Christmas 1992 / pqflca \

I *OD * 1 \ qpiRcn / % X 10 November 1992 Nov 0 NOV l”"

Our churches and cathedrals house a rich legacy Woodroffe, in Our Lady and St Peter Church, of and a distinctive contribution to Leatherhead. that tradition was made earlier in the present (1884-1934) and century by the artists of the Arts and Crafts (1875-1954) were two interesting and important Movement. There could be no more fitting way members of the of celebrating Christmas than by using whose work has rarely received the broader characteristic details of their work in stained glass recognition it deserves. to illustrate the story of the Nativity. Charles Bergemann Parsons (known through-

The 18p stamp (basic inland 2nd class rate) out his life as Karl) was bom in , features the Angel Gabriel, part of the east . After leaving Haberdashers’ Aske’s window (1920) of St James’s Church, School, he became a pupil of Pangboume, Berkshire, by Karl Parsons. The (1849-1924), a hugely influential teacher and the 24p value (1st class inland and EC basic rate) undisputed doyen of artist-craftsmen in the field shows another Parsons’ window (1927) of St of stained glass. Mary’s Church, Bibury, Gloucestershire. Parson’s first major work was a collaboration The 28p (non EC European countries) and 33p with Whall for the apse windows of Cape Town (airmail postcards) stamps feature respectively cathedral, commissioned in 1908. Their success King with crown (by Paul Woodroffe), and gave him the confidence to set up his own studio Three Shepherds (Parsons) from the churches of in , and a significant early design was a Our Lady and St Peter, Leatherhead, and memorial window to Charles Rolls, co-founder All , Porthcawl, Mid-Glamorgan. of Rolls Royce, who died in a flying accident in The final stamp, 39p (basic airmail letter rate) 1910. Originality of approach, allied to shows two of the Kings bearing gifts, by impeccable craftsmanship, brought Parsons a

28 British Philatelic Bulletin - October 1992 growing reputation. For such a large-scale The Designers medium, his work showed a rare delicacy of The stamps were designed by Carroll, Dempsey touch, his sensitivity defined in the exquisitely and Thirkell Limited who were responsible for intricate way he painted on glass to bring out the successful and popular 1991 Dogs issue. Mike fine detail. A fair proportion of his output was Dempsey, of this partnership, designed the 1987 for Commonwealth countries where the strong, Victorian Britain and 1988 Europa-Transport and clear light of the southern hemisphere brought Communications issues. The photographs of the out the full richness of colour in his work. stained glass window were taken by the late Tony Born in India, Paul Vincent Woodroffe was Evans, whose photographs were also used for educated at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire and the 1987 Studio Pottery and 1990 RSPCA the Slade School of Art in London. Some years stamps. later he became a pupil of Christopher Whall. Unlike Parsons, however, Woodroffe did not Printing Details devote his whole career to stained glass. He was The stamps measuring 41 x 30mm were printed a fine book designer and illustrator. In 1895 he in photogravure by Harrison & Sons Limited in published an illustrated book of nursery rhymes, sheets of 100. PVA Dextrin gum, perforation 14’/2 x 14. The 18p has one phosphor band, the others are on phosphor coated paper.

Presentation Pack The pack (No. 232) will cost £1.75. It was designed by Carroll, Dempsey & Thirkell Limited, with text by Tim Shackleton. Printing was by Raithby, Lawrence & Company Limited of Leicester. The pack features 17 fine examples of stained glass windows.

Royal Mail Stamp Card Cards, featuring enlargements of the stamp designs, will be available aproximately two the first of many volumes to which he would weeks before the stamp issue, price 21 p each. contribute. His earliest known stained glass, They are numbered 148A-E. (1901) is at St John’s , Alton, . First Day Cover In 1904 Woodroffe moved to Chipping The Royal Mail first day cover will be available Campden in the Cotswolds, where he lived for from the British Philatelic Bureau, Collections, over 30 years. He adapted a small, dilapidated philatelic counters and main post offices cottage into a studio work-shop. Coming from approximately two weeks before 10 November, a devoutly Catholic family, much of his work price 21 p. Three pictorial postmarks will be used was destined for Catholic churches. Just as with for the first day cover service - one for the Parsons contemporary work, his windows Bureau, the others for Bethlehem and reflect Whall’s tutelage. Pangboume. After the First World War (during which he A first day cover service will be provided by worked at the Ministry of Munitions), the Bureau with the official Royal Mail cover Woodroffe was kept busy with commissions for addressed to the destination required with the war memorials. His largest project was for 15 stamps cancelled with the requested postmark. windows for the Lady Chapel of St Patricks Application forms, available from the Bureau Cathedral in New York. Started in 1909, the and main post offices, should be returned not work was not completed until 1934. later than 10 November. These stamps are issued in the year that marks Collectors may send their own cards/covers the 900th anniversary of the founding in 1902 of for the pictorial postmarks; these should be sent the Benedictine abbey that later became Chester on the first day of issue in a stamped outer Cathedral. They also anticipate the 1,200th envelope endorsed “Pictorial First Day of Issue anniversary in 1993 of the establishment by King Postmark” to: British Philatelic Bureau, 20 Offa of a Benedictine monastery on the site of Brandon Street, EH3 5TT (Bureau what is now St Albans Cathedral. postmark), or Wales & The West Special

British Philatelic Bulletin - October 1992 29 30

• • d i s b p i u e r p o c J r u R h

o i O

g a a Y h

c

* A l t a h h L

r

.

P M g

a a a A e l l r - I l l s I s i i

e c o c F d n d a I R

l s r S t e o o

T

m

D « A e p V d

« C n O x c V n a E - R

b h ^ k r i

J c w r o a n f r t k J s

m s i h a d t o n e w y s f t e h «

d o i d p

l a

u a i m s C i d n

W t r l g a r i e o i

f o c a b . a v f u

f h i e r s M l c t , d n ,

s I v

u a d n i

i a t l a d u n

t

r -xx g t w n

e r

t i h i l e i d o

a a A b n e t s

s

c

y j y g i 4 ♦ w s f

c o u

i

,

b i r w o K n n t

s iwl’5* l t d r e h o

n t i k t

n e

i h w e y o

c s g w e e r i f h p

n r a

i d o t

i t « r h h g t h v s e i M r 2 D D e e I e e g

. ~

o L

r l l w 0 _ r a b E u f a r e K s e

_ e o l p l s s 0 l s 7 l i _ r

e i m v r r u t d n E s 9 k a i r > r a a ■ y ’

i n b s t - l w g e t 5 e n r t , a h c

b , r s r t e

S t t a n

4 d o C i d S h e r

i w o e l M o J c - 4 n s s . i k e m o n u a e a y k

a T u a m t

t i H a x k

s A w

t r w t f e m

s t C e 7 h p

‘ y r t

o O b s i f o a l b s t e a m e w e s a e e B y

r M s R h o o s

s o y r f o f n

d t

a o h l o t e s x r o

N n h , t a i d o s m k A s

r

t u i - n r

i c r o s o m a i m m s l e i y i n r r v i v e

m a e o n t t h l l v p t

r

e h o ’ i p i r a l a b s

o 1 1 i a c i G n s

o t e

v l e e n

o n i r

9 p 9 v t

. i a c n u c c b e a r

i

s r

y 5 4 e e L b n o s e h l c N n , u n t t H t

i 4 d $

d o a a - r d r a o u e

o s, O*’ O' i,Sl/ d s h e , . d

y i n d i

s

n t r m

y

s b f H w i e e i c t y n

t n

u

d - o B h e

t

t

r .

r n

i t i R s h o

a P d h i

l a t e l i c

B u l l e t i n

-

O c t o b e r

1 9 9 2 Handstamp Centre, Royal Mail, Cardiff, Autumn Stampex Penarth Road, CARDIFF CFl 1AA (Bethlehem postmark), or South East Special Handstamp This year’s Autumn Stampex will be held at Centre, Royal Mail Windsor, Peascod Street, the Royal Horticultural Society Halls, Greycoat WINDSOR SL4 1AA (Pangboume postmark). Street and Vincent Square, London SW1 from Collectors wanting their cards/covers returned 13 to 18 October. The exhibition will be open under cover should enclose a suitable addressed 12.00-19.00 on 13 October, 10.30-19.00 on envelope. This need not bear additional postage 14-17 October, and 10.30-18.00 on 18 October. stamps, the postage being already paid by the Royal Mail involvement at the exhibition will stamps affixed to the covers for postmarking. include the usual sales stand and Stamp Bug area. First Day Posting Boxes will be provided at The National Postal Museum is to put on a small most main post offices for those collectors who exhibition, the theme of which will be “Moving wish to post covers to receive the standard, non­ the Mail”. A cachet for NPM postcards will be pictorial “First Day of Issue” handstamps. available at the exhibition. Details of special handstamps, sponsored by A special handstamp will be applied to mail stamp dealers and others, will be found in the posted at Stampex. Collectors unable to visit the British Postmark Bulletin - the Royal Mail’s exhibition may send covers to: London South magazine for postmark collectors. It is available Special Handstamp Centre, Royal Mail London on subscription from the British Philatelic South West, 53 Nine Elms Lane, LONDON SW8 Bureau: £10 UK and Europe, £21.75 Rest of 5BB requesting the Stampex handstamp; please World (Airmail). state date required. The Association of Friends of the National Souvenir Cover Postal Museum is staging displays of stamps and A souvenir cover, of similar design to the first postal history material from members’ private day cover, will be available from Collections and collections, including postal history of north philatelic counters for one year from 11 Wales; franks, impressions and mechanisation; November, price 21 p. postal stationery; Royal Events, British Empire Exhibition and Olympics. A feature on the Christmas Stamp Booh displays will be found in the Stampex Catalogue. A book containing 20 second class (18p) New Post Office Chief Executive Christmas stamps will go on sale at post offices, the British Philatelic Bureau, Collections and Sir Bryan Nicholson retires as Chairman and philatelic counters on 10 November, price £3.60. Chief Executive of The Post Office on 21 The book will remain on general sale until 24 October. He will then remain as part-time December unless sold out earlier; it will remain Chairman until the end of the year to allow time on philatelic sale for one year. for his part-time successor to be chosen by the The book will be of similar format to the Government. Sir Bryan has shown a keen Greetings book; the stamps being in panes with interest in philatelic matters, particularly the margins at top and bottom. future of the National Postal Museum. He The cover design is by Karen Murray, printing outlined the Post Office’s commitment to by Harrisons in lithography (stamps by philately when he opened the Stamp World Harrisons in photogravure). London ’90 exhibition (see Bulletin, July 1990). Mr Bill Cockbum, CBE, TD, Managing Christmas 18p stamp Director of Royal Mail since 1986, becomes Chief Executive of The Post Office from 22 Collectors are advised that it will be in order to October 1992. Mr Cockbum joined the then affix just the 18p Christmas stamp to covers to GPO in 1961. recieve all special cancels (“First Day of Issue”, The new Managing Director of Royal Mail sponsored, and philatelic counter) in use on 10 will be Mr Peter Howarth, currently Managing November. The minimum 1st class rate rule is Director of Parcelforce. A number of other suspended on this day as the Christmas set changes of responsibility are also taking place includes a 2nd class rate stamp. It should be noted amongst PO top management. Commenting on that this concession applies only to the 18p the appointments, Mr Cockburn, said: “Our top Christmas stamp; covers bearing other than priority is to delight our customers with high Christmas stamps must bear at least 24p postage. quality services throughout the Post Office”.

British Philatelic Bulletin - October 1992 31