154 Campground Rd, Newlands. Meetings on 25 September & 9 October. will be at 5pm

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1 The Royal Philatelic Society of Cape Town Founded 1911 Website: The RPSCT meets on the 2 nd and 4 th Mondays of each month at the Athenaeum 154 Campground Rd, Newlands Meetings on 25 September & 9 October will be at 5pm Des Hyland RIP President 1996/1997: Hon Life President Des had a long association with organised philately and at the time of joining the RPSCT on 17 April 1992 was a member of both the SA Stamp Study Circle and the O.F.S. Philatelic Society. He was elected President of the Royal at the 1996 AGM and served in this capacity until the 1998 AGM. In 2007, he was elected as Honorary Life President of the Society. During 1997 Des was President of the PFSA. He chaired the organising committee for CAPEX 2005, and was the inspiration behind the exhibition. He had wide philatelic collecting interests, which included Union of South Africa (he received the Grand Prix award at the 1991 National Exhibition for his exhibit of the London pictorial issues), Basutoland and Great Britain. In later years, he formed and exhibited collections as diverse as Stellaland, Natal Revenues and Belgian Railway stamps. His early years were spent in Basutoland before the family moved to the Free State. Trading was in his blood. But so, too, was sport (rugby for the OFS and polo for South Africa). He retired to the Cape in He served the country with distinction during WWII and received the Military Medal at the battle of Monte Casino. He bore life s vicissitudes with great courage and dignity. 1

2 Notes & notices for forthcoming meetings 11 September 2017 Military Campaigns (all members evening convened by David Watts). If you have campaign material and would like to show on 11 September please contact David at or A highlight of this evening will be the correspondence of a young British soldier stationed in Russia during and after the First World War not seen before (Marilyn Crawford has found, researched and transcribed this correspondence, and will show it and some wonderful covers with rare military postmarks from the Arctic Circle) Archangel, in the White Sea, can only occasionally be approached by icebreaker during the winter. 2

3 Base POs were opened at Murmansk (APO PB1) an Archangel (APO PB2). Mail to and from members of the Russia Expeditionary Force often took long and circuitous routes. The British Army recruiting document included the following: An officer or a man should not volunteer to come out to South Russia unless he is prepared to work whole-heartedly for the cause for which the Army are fighting, that is, to destroy the tyranny of the Bolsheviks. Volunteers should be prepared for many disappointments. many of the ordinary comforts of life are lacking. (Quoted by Proud, History of the British Army Postal Service Vol II ) 25 September 2017 This is a 5pm meeting Juniors competition evening (convener DJ Sinclair) All WP Societies are invited. All juniors who enter will get a medal and a certificate and the following trophies will be awarded: 1. The Wally Jaffe Shield For the best exhibit by a Junior over the last year. 2. The Wally Jaffe Cup For the best exhibit by a Junior at this meeting 3. The RPSCT Inter Schools Shield For the school wining the competition at this competition Please support this evening and the juniors who will be exhibiting. 9 October 2017 NB This is a 5pm meeting A three-part evening: 1. Ian Shapiro will show mail from a 19th Century Abyssinian Campaign 2. WP Societies will show invited exhibits 3. These will be followed by an intersociety quiz 3

4 23 October 2017 Celebrating 50 years of Machin Definitives: David Sinclair, Colin Rowe, & Alan Rogers The design was by Arnold Machin. He sculpted a bas-relief. The George IV diadem is the same as was used for the 1d Black and 2d Blue in May First issued June 1967 David Sinclair, Colin Rowe & Alan Rogers Sinclair will show different aspects of the Machin issues. The "Machins" may be the most complex issues ever, presenting challenges and pleasure for countless philatelists. Wikipedia suggests over five thousand varieties of colour, value, gum, phosphor banding, Iridescent, overprints, perforations, and printing methods (Photogravure, Intaglio (Engraved), Typography, Electro-Mechanical Engraving (EME Gravure), Embossing). They exist in both old and new currencies. The design has been adjusted periodically, for instance to use a gradated shade in the background; perforations have been changed. In addition, the Machin head has been used on regionals, or commemoratives, and on postal stationery. (Source Wikipedia, visited 2 September 2017) 13 November 2017 A two-part evening: literature and competitions A: Literature: B: Competitions A. All members are invited to bring a book (or books), a journal (or journals) or an article (especially one that you have authored/coauthored) and speak briefly about its relationship to something you collect. (This could be material from the Society s Library). Among important acquisitions in the RPSCT Library have been: 4

5 Brian Trotter s Southern African Mails: routes rates and regulations published by the RPSL Robert (Bob) Allison s The Postal History of te Orange Free State published by the BPA EE Charity Work on the library is continuous. New books are accessioned monthly, and te Librarian has bene sorting through the Library s journal holdings and filing/binding new volumes. Some important donations have been received recently, notably from Adrian de Bourbon. B. Competitions: All members are invited/urged/exhorted to enter something for one or more of the competitions: The one frame (Crocker Shield): 15 or 16 pages on a subject that fits into one frame; A thematic exhibit (of not more than 100 pages) (Kaganson Cup); Any other exhibit (not exceeding 100 pages) that you choose to exhibit. In addition to the Crocker and Kaganson trophies the following may be awarded: The Simenhoff Cup The G I Ratcliffe Trophy The CRV Solomon Cup 27 November 2017 Annual Club Auction Entries will be accepted up to the close of the Society meeting on 23 October Entries to Hugh Amoore, which Must be accompanied by a completed vendor form (see appendix); Must have the vendors bank account for payments for any items sold; May include (a) a reserve below which an item will not be sold; or (b) a recommended starting price for unreserved lots. 5

6 11 December 2017 SGM & President s evening The SGM will have three items on the agenda: amendments to the Constitution; the Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2016; and the Committee s recommendation for subscriptions for The Agenda and details will be sent to members in advance of the SGM. Accounts of recent meetings 24 July 2017 Roddy Sparks: Postal History of Natal Roddy began his presentation with an outline of the history of Natal since the trek down into the then republic of Natalia by trekking boers (1843), the annexation of Natal to the Cape in 1848 by the British, and the declaration of Natal as a Colony in its own right in 1856 a small, sleepy colony with some 8000 settlers. And so it remained until the gold rush of 1876/1877 when Durban became important as a port offering a route into the hinterland. He surveyed the importance of the Anglo Boer wars to the history and the postal history of Natal. His exhibit covered Natal from before the annexation to the 1930s. The exhibit contained important material from the 2nd Anglo Boer War leading Roddy to remark that this was in fact the first world war ; though nominally between Great Britain and the Boer Republics, the war involved Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and Indian forces on the side of the imperial power, Russian, Scandinavian, German and Dutch on the side of the Boer republics. 6

7 Among the highlights were 1. This early (1851) ship letter to Mauritius 2. This magnificent cover, franked with a 6d green (SG 5) with a ms 8 (for the ship letter rate?) to Cape Town ex the legendary Burrus collection 7

8 3. A study of the postmarks starting with this Durban mark on the 3d rose (SG4) (the provenance of which includes a1926 certificate) 4. Items from the Zulu wars and the 1st Anglo Boer War. 5. Early re-directed mail 6. An important study of the Veldpost date stamps used by the Boers during the invasion of Natal during the 2nd Anglo Boer War 8

9 Map showing the routes taken by the Boer invasions. Roddy explained how the Boer forces had invaded Natal and how the date stamps had three iterations: the first were oval with ZAR in the lower arc (Oval with town/zar); the second state in which the ZAR was cut out; and the third Veldpos/ZAR/town. He had set his findings out in the following table. Several of these markings were shown on cover one magnificent cover was from a member of the Swedish corps from Ingagae date stamped 23 February

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11 7. A cover from the Princess of Wales Hospital Ship; 8. A study of the postal markings often improvised used by the British forces as they recaptured parts of Natal; 9. This train letter cover with NGR date stamps used to cancel Natal stamps at Bethlehem 10. Some quite superb taxed mail in the late Natal and early Union period 14 August 2017 All members postcard evening The postcard evening brought out many members and a number of visitors from the Postcard Society, and a quite astonishing array of cards, beautiful and/or rare full of interest. Just some of the highlights (of which there were too many to list), were: Mike Deeks rare historical early South African cards (including one of the Women s march to the Union Buildings at the time of the trials of those involved in the 1914 rebellion); Martin Crawford s cards showing post offices; Brian Fenemore s cards of the Levant ; Mandy Broodryk s cards in three iterations: art deco, art nouveau; and advertising/and the weird and the wonderful; Brian Franklin s cards of Malta, and Henk de Lange s Boer war cards; and many more besides. 28 August 2017 Jan Hofmeyr and the Future of philately 11

12 Jannie combined a fascinating and thought-provoking presentation on philately and its future with a showing of Wobbe Vegter s award winning thematic exhibit: From abacus to Internet. We were privileged to see Wobbe s exhibit (which had won high awards), probably for the last time (and the first time in its present, wonderful state). It is a wonderful example of thematic collecting at its best, with superb development of the theme and with a masterful amalgam of material. Jannie s presentation (which has been placed on the society s website), surveyed what drives price (a. scarcity though the correlation between price and scarcity is poor; b. importance though, again, the correlation is poor; and c). fame; because it adds the I have this factor); and then moved onto the history of communication and the future of philately. His brief survey of communication and the important role of the stamp in a stage of its democratization, gave way to the reality that the digital revolution has taken communication to a new plane. His conclusions for the future of the hobby were important and though provoking. Key was his conclusion that philately is actually quite a solitary pursuit. As he noted: Stamp collecting is the perfect way to take time out It doesn t have to cost too much There are plenty of opportunities to meet like-minded people You can even be famous if that s that you want 12

13 AUCTION RULES Vendors must submit the following with lots submitted for auction: Vendor s Name:.. Vendor s bank details: Name on account:. Bank. Branch code. Account number. List of items with descriptions and reserves (if any) or recommended starting prices (if any). I agreed to be bound by the following rules for the auction and indemnify the RPSCT against any claims that may arise out of the auction:...(dd).(month) 2017 signed/date BUYERS: 1. The Auctioneer and the Royal Philatelic Society of Cape Town (RPSCT) act as agents only. 2. The Auctioneer and the RPSCT are not responsible for any inaccuracies in lot descriptions, references to catalogue numbers and/or catalogue value. 3. The onus is on the vendor to describe a lot; where the vendor does not the Auctioneer will describe the lot as accurately as possible and in good faith but neither the Auctioneer nor the RPSCT vouches for any lot descriptions. Neither the RPSCT nor the Auctioneer will be held liable for any error in a lot description. 4. Neither the RPSCT nor the Auctioneer can be held responsible for the contents of any lot. 5. The Auctioneer, the RPSCT and/or the Vendors shall not give any warranty to any purchaser, or be liable for a fault or error of description. 13

14 6. However, if after the sale, the purchaser of a lot shall prove it is not genuine or authentic, or was wrongly described, the purchaser may return the lot, providing he/she does so within 7 days. In such cases the RPSCT will refund the hammer price. 7. The Auctioneer reserves the right before and during the auction to group together lots belonging to the same Vendor, to split up and to withdraw any lot or lots at the Auctioneer s discretion and without giving any reason in any case. 8. Acceptance of bids below the starting price (if no reserve) is at the discretion of the Auctioneer. 9. The bidding steps and advances shall be regulated by and at the discretion of the Auctioneer, who has the right to refuse a bid or bids. 10. Unsold lots will not be released to late purchasers until the auction results have been verified. 11. Full payment is to be made at the end of the auction unless alternative payment arrangements have been made with the Society Treasurer. Cheque payments made out to the Royal Philatelic Society are acceptable but must include bank charges (currently R50). No buyer s premium is payable. VENDORS 12. Vendors are required to describe lots and items submitted for auction. Where a vendor fails to do so, the Auctioneer will in good faith describe the item, but neither the Auctioneer nor the RPSCT will be responsible for any error in this description. 13. A signed indemnity form must accompany all lots submitted by a Vendor. 14. Reserve prices requested by a Vendor are subject to acceptance at the sole discretion of the Auctioneer. 15. A 10% commission on the hammer price is payable by the Vendor. 16. Unsold lots will not be released for return to Vendors until the auction results have been verified. 17. Vendors will only be paid via EFT after all lots have been paid for and any returned lots have been accepted by the Auctioneer. Vendors must provide their bank details when submitting lots for auction. 18. Vendors, by submitting lots to the Auctioneer agree to abide by the above auction rules. 14