June 2002

More on Melville Part 4 by the Editor, Michael Furnell. Here Melville encourages boy stamp collectors in a number of booklets on stamp collecting given free in the magazine “The Boy’s Friend” in 1924. This publication is new to the NPS and was drawn to our attention by a member.

Some Greek Island Postmarks – Bernard Towler describes some interesting old Greek island postmarks, which he acquired recently at a stamp fair in New York.

Report on Spring Stampex 2002

The Victorian Stamp Collector – Eric Glasgow tells us about stamp collecting in the 19th century when the hobby first started.

Advertising in Great Britain Stitched Booklets – One of our members explains the interest he has found in the advertisement pages contained in early GB stitched booklets of stamps.

Checklist of Articles in the British Philatelic Press

Under the Banner of the Sun Cross – A story from one of our American readers about the sufferings of the Norwegians imposed by the Nazis in the early 1940s.

August 2002

A Plea for Stamps for Tristan da Cunha – Believed to be an exclusive postal history article based on a communication found in the NPS archives recently. It comprises a letter written on 10th May 1946 by the seven Councillors of the island of Tristan da Cunha to the Postmaster General, Union of South Africa, Cape Town seeking the support of the Government of South Africa in persuading the Crown Agents, London to sanction the issue of postage stamps for the island and for the establishment of a proper mail service. The letter also gives interesting data about the “Potato” currency, suggested designs for the new stamps and the establishment of financial arrangements.

British Occupation of Iraq – Bernard Towler devotes his Forgotten Countries column to stamps issued during the British occupation and mandate of Iraq between 1917 and 1932.

The Rowland Hill Awards 2001 – a report on this year’s awards ceremony held on 19th March.

Lawrence of Philately – a report on some of the items in a collection of over 5,000 First World War stamps in the Imperial War Museum collection now on loan to the British Library, where they will be available for inspection by a wider audience. These include stamps whose design and issue was supervised by Captain T E Lawrence in 1916.

Letters Postmarked July 23 and August 22 in a “Big Cats” Thematic collection is the fascinating subject of an article contributed by our member Ron Berger.

More on Melville No 5 in which Michael Furnell looks at a pocket book “The Stamp Year 1912” produced by Fred Melville and asks if any reader knows of subsequent editions of this “digest of Postal and Philatelic Information”.

Monaco Stamp Museum and Exhibition – Michael L Goodman reports on his visit.

100 Years of Stamp Collecting – One of our longstanding members, Richard Bagshawe writes about the collecting activities of himself, his father and his grandfather over the last one hundred years.

Organ Donors – Tom Wilson describes and illustrates some of the stamps issued worldwide for those associated with medical transplants.

The USA Pictorial Postmark Scene – an update

New Stamps from Lundy Island – some facts behind this month’s cover. 

Finally a report on the attractions of Autumn STAMPEX makes interesting reading.