An investigation into a philatelic literature dealer of the early 20^th century and a short-lived journal.

• A curiosity from a small village on an island. Michael Torregiani writes about postcards from a  village on the Isle of Wight.

• Politically incorrect Poole, Michael L. Goodman wonders if some of the writings of  of Bertram W H Poole more than a century ago would be tolerated these days.

• Nyasaland on reflection. Michael Round draws attention to a little known flaw  on some of its Queen Elizabeth II pictorials.

• Meeting reports; Some covers from Barry Feltham's Space Race display in November 2024, the December virtual meeting featuring Julian Bagwell's Christmas material and January's London meeting where Mick Bister showed  French Somali Coast.

• Newsmix : Obituary of Michael Roberts, President of the Royal Philatelic Society; New issue programme for Great Britain.

• Book Reviews – Detailed and informative reviews are a regular feature of the magazine. Reviewed in this issue are Hugh Robinson, A Prisoner of War Story 1939-1945, edited by the late Gavin Fryer and Paid postmarks of the United Kingdom 1840-2006 by Cyril R H Parsons.

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