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CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME MESSAGE - TREVOR CORNFORD, FRGS
A
WARM WELCOME to our new Website, from myself and all the Committee.
It
is very pleasing to take another step forward in promoting our Society and hobby. Not only widening its appeal, making it
easier to join or find information, but most importantly perhaps, have a forum for all members, established or new, to have
a 2 way communication with us and each other.
I
hope you will browse the site, especially the EVENTS page, and see the attractions we can add to your special area of interest – and if you do not find it, tell
us.
Better
still, contact the POLAR POST EDITOR John Youle who is pleased to receive articles to enhance knowledge, pose questions, or simply provide an interesting philatelic
story.
While
I personally specialise in the Scott/Shackleton Expeditions, of the Heroic Age, the rest of the Committee equally show the
diverse collecting interests of members generally, from modern Indian Antarctic bases to Whaling mail and studies of cancellations
and Expedition Postcards to Thematic or Social History, both North and South.
Over
the years this diversity has expanded the appeal to collectors from all around the World. Newer subjects such as old Photos,
QSL cards, Literature, original letters and maps, now all catch members’ attention.
This
diversity means we are in touch with most collectors’ sphere of interest and can point enquiries in the right direction.
We
thus act as a broader fulcrum for collectors who may also have specialist society memberships such as Scandinavian or Thematic
where we embrace such interests.
If you are interested in either or both of the Polar Regions, North and South,
please try us out – the Application form can be downloaded from this site.
Please
specify your range of interests on the Application, but whatever they are, you will receive a sample past copy of Polar Post on joining, and shared enthusiasm.
Welcome
again!
6th November 2010 –
PPHSGB Autumn Meeting at PHILATEX: The
meeting will take place from 12.45 pm to 2.45 pm in Room 32 at the Horticultural Hall, corner Greycoat Street & Elverton
Street, London, SW1. There will be a short time for a Bring & Buy. Following this, there will be time for displays. Please
bring material along with you for display, even a few sheets. Non Members are welcome to attend and learn more about
our Society.
29th July 2010 - The "Publications" page has been updated to include the latest
version of the Addenda to the book "Postmarks and Cachets of the British Antarctic Bases and South Georgia" for
free download. The "Polar Post" page has been updated to include the Contents List of the September 2010 issue of
Polar Post.
29th July 2010 - "Display "Airships in the Arctic": Steve Allen's
display presented at the Joint Meeting with the FIPSG on 12th May 2010 is available here for free download for a limited period.
The display is in Adobe PDF Format and the file size is 4.9MB.
click here to download file
29th July 2010 - Swinpex 2010 - Joint Meeting with the FIPSG
- report by Kim Stuckey: 15 members of the FIPSG and PPHSGB met in an afternoon session after a morning browsing at the Swinpex
stamp fair on 12th June. The two societies also shared a stand at the fair.
Kim Stuckey kicked off the displays
with whaling covers from the various stations on South Georgia, plus South Shetlands and New Island. Carl Varnam then showed
a range of recent acquisitions mainly Falkland Islands postmarks on stamps, but also WFI cancels, outlying postage dues and
New Island cancellations. He also showed a Customs South Georgia mark on a 1937 Coronation ½d (different to the catalogued
mark) and fiscal use in 1961 from Leith Harbour to Terence Binnie.
Malcolm Barton studied the 1p Mail Ships in
booklets, including the green booklet now seen with the "hawse holes" varieties and the 3p different printings.
Morva White then showed 1933 Centenary photo essays alongside the stamps and a pamphlet produced for the celebrations. Hugh
Osborne then produced another Centenary pamphlet and the Penguin News cover for the Centenary Special Issue, together with
correct rate Centenary stamps on cover.
Alan Godfrey covered the life of Hubert Wilkins, from the Shackleton Quest
expedition, through his attempts to fly across the Arctic in 1926, his flights from Deception Island in 1928/29 and his submarine
expedition in the Nautilus in the early 1930's. This included the patronage and disputes with Randolph Hearst.
Trevor Cornford rounded off the session with the Discovery preparations and voyage in 1901-1902, with Sir Clement Markham
driving the construction of a new exploration ship. Trevor showed pictures of the construction, trials and Scott and Shackleton
on deck.
15th July 2010 -The Spink "Summer Collectors' Series"
Auction London. Lots 1791 to 1989 related to the Antarctic Collection of Peter Wordie. The estimates proved unreliable with
many items selling both well below and well above the estimated range. Thus there were bargains to be had for those attending
the sale. The catalogue and realisations are still available on the Spink Website:
http://www.spink.com/auctions/pdf/default.asp
25th June 2010 – New Issue South Georgia and SSI – Wrecks and Hulks
 Further details of this issue can be found at http://falklandstamps.com/
Note the higher values on the stamps as compared with previous issues. Postal rates for the Falkland Islands,
South Georgia &SSI and BAT are expected to rise from 1st July 2010 – more details in due course.
16th May 2010 – The London 2010 International
Stamp Exhibition was a great success for the PPHSGB! The event ended with 10 new members recruited on the spot and many more visitors to the stand expressing
an interest. The joint meeting with the FIPSG on 12th May was attended by over 60 people including the postmaster of the Falkland
Islands Moira Eccles and the postal officer of South Georgia Sarah Lurcock. PPHSGB Secretary Robert Hurst produced a special
cachet which was used at the stand and a special Shackleton postcard which was given away (one per visitor – extra copies
25p). The Society thanks in particular our Secretary Robert Hurst who took a week off work and was present on all 8 days.
Committee members John Youle and Robert McMillan were present on the stand for several days and Chairman Trevor Cornford and
librarian Gerald Marriner were heavily involved with the main exhibition.
The cachet
 The cachet shows
an albatross which is a visitor to the islands covered by the four Societies which shared the stand.
The postcard
The postcard shows the statue of Shackleton
outside the Royal Geographical Society in London with an insert of two 10/- Seahorses hand stamped with “GOUGH ISLAND”
and “S-R ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 1921”. Each member of the PPHSGB will receive a mint card (without cachet) with
the September or December 2010 issue of Polar Post.
Moira Eccles and Sarah Lurcock also had special London
2010 cachets for the respective post offices.
12th
April 2010 – New Stamp Issue South Georgia &SSI – London 2010 Festival of Stamps
6th March 2010: Bransfield House at Port Lockroy run by the UKAHT closed at the end
of the 2009/2010 Antarctic summer season. The 4 ladies who have run the hut this season did a grand job writing online diaries
which can be seen at: http://www.ukaht.org/diaries.html. The hut and post office
will reopen for business in November 2010.
28th February 2010: Dr Phillip Law has died aged 97; he was one of Australia’s greatest Antarctic explorers; he took part in 23 expeditions,
established three A.N.A.R.E. bases and was responsible for charting 3,000 miles of coastline and some 800,000 square miles
of the interior. Obituaries have appeared in the International Press, for example at:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/7377938/Phillip-Law.html
November
2009 to March 2010 – UKAHT at Port Lockroy. Port Lockroy is one of
the most visited tourist sites within the area governed by the Antarctic Treaty and one of only a few to have a post office.
You can follow events at Port Lockroy on the UKAHT Website:http://www.ukaht.org/diaries.html
There is
a larger team this season and major building work is planned for January/February 2010 after the Gentoo Penguin chicks have
hatched. A Nissan Hut is to be erected to serve as accommodation for the UKAHT team. Please bear in mind when sending philatelic
requests to Port Lockroy (via the Post Office, Stanley, Falkland Islands, FIQQ 1ZZ) that the UKAHT is a registered charity
and the team is made up of volunteers. All donations are very welcome. Please also bear in mind that the possibilities for
getting mail from Stanley to Port Lockroy are limited and that the seasonal Port Lockroy Post Office closes at the beginning
of March and does not re-open before the first or second week of November.
1st January
2010: New Stamp Issues TAAF. 8 individual stamps and 2 souvenir sheets are to be issued. They can be viewed in colour
at:http://www.taaf.fr/rubriques/philatelie/timbres/philatelie_timbres.htm
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