Issue # 148 Winter

2020

1 EDITIORIAL: by Eddie Mays November 2020

ho would have thought that at the start of the 21st century we would be walking W around with facemasks on and not being able to see our families. To paraphrase Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’. We might as well be living on Mars. However we are not and the business of the Society has to a large extent carried on. The winter issue of ‘Postmark’ is here, Kevin is successfully conducting postal auctions, the Packets, whilst in suspension as I write this during lockdown, are in circulation and through the marvels of modern technology we are able to hold regular video presentations (not the same as club meetings but the next best thing.). I am at present putting together a schedule of video evenings to take us through to April 2021 (See Page 11). If you would like to join us and are unsure of how to then please do contact me. It is simple, free and may help you keep in touch with others. n the following pages I hope you will find all the news, reports on speakers and several I very good articles, including Roger Harris’s article on the Southampton Post Office Band and Robin Pope’s Farthing piece. s a Society we are in a very fortunate position that, where other Societies are A struggling, we have enough members with enough technical knowhow and enthusiasm to keep the Society active but we do need help in a couple of roles; I have edited the last two editions of ‘Postmark’ but I really would like someone else to take over the position. I am happy to help with a smooth transition (see page 20). Patrick (Goethals) who has been our Librarian for the past several years is returning to his native France Belgium, as a direct result of BREXIT. He has done sterling work, particularly with the Portsmouth library and we are very grateful to him for all his efforts. nd finally to everyone reading this edition may I wish you a very happy Christmas and A may we all be able to spend it with our families and loved ones. Keep well and safe.

My sincere thanks go to all the following members who have contributed to this issue, in alphabetical order (by surname):

Patrick Austin, John Berridge, Mel Bradshaw, Kevin Chard, Ian Greig, Roger Harris, Peter Jones, Malcolm Montgomery, Robin Pope, Mike Torreggiani, Mike Vokes and the Video Presenters; Keith Burton, Malcolm Coe, Geoffrey Eibl-Kaye, Julian Jones and Peter Wingent.

Edited by Eddie Mays. Reproduction of this magazine, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the Southampton & District Philatelic Society is expressly forbidden. © S & D. P. S. 2020

2 CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN: by Dr Mel Bradshaw October 2020

ith the continuing impact of Covid-19, this issue of Postmark is being printed and W distributed earlier than normal in an effort to keep members as fully informed as possible and to confirm how we plan to move forward over the coming months. The next auction is planned for February, replacing the usual January and March evening auctions. This will be a larger auction than the usual evening auctions and, as with recent auctions, it will be a postal auction, although Kevin will advise every one of any opportunities to view lots. The catalogue will be sent in a later mailing, which will include my regular Newsletter. It is also important to check our Website (www.southamptondps.org.uk) for up-to-date information if you are able. he impact of Covid-19 has meant we are living through strange, disturbing and uncertain T times. The membership of SDPS is wide, but unfortunately most of our membership is in a vulnerable category. It is for this reason that we have been very careful in judging when to restart face-to-face meetings. We had hoped to have a couple of trial meetings at Chandler’s Ford this autumn, but circumstances have changed and it is unlikely that any face-to-face meetings will take place until after March, 2021. The October auction, usually our ‘Saturday, Grand Auction at Peartree Church Hall’ became an enhanced Postal Auction. If circumstances change we will attempt to host two ‘Grand Auctions’ in 2021, but exactly when will be decided once we see how the pandemic develops over coming months. espite the limitations imposed by the virus, the Society continues to make every effort D to offer members value for their £10 subscription, and it is encouraging that the number of members who were previously actively involved in Society activities, such as by attending meetings, contributing to auctions as vendor or bidder or receiving the Society Packet, have maintained their involvement, albeit in a rather modified form. An innovation stimulated especially by our Secretary, Eddie Mays, has been the introduction of ‘Zoom’ displays. These have been a great success and have attracted members who do not normally get to face-to- face meetings, in addition to many ‘visitors’. The committee agreed to the purchase a full 12 month ‘Zoom licence’, which has enabled meetings to last longer than the previous limit of 40 minutes. My thanks to all those who have displayed, or offered to display in the future. Eddie is currently producing a programme of displays to cover the period to the end of March, and it is hoped that these will feature a number of guest presenters. If you wish to join a Zoom meeting please email [email protected] to confirm your interest. s with all organisations at this time, it is essential that as large a group of members as A possible takes an active part in running the Society. Unfortunately we have lost or are about to lose some key people. If they cannot be replaced it is probable that we will have to curtail some activities or publications. The Society has or will soon have the following vacancies: Postmark Editor and Librarian. If any of you can give a hand in any of these areas please contact Eddie or me.

3 s we come to the end of the year, your officers will be producing reports for the Annual A General Meeting. We hope that by April a live face-to-face AGM will be possible. Whatever happens however, all members will receive a printed copy of all the reports due to be presented at the AGM. eanwhile, I hope you are all keeping safe and as active and busy as circumstances M allow. If anyone has any suggestions of how we can further involve members please let Eddie or me know. As this will be our last postal distribution this year, I and all the committee wish you a very happy Christmas and look forward to keeping in touch—and even seeing you— in the new year. AUCTION UPDATE: by Kevin Chard (Hon. Auctioneer) October 2020

ur October postal only Auction went well with total sales (including advanced sales) O exceeding £8k and nearing £9k. We sold 41% of the lots offered. Unsold lots have been offered for sale through the website and will hopefully build useful additional sales – I am writing this update just as this process has launched.

he revenue from October is higher than for a traditional evening auction but so are the T costs and the preparation time involved is greater as well. The sales are far below what we would expect from a Grand Auction. As a consequence we have decided to proceed on the following basis for the extended lockdown period:

 There will be one postal only auction in February, notionally on the 16th to fit in with the evening programme should circumstances change dramatically.  This will be organised in a similar fashion to October – there will be 600+ lots and viewing of lots will be available for those who can / want it.  The concept of having a Grand Auction will be postponed until we are confident that the situation has returned to normal.

he situation is very fluid at the moment but we will maintain at least three Auctions per T year throughout lockdown style restrictions. By the time you read this, the February Auction may well be full but please do not hesitate to contact me if you have lots to sell as the next Auction will not be far away.

CAN YOU HELP? — WILL YOU HELP? EDITOR or LIBRARIAN

4 PACKET MANAGER’S REPORT: by Dr Mel Bradshaw November 2020

ince the Packet Circuits were restarted there has been very good involvement of S members. Very few members have taken their names off the circuits and some new names added. The guidance which was put in place when the circuits resumed, after the lifting of lockdown, remains and we will continue to review this guidance following any changes in government policy.

ive boxes completed their circuits since the restart, with cheques paid and books F returned in either August or September. Three further boxes should be ready for payment in early November. A total of fifteen boxes are usually circulating around members.

otal sales in boxes paid to date during 2020 amounted to £4310, and sales of boxes T currently circulating are about £3520. The restrictions caused by Covid 19 and the lack of face-to-face Society meetings have resulted in a few changes to the way we operate the circuits. Wherever possible 2 boxes are sent out together on a circuit, this minimises my and members travel, and limits the possibility of contact with individuals. Unfortunately this can mean a member in the middle of a circuit can receive four boxes very quickly, two coming from each direction! Some of the circuits have been modified to take account of new members and the small size of one circuit.

e continue to co-operate with Vectis Society on the Isle of Wight. A box recently W returned from the island, and is now in general circulation, and a new box is being prepared for transfer to the island. If any member would like to join the circuits, please let me know and, of course, we are always looking for good quality booklets to put in to our boxes. COMMITTEE MEETING: Scheduled for Tues., 8th December 2020 at 19:30

espite the unnatural circumstances that the Society find itself in it has to continue to D operate in a business like manner and to that end there will be a full Committee Meeting via a video link on the above date & time. All aspects of the Society’s activities; Chairman’s report, Auctioneer’s & Packet Manger’s reports & Treasurer’s report together with discussion about the Society’s future programme and meetings plus the Committee vacancies are all on the Agenda. Any member who has other matters that he or she feels should be discussed should contact the Secretary ([email protected]) at the earliest opportunity so that the subject may be added to the agenda. Eddie Mays, Secretary, 19th November 2020

5 MEMBERSHIP & CHANDLER’S FORD: by Mike Vokes (Membership Sec. & Convener)

ention was made in the last Postmark edition of the application for membership that M we had received from Vania McLeod. We welcome back to the Society Stuart Ullathorne, who moved to Scotland, but has decided to renew his acquaintance with us in the deep south. We welcome vendor Julian Ingram from Chandlers Ford and Keith Burton, the ABPS house magazine editor, from Harrogate. Those who join the Zoom meetings have been able to communicate with Keith, as he is a regular participant.

ery recently there has been another very welcome batch of fresh applications, including V from Devon Peter Mills (Some time Secretary of the Winchester Society ) John Wills, a Royal Society member from New Milton. Neville Carr and Steve Print join from the Isle of Wight. Most of the recent applications are as a result of the very successful Zoom meetings organised by our Secretary Eddie Mays. Unfortunately due to the various lockdown restrictions, the formalities of new member admissions have still to be completed, but all of the applicants have paid, or, are in the process of paying their annual subscriptions. OBITUARY: JOHN YEATES by Steve Gerrard (Friend) September 2020

knew John for many years when he lived up the road from me and we often met in I Woolston. When I joined the SDPS Packet circuit the next person on the list was John. Many a time we spent a lot of time talking about stamps. John collected Germany and Christmas among other areas. He was involved in the Peartree Green URC and was involved with local projects. He enjoyed gardening, had his own allotment and sold plants at church events in the area. John survived COVID-19 but caught pneumonia soon after and was placed in a local Rest Home close to his home and died after a short illness. I will miss John for his conversation and he is now at rest. I attended his funeral both as a friend and as a representative of the Society COMMITTEE VACANCIES FILLED:

by Dr Mel Bradshaw (Chairman)

e are indebted to STEVE GERRARD, who has managed to find time in his very W busy schedule to resume the positions of Archivist and Curator of the Society Collection. Steve has recently taken on the position of Hampshire Federation Secretary as well as becoming the convener for the South Central Branch of the German Philatelic Society. 6 AUTUMN VIDEO PRESENTATIONS: by VARIOUS SPEAKERS

n September Julian Jones returned, talking this time about the Anglo-US Postal Treaty I between Feb. 1849 & Dec. 1867. This treaty established a common method of charging postage for mail between Britain and America. Initially there were offices of the exchange in London & Liverpool in Britain and Boston & New York in the US, others were added in the US & Dublin later. The rate was established at 24c (40c for West Coast mail later on) from America or 1/- (1sh) from Britain per 1/2 ounce, divided as follows; 3c GB internal, 16c ocean postage & 5c US internal. The Ocean postage was allocated by the nationality of the ship contracted to carry that piece of mail. Cunard was the only British shipping company contracted, all other mail was carried by US lines. In what was an incredibly complicated system of accounting each piece of mail showed which country should receive what fees and the whole system was balanced at the end of each month and any outstanding sums were paid in silver.

aving described the H system in detail the main body of the presentation was a variety of covers that illustrated the combinations of rates, including the cover shown, which is one of only nine bearing the red 21c that was used between June 1864 and March 1865.

ulian went on to explain the increasing importance of the Liverpool Floating Receiving J House for the late collection of mail. He finished his talk by showing examples from the other Offices of Exchange that were opened later; Philadelphia, Portland (Maine), Detroit, Chicago, Dublin and Baltimore. (in chronological order).

e took to the air for our next presentation when Peter Wingent spoke about the W “Imperial Airways Empire Flying Boats at Southampton 1936 – 1940”. By the early 1930s routes to both South Africa and via the Far East to Australia were being established by aeroplanes flying from Croydon near London but both the planes and the airfields were small and numerous. The Empire flying boats, both the S 23 and the larger S 30, represented a better choice both from capacity and range.

7 y March 1937 all flights had transferred to Southampton where the flying boats were held B in Southampton Water, opposite Hythe. This meant that passengers and mail had to travel from the terminal at Southampton docks to the flying boats in tenders, not always a pleasant experience in rough weather. During April — August 1938 the flying boats were accommodated at Berth 101 at the top of Southampton docks. The improvements in the facilities and the expansion of the services were well documented in the presentation by both photographs and many press cuttings from the Southampton Echo. By December 1938 twin docking berths were established at Berth 108. as shown below. n August 1939 a weekly I service to New York was established using S.30 “Caribou” but the war intervened and the Imperial Airways operation was moved to Poole, where the facilities were found to be inadequate, they then returned back to Southampton and then as the danger of bombing increased back once more to Poole in January 1940.

ur early October presentation was by Geoffrey Eibl-Kaye and was entitled O “Lithographic & Photogravure Stamp Printing Processes”. In fact the title did not begin to cover the wealth of material that Geoffrey presented to the audience. Starting with early examples of lithographic and letterpress printings he then showed a direct comparison between the Letterpress stamps from the 1912-24 period with the Photogravure stamps of 1934-36. His next comparison showed that compared against both lithography and gravure the Intaglio process gave a very much better image.

n 1939 the leading supplier of printing inks was the German company BASF. Britain needed I to conserve printing inks as much as possible and different methods were adopted which led to lighter coloured stamps. Geoffrey then discussed in detail the colour screening and screen angles that were adopted when four colour progressive printing became the norm. He also paid tribute to the work of Harrison’s and showed some photographs from the early days of Gravure cylinder etching, when workmen came to work with a collar and tie.

s technology advanced so did the quality of the printing of stamps. In particular the North A Korean four colour progressive printing process produced some outstanding stamps. All 8 the way through his presentation not only was the material shown superb but Geoffrey’s detailed commentary helped the audience understand the complexities involved. The latest development that was discussed was Stochastic screening. The Canadian company Lowe- Martin is a world leader in this field with nine colour printing. The penultimate frame was of some Canadian stamps designed by Dorothy Knowles. When Geoffrey enlarged the stamps it was possible to see the rich depth of colours that were present through the nine colour printing process. No examples of his presentation are shown simply because the finite detail shown has been lost when the images are shrunk to fit these pages.

he late October presentation was given by Malcolm Coe and told the story of the T eleven stamps shown below. A simple tale but it showed an insight into the “British Military Postage Services in Egypt during the period 1932—1935”. In 1932 the Egyptian Government decided to increase the postal charges for Forces mail from 10 milliemes to 15 milliemes. In response the British Government paid their Egyptian counterparts the reputed sum of £10,000 for the first year and then £6,000 each year for the next two years and in exchange they were allowed to produce a series of stamps to be sold in the NAAFI canteens and shops. These were affixed to the back of the envelope and sealed the flap shut. The first one issued (top left) was in fact called a ‘Postal Seal’. It was printed by Hanbury, Tomsett & Co (London) and were the only stamps they ever produced.

lmost immediately after the first issue an ‘XMAS SEAL’ was produced in Cairo (see A middle row above) and this was repeated in increasing numbers each Christmas, always to the same design but in different colours. In August 1933 a second series was issued, again with NAAFI logo as the central design but this time the wording was changed to ’Letter Seal’.. Throughout the whole period these seals were cancelled with either a red or a black rhomboid cancellation and examples of both were shown. The third and fourth series were called stamps and were of a completely different design and were produced by Harrison & Sons (Ldn) (top & middle right) in greater numbers. Malcolm said that interestingly in 9 general mint stamps were fairly easy to find but used stamps carried a much greater premium. The rarest of the series were the 27,000 stamps that were overprinted with King George V Silver Jubilee.

alcolm then dealt with the front of the envelopes. Here each envelope carried a crown M cancellation with a number in the centre indicating where the cover was posted. There were 25 separate numbers but Nos. 2 & 24 were never used and No. 7 is reputed to have fallen down a well. There were eight Military Postal Stations, each one had two numbers but these were moved between stations. Malcolm showed a table detailing their movements. He finished his talk by showing examples of regimental badges that he had been unable to trace and he welcomed suggestions from the audience on their origins.

eith Burton has given our most recent talk and in his presentation entitled “Fackellauf K (Torch Run) for the 1972 Munich Olympics” he took us on a journey of over 5,500 miles and involving nearly 6,000 torch bearers. From the Greek actresses who lit the torch at Noon on the 28 July at Olympus we were shown how the procession travelled north to the Turkish border stopping each night at a different town or city, where a new cover or postmark was produced. For the short journey through Turkey a German interpreter was provided for each vehicle, proving that the torch was carried by several means of transport.

t reached the Bulgarian border on the 9 August and the distances between overnight I stops meant that various methods of carrying the Torch were again used. The Bulgarian stamps featured stylised naked athletes. The next country visited was Romania and the Torch arrived in the capital Bucharest on 13 Aug, where a miniature sheet was produced. The Torch had a long journey through Romania before turning south and entering Yugoslavia.

hroughout the evening Keith illustrated his talk with both maps of the routes through T the various countries and also many covers, often from each stopover, as well as the sets of individual stamps. The Yugoslavian stamps were all of the same design with just a different cancellation for each town or city and in fact one cover that was shown had the incorrect date supplied. The Torch’s arrival in Hungary was greeted by a major ceremony and the route into Bucharest (19 Aug) was accompanied by a helicopter flying over head dropping flowers. Hungary was also the country that produced the most philatelic material with several series of stamps being issued. The route through the country paralleled the course of the Danube, although not running alongside the river. On the Aug 22 the Torch entered Vienna (Austria) before travelling to Salzburg, then briefly into Germany before returning to Austria and visiting Innsbruck, home of the 1964 Winter Olympics. Disappointingly the Germans only issued one design of stamps just in different colours. [CONTINUED ON PAGE 23] 10 FORTHCOMING VIDEO PRESENTATIONS: December 2020 - April 2021

Some Speakers to be confirmed

am really excited by the probable program that is taking shape for the period from early I December until April 2021. You will see from the schedule below that I have changed the format of a couple of the evenings. This is in response from members and will, I hope, encourage more of you to become involved. It really is quite painless and we even have a support team (Julian, Malcolm and I) to help you, just get in touch with me and we will help you to get organised. he first of these changes is an additional meeting on the 15th December. I know that T lockdown should be over and that we do not usually have a second meeting in December but we are living in strange times. The idea is that members will select their favourite Christmas item, send me an image (either a jpg or a pdf) and I will arrange a running order. I will do all the showing and you will just have to tell us why you choose your item. The wearing of Christmas hats is not compulsory but raising a glass is! It will be a chance to celebrate the festive season with friends apart. SO DO JOIN US!

Dec. 1st JOHN WILLS FEDERATION OF RHODESIA AND NYASALAND

Dec. 15th CLUB EVENING ADDITIONAL MEETING (see above)

Jan. 5th TOM ANDERSON — POSTCARDS of the NATIVES of BORNEO — Cfmd

Jan. 19th PETER COCKBURN - MALAYASIAN PERFINS - Confirmed Feb. 2nd Pt 1. — JULIAN JONES - OCEAN LETTERS - Confirmed Pt 2. — Recent Acquisitions (Members Show and Tell)

Feb. 16th GRAHAM WINTERS (ABPS) - 12 FRAMES …. 12 CLASSES (TBC)

Mar. 2nd SUE LAMBERT - WOMEN ON USA STAMPS - Confirmed

Mar. 16th RICHARD WHEATLEY - EGYPT: HOTEL POST OFFICES - Confirmed

Apr. 6th TWO MINI PRESENTATIONS (TBC)

Apr. 20th A.G.M. (by Zoom if necessary) or Guest Speaker

www.southamptondps.org.uk always has the latest information

11 POSTAL HISTORY of the SOLENT SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS’ BRANCH OFFICE by Malcolm Montgomery

etters arriving off ships for immediate despatch overseas were L sometimes processed by the Southampton Docks Branch Office although, with the high volume of maritime traffic using Southampton in the early twentieth century it is sometimes difficult to identify with any certainty the ships involved. The postcard below is an example of an ‘intermediate’ mail. Left: Front & Below: Reverse of Postcard

he Union Castle Line and the Post Offices on board its principal ships on the T Southampton to Table Bay route are subjects well covered. Less well-known are the ‘intermediate’ vessels that, for the most part covered other ports of call adjacent to the main mail route, and did not have Post Offices on board. The card illustrated was written by a passenger on board ‘Gaika’, Union-Castle intermediate steamship, when she called at Las Palmas northbound from Table Bay to Southampton and was passed to the Docks’ Branch Office, where the stamp was cancelled. Courtesy of ‘The Times’ (archive, on line) it is possible to track ‘Gaika’ and the other vessels on that route in September 1906 with some degree of certainty. The principal mail vessel northbound was ‘Kildonan Castle’ out of Table Bay on 5th September 1906, calling at Madeira on the 18th and arriving at Southampton at 4.45 a.m. on the 22nd. ‘Gaika’ had sailed earlier, on 30th August, called at Las Palmas on 15th September and is recorded as having passed Hurst Castle 7.10 a.m. on the 22nd September 1906. The card was passed pretty much immediately to ‘Kinfauns Castle’, sailing that afternoon and arriving at Table Bay on 9th October 1906 and bears a Prieska handstamp dated the following day. 12 A FARTHING FOR YOUR THOUGHTS: by Robin Pope October 2020

nspired by John Dorrington’s article in a recent POSTMARK I have been trying to get I some of my stuff sorted and mounted, and occasionally asking WHY? (Not just why am I doing this incidentally!). was busy with Turks and Caicos and was curious about the one farthing stamp first I issued in 1909, followed by several later issues. I looked through the Stanley Gibbons Commonwealth catalogue and noted that at least eight other colonies issued stamps at the one farthing rate, and yet here in GB we never did, even though I remember the little coin with its wren design, last minted in 1956. To be honest I cannot recall what that was used for either. guess there was good reason, so I would be delighted to hear from anyone who can say I WHY these stamps were printed for those quiet far-flung corners of the Empire. If you wish to add recollections about the coin, be my guest!

PANDA FAIRS PROGRAMME: by Peter Jones (Solent Stamps)

adly further fairs have had to be cancelled, up to and including 1st November, so far. S The remaining four in 2020 must be in doubt. Please check www.pandafairs.co.uk if you are able, or if not please contact me by phone on 01489 582673 or by email to [email protected] for the latest information know from the many calls to me, asking about the fairs, that there is a keen enthusiasm I to get back to them but we need to protect the safety of customers and dealers as a priority, and follow the various safety rules affecting our hobby gatherings. Postal Possibilities hilst waiting for a return to more normal conditions, I am starting to load up my stock W of stamps, postal history and postcards in preparation for a website. In the meantime you can ring or e-mail me and I will be pleased to hear your collecting interests. I have recently been loading Swedish stamps, GB / Commonwealth postal history, liner postcards for example but will send details, listings, scans, etc. of anything that I have that may be of interest, however unusual. Please contact me, and I will see if I can help.

13 PROFILE # 32: PATRICK AUSTIN by John Berridge

hen Patrick recently gave a W display of Corsini letters (Italian merchants of the late 1500s) I remembered a display 30 years ago when Postal Historian Robson Lowe, showed us a selection of Corsini letters that he had recently purchased. Robbie would be delighted to know that some of these letters had found a good home and were once more on display to the Southampton Philatelic Society. ike many of us, Patrick’s stamp L collecting started as a teenager when his father gave him a world-wide stamp collection that was housed in a French album of 1939. His father was in the Navy during WWII; he bought the album in Alexandria and added to it with the stamps of wherever he happened to be posted - Patrick still has the album. Patrick set up and ran the school philatelic society, but it was not until he retired that he was able to resume collecting. His original interest was to collect every GB stamp from 1840 to 1970 and this has, to a large extent, been achieved. However, this collection has expanded to include UMM examples from King Edward VII onwards, plate numbers, inverted and sideways watermarks, postmarks, commemorative FDCs, flaws and varieties. A major task still to be tackled is for the Victorian penny reds from the various printings and plates to be identified and mounted. atrick’s interest in postal history was sparked by his purchase, whilst in Essex at an P auction, of a box of Salford-based family Victorian letters. This interest in postal history has, to a certain extent, taken over from his GB stamp collection. When, in 2015, Patrick moved to Romsey for family reasons he joined the Southampton Philatelic Society. Since then his postal history collection has expanded considerably and ranges from a Quit Claim of 1322, to the Corsini letters, to Bishop Marks of the late 1600s through to Victorian covers. The contents of these letters and watermarks provide a fascinating insight into personal lives and historical events which inevitably leads to further research. In addition to this society, Patrick is a member of the Royal Philatelic Society, the Great Britain Philatelic Society and the Postal History Society.

14 atrick was born in Wanstead, east London and was brought up in Buckhurst Hill and P Chipping Ongar in Essex. He attended Buckhurst Hill County High School and met his future wife, Juliet, underneath the clock at Victoria Station when their respective schools met up for a joint skiing trip. They were married in December 1969 and celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary last year. Patrick graduated in Civil Engineering at Manchester and soon afterwards was working on the construction of an Aluminium Smelter at Lynemouth. He then moved to Gillingham, Kent working on the second Dartford tunnel (now the M25), the Jubilee Line in London and the Isle of Grain power station, at which time he took the examination to become a Chartered Civil Engineer. In 1977 he joined a firm of Loss Adjusters in London to set up their construction division. Here he dealt with building insurance claims and travelled the country as their engineering consultant. He became the first Civil Engineer to qualify as a Chartered Loss Adjuster (Juliet says it was she who got him through the exams!) and then took the exams to qualify as a Chartered Structural Engineer. In 1990 Patrick, together with a solicitor and a fellow civil engineer set up a firm of Chartered Loss Adjusters to handle worldwide construction works and liability related insurance claims, professional indemnity claims made against engineers, surveyors and architects as well as personal injury claims. Among the instructions that the firm handled was the Docklands Light Railway, Stanstead Airport, Sheffield Supertram and Faslane nuclear submarine base. Overseas work included damage caused by Hurricane Marilyn in the Caribbean. By the time of Patrick’s retirement in 2012 he was acting as an expert witness for councils and local authorities defending architects, engineers, surveyors and local authorities - in the main being on the winning side. atrick and Juliet’s two daughters were born in 1974 and 1976. Sarah lives in the French P Alps with her husband Tim, whilst Caroline lives in Romsey with her partner Keith and son Sebastian. Another of Patrick’s interests are steam trains, thanks to his father who built working model steam trains. As a teenager he remembers visiting Bitterne Park and now he and his daughter Caroline are members of the Southampton Society of Model Engineers who run the track. uliet and Patrick have a great interest in antiques, art, architecture, history and geography J and are members of and volunteers at numerous organisations. As a result of their many interests they have travelled extensively. They are collectors of pottery and glass (18th century drinking glasses). Patrick still skis and accompanies Juliet around the golf course but has given up cricket, badminton and fishing. atrick is the Assistant Programme Secretary working with Kevin Chard but with the P present restrictions on meetings his work in this connection is somewhat limited. We look forward to the day when we can return to some sort of normality and meetings can be resumed.

15 VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – insufficiently paid post for Christmas. by Ian Greig FRPSL FRPSV

An early form of indication of Postage Due was the use of ”DETAINED FOR POSTAGE”

n official card from the Assistant Commissioner of Lands and Survey posted between A 10:45 and 11:30 a.m. (Date Letter “K”) on the 24 December 1872 at Melbourne Post Office was posted without being “Franked”. The Melbourne Post Office cancelled the card at the time it was posted and added the “DETAINED FOR 2d POSTAGE” for the Inland single rate postage required for forwarding it. It is assumed the office junior was dispatched to the Post Office having been informed the card had been held, applied the department “Frank Stamp” in blue. The Post Office cancelled the card between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. (Date Letter “X”) and the card was dispatched.

he card was received by T Richmond Post Office later that afternoon and cancelled “RICHMOND, DC 24, 72, VICTORIA” and the postman tried to deliver it to the Richmond Town Clerk but clearly the Town Clerk Office had closed early for Christmas and so the card was forwarded to the Dead Letter Office receiving “D.L.O.., DC 24, I 72 P, VICTORIA, in green, it remained at the Dead Letter Office until 9 January 1873 as the recipient’s pen note indicates.

he moral of the story is not T to drink too much at the office Christmas party and to keep a clear head on Christmas Eve to avoid delaying the post!

16 SOUTHAMPTON P. O. BRASS BAND by Roger Harris June 2020

s Southampton grew in the early years of the twentieth century, so did the town's Post A office establishment, and with it came several staff sports clubs and associations, including a prize winning brass band.

he band was seemingly formed in 1900 or 1901, and by July 1909 it was chosen to T head the procession of the Winchester Postmen's Church Parade from the Cathedral to the Broadway. The proceedings were reported at length in the Hampshire Chronicle for July 3rd 1909. Mr. G G Kent, Postmaster of Southampton, expressed his great pleasure at being present with the band, and said 'he thought these annual parades of the public servants at the Post office were very useful in emphasising the importance of the postal service, without which the commerce of the world would stop.' And that 'It was desirable that postmen should magnify their office and recognise they were citizens of no mean Empire, and held no mean position in the country.

month later the Western Daily Press of August 4th 1909 reported on a brass band A contest held at Marlborough. Fifteen bands had entered for the many different classes, and the overall judge for the day was Mr. James Briar of Bradford, Yorkshire. Of the two technical test pieces, which would separate the good from the truly excellent, Southampton Post Office Band came third in one, but scooped the silver cup by coming first in the other. It was reported that 'A series of athletic sports was carried out, and at the close of the competition, the prizes were presented by the Mayor (Mr. W. S. Bambridge). There was an attendance of several thousand people.'

17 n June 1913 the Hampshire Independent for June 14th reported on the meeting of the I Southampton Public Lands and Markets Committee, which was discussing the possible site for a memorial to the Titanic Engineers. Preliminary to the main business the committee also discussed 'tenders received for band performances in the Parks and on the Common, in accordance with the usual terms and conditions. The bandsmen to appear in uniform, from the 1st Hants R.G.A., 5th Battalion Hants Regiment, the Police Band, Southampton Post Office Band, Southampton Town Band, The Salvation Army, South Hants Temperance Band, and the Shirley Military Band at £5 each performance, and it was resolved to accept the tenders, the first four bands to be engaged for three performances, and the remaining bands for two performances'.

914 started with the band advertising their 13th annual concert in the Hartley Hall. The 1 Hampshire Advertiser for January 24th 1914 reports that 'they have prepared a capital programme to gratify all tastes', including '”Grand Festival Overture”, “The Girl on the Film”, “The Marriage Market” and a descriptive fantasia'. The band music was interspersed with other artistes, including 'Mr. J. Goddard and his living marionettes, accompanist Miss Cora Constable', who were 'so popular at the last concert that they have been booked again for this,' together with 'The charming Australian soprano, Miss Carrie Lanceley, and Mr. Anderson Nichol, celebrated tenor'. The advertisement noted that the Conductor of the band would be 'Mr. G. H. Cooke. Doors open at 7.30 - Commence at 8 – Carriages at 10.15. Tickets (Reserved Seats 2s 6d), 2s. and 1s, can be obtained at the Head Post Office of all Postmen, and F. J. Birkett, Secretary.'

he Southampton P. O. Band did not limit their engagements to prestigious events, but T were more than happy to support smaller, local groups as well. The Hampshire Advertiser of August 21st 1915 reports on their appearance at the Sholing Gardeners' Association Annual Exhibition and Patriotic Fete. The lengthy article states that 'The large field at Birch Lawn, kindly lent by Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Vokes, was admirably suited to the requirements, and the roundabouts, swings, coconut shies, and all the other “fun of the fair” were well patronised. During the afternoon and evening the Southampton Post Office Band (under Mr. G. H. Cooke) played excellent music; and, although it was not on the programme, a little dancing was indulged in in the evening.' Despite being a full year into World War I, the August 1915 Sholing Fete, which sounds so very peaceful, was to be one of the last venues that the full band would play at for quite some time.

t the outbreak of war, Britain, unlike other European countries, had only a small standing A army, and so volunteers were called for. Groups of men from particular towns, trades and professions rallied to the call and many formed themselves into 'Pals' Battalions; and the idea of men who lived and worked together, might also fight together was nurtured by the War Office. From mid 1915 Pals battalions began to arrive at the western front, but most were held in reserve until July 1st 1916, the first day of the battle of the Somme.

report in the Gloucestershire Echo for November 19th 1915 gives a clear account of how A the Southampton Post Office Band went to war; details which were seemingly not reported in the local Southampton papers. A transcript is given on the following page.

18 GLOUCESTERSHIRE ECHO Friday 19 November 1915

The 3/5th GLOUCESTER REGIMENT'S NEW BAND

ur own local Battalion, the 3/5th Gloucester, has been very fortunate in enlisting the O nucleus of an excellent band, the Southampton Post Office Band, so that the streets of Cheltenham will, while the battalion remains in the town, resound with the strains of martial music. So far, twelve musicians and the bandmaster, Mr Cooke (late sergeant of the R.A. Band, Aldershot), have enlisted, and it is hoped that the number may shortly be increased to twenty.

he manner in which the band was enlisted may perhaps interest our readers. A week T ago today (Friday) the Adjutant of the 3/5th saw an advertisement in the “Times” stating that a well-known firm of musical publishers knew of certain bandsmen who wished to enlist. In response to a telegram a list was sent to him, and he then immediately wired to the Bandmaster of the Southampton Post Office Band, which had been in existence for at least fifteen years, the members of which, it was stated, were anxious to enlist as a body.

n Sunday the bandmaster and the secretary came up from Southampton; on O Wednesday the men left work at 2 a.m., and were all medically examined, passed, and enlisted here on the same day. Yesterday they played in uniform at the changing of the guard, less than a week after the battalion had first known of them. The instruments brought by the band are valued at £300, and it is said to have one of the largest libraries of music in existence.

e understand that a few men who were unable to get away with their comrades, and W are enlisting immediately, will add considerably to the strength of the band. It is hoped that the band, in addition to its work with the battalion (for all members must be fully trained as soldiers, though eleven of them are ex-Regulars), may give a few concerts in the Promenade. At present it will play from 4 to 4.30 p.m. at the changing of the guard which takes place daily outside the Battalion's Headquarters, “Stoneleigh”, Queen's-parade.

______oOo______

ews of the Southampton Post Office Band does not surface again until a report in the N Hampshire Telegraph for July 28th 1922 states that the band '(under Bandmaster Cotton) rendered delightful selections of music during the day,' at the 'thirty-seventh annual Curdridge and Botley Horticultural Society Show'.

n 1923 the Southampton Council Public Lands Committee advertised music on I Southampton Common throughout the summer by ten bands, including that of Southampton Post Office. The Post Office Band also played at the Curdridge and Botley

19 Horticultural Society Show in July, and in August at Romsey Show, the performance was 'continuous – 9 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.).

n August again, the band attended South Stoneham House cricket ground for the inter- I staff cricket match between Reading and Southampton Post Office Engineers. 'The Reading visitors, numbering about 50 in all, were conducted round the automatic exchange on their arrival at midday. The entire company then proceeded in chars-a-bancs to South Stoneham House. The Southamptonians proved too good on this occasion and ran out winners of an excellent game by 30 runs. The two staffs sat down to tea in the marquee erected [and] the rest of the evening was spent in sports, games, and dancing, the music being supplied by the Southampton Post Office Band, under Conductor H. Grout.'

he band (under Mr. Grout), played again at Curdridge Flower show in 1924, which was T mentioned in the Hampshire Telegraph of July 18th. There is then no further mention of band activity until 1937, when the Hampshire Advertiser for March 13th noted that Burley Coronation Committee met to discuss plans for the Royal event. It was reported that 'Correspondence from the secretary of the Southampton Post Office brass band was read, and it was proposed by Mr. House, and seconded by Mr. F. Marchant, that their terms be accepted. They were, therefore, engaged for the day on the unanimous vote of the meeting.'

he final mention of the band was in the Portsmouth News of July 13th 1937, when they T gave an evening concert following the Union of Post Officer Workers Rally at Southampton.

uite when the band officially stopped performing is unclear, but it seems that with Q increasing volumes of mail, mechanisation, and the growing threat of another war to end all wars, it was probably defunct by the outbreak of war in 1939. It had however, over nearly forty years, given good service to the Post Office by 'showing the flag', and doubtless a great deal of pleasure to all that heard it play.

______oOo______WANTED URGENTLY NEW EDITOR am unwilling to continue as Editor after this issue and the Committee is I looking to find another volunteer for the Spring 2021 issue. The magazine is produced using the Microsoft Publisher package. The programme is fairly simple to use and I am happy to be available to help where necessary. Anyone wanting to find out more about what is involved please contact me at [email protected] or by phone on 02380 402194. Eddie Mays (Editor, pro temp)

20 THE HEROES of the EMDEN? by Mike Torreggiani October 2020

chance A purchase from a dealer’s box of flown covers and cards led me to buy this 1929 postal card Mi. P 185 with a view of the palace at Mannheim. Although not in pristine condition, I was attracted by the postmark Weltreise Kreuzer Emden. I knew of the battle between the SMS Emden and HMAS Sydney at Cocos Island, in the Indian Ocean, in November 1914, which ended in the Emden being beached and destroyed. However, on further research, I found that a replacement Emden was launched, only to be handed over to the French navy in 1919 and then scrapped in 1926.

third Emden was launched in the early 1920s. She was the only ship of her class and A was the first large warship built in Germany after the end of World War I. She was built at the Reichsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven. Her keel was laid in December 1921 and her completed hull was launched in January 1925, eventually being commissioned into the German fleet in the following October. Her design was heavily dictated by the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles and the orders of the Allied Disarmament Commission. She was armed with a main battery of surplus 15cm (5.9in) guns left over from EMDEN III World War I,

21 mounted in single gun turrets, as mandated by the Allied powers. Emden spent the majority of her career as a training ship; in the interwar period, she conducted several world cruises to train naval cadets. This card originated from the second voyage, being written, according to the message on the reverse, in Panama before the ship returned to Germany.

t the outbreak of war, Emden laid minefields off the German coast and was damaged by A a British bomber which crashed into her. She participated in the invasion of Norway in April 1940 and then resumed training duties in the Baltic Sea. These lasted with minor interruptions until September 1944, when she was deployed to Norway to serve as the flagship of the minelaying forces there. In January 1945 she carried the disinterred remains of Paul von Hindenburg from East Prussia to prevent them from falling into the hands of the advancing Soviet Army. While undergoing repairs in Kiel, Emden was badly damaged by British bombers and later run aground outside the harbour and was blown up. The wreck was ultimately broken up in 1949.

he card was put into the postal system on 7 October 1929 where the stamps were T cancelled by the ship’s special handstamp, arriving in Berlin on 26 October 1929, a transit time of 19 days. From Berlin the card was flown, on the same day, to Fürth-Nürnberg Airport where the card received both the cachet ‘Am Luftpost befördert Flughafen Fürth- Nürnberg’ and an arrival postmark.

thought nothing further of this particular card until I saw I a rather ordinary envelope for sale on a well-known internet site. The envelope was nothing special, being sent from Xanten to the United States and postmarked 12 January 1916. The envelope received a censor release mark and the sender had affixed a cinderella charity label to seal the back. The label stated that the 10pf ‘Volkspende’ was Für die Helden der Emden. After a successful purchase, I decided to research further – why ‘heroes’?

n early August 1914, after the retreat of the German South-East Asia Squadron from I Kiautschou, the Emden (I) had remained in Pacific waters and acted as a commercial raider. During a two-month period the cruiser captured or sunk 25 civilian vessels, shelled Madras, India and destroyed two Allied warships at Penang, Malaya. On 9 November

22 1914, the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney responded to an attack on a communications station at Direction Island in the Cocos Islands (at that time part of the Straits Settlements). When the Sydney arrived at Direction Island the Emden opened fire first due to her long-range guns but was unable to inflict any disabling damage on the Sydney, who in return closed into range and opened up with her more powerful main guns. The Emden’s foremost funnel, foremast, then the second funnel and the third, were brought down; the badly damaged ship headed for the northerly North Keeling Island, pursued by the Sydney, where she ran aground. One hundred and thirty four of her crew were killed and 69 wounded. The survivors were taken aboard the Sydney on the following day and eventually transported as prisoners to Malta. The Sydney returned to Direction Island to verify the state of the wireless station there; however, on arrival it was too dark to land. Fifty German personnel from the shore party, under the command of First Lieutenant Helmuth von Müke, took the opportunity to escape. Von Müke commandeered the schooner Ayesha and although she was old and rotten, the Germans repaired her so well that, before sunset, all of the landing party, with their weapons, boarded her and made for Padang on Sumatra, in the neutral Dutch East Indies. There they rendezvoused with a German merchant vessel on 13 December 1914. The party reached Hoedia in the Ottoman Empire province of North Yemen, from where they undertook an epic overland journey under constant harassment before arriving at Constantinople on 5 May 1915. From there they travelled overland to Germany.

s a mark of honour the German Government allowed all the surviving officers and men A to suffix the word ‘Emden’ to their names. As the honour was inheritable, it is remembered to this day in the form of the numerous ‘X-Emdens’ among German citizens still extant. So, were the crew of the Emden who escaped and returned home safely, heroes or not? The answer must lie in the opinion of the reader!

Captains Glossop’s, HMAS Sydney, report to the Admiralty of the encounter with the Emden can be read on: http://www.navalhistory.net/WW1Battle1411SydneyVEmden.htm Ed. Note: This article first appeared in the Feb. 2014 issue of ‘Germania’

[1972 Olympic Torch Run concluded]

he Torch then travelled north and arrived in Munich on Aug 26 where the flame was T divided into two. One lit a brazier at the Maximilianeum and was then carried to the Olympic stadium for the Opening Ceremony and the other was despatched by a relay of 12 motorcyclists towards Kiel, nearly 1,000 km to the north, for the sailing regatta and then on to Augsburg for the canoeing events. At Kassel a boat of eight rowers brought the flame across the River Fulda. The flame reached both destinations on time and before the regattas started.

Keith admitted he hadn’t been able to identify all the methods of transport used but each of the 5,976 torch bearers received a certificate for their part in the ‘Run’.

23 INTERREGNUM LETTER: By Patrick Austin September 2020

have recently asked for help concerning the addresses upon letters that I had researched I and written up during the Covid 19 lockdown. What prompted this query was a 1657 letter that had been sent during the Cromwell Interregnum period which had the word “these” on the front. The letter is short and, although not Southampton based, I thought that it might be of interest to SPS. y interest in letters is not only with the postmarks, postal rates and routes but also M with the contents as they give a glimpse of the social life at the times. This particular letter is pre-postmark period; Bishop marks did not appear until 1661. My procedure is to transcribe the letter front and contents, research the writer and recipient and then look at such items as the seal and paper watermark (and that is another extensive avenue of new interest!). he letter front and contents are shown on the following pages and was sent on May T 4th1657 by Andrew Barker in Faireford “For the honorable Justice Hale these att London” It is endorsed in a second hand, presumably by the clerk to Justice Hale “M Barker concerning payt of mony” The letter reads:

“ Honourd Sir I have recd your letter and have deliverd the morgage to my Brother in law Mr John Robinson whom I appoint my deputy to receave the seven hundred pounds and to make the indorsment of it, which I doe hereby pro mise shall be as good and effectuall as if I had done it my selfe, he shall wait uppon you this next weeke to receave the mony and I suppose Mr Brooks with him. I shall cease farther troubling you at present more than to manifest my selfe in a humble subscription Sir Faireford May 4th Your thankfull and obleiged 1657 Servant And: Barker”

even hundred pounds was a large sum of money to borrow in 1657 (it is difficult to S calculate, but is somewhere upward of £1.5 million at today’s values), so who is Andrew 24 Barker and how is Justice Hale able to lend such a large sum? Andrew Barker (c.1618-1700) was one of three brothers who were left property in and around Bristol when their father, a successful merchant, died in 1636. His early career in the Civil War period is not known, but he emerged from those years to be in a position to take advantage, in the late 1640s and early 1650s, of the distress sales of land by former Cavaliers who needed to raise capital to pay off their fines. Andrew's core purchase was of the manor of Warwick Court at Fairford, Gloucestershire, near Cirencester, which he purchased from Sir Robert Tracy in or about 1650 and forms part of his marriage settlement with Elizabeth Robinson in 1651. It is not known where his personal sympathies lay in the Civil War and Commonwealth period, but it is suggested that he was a secret Royalist, for in 1661-2, immediately after the Restoration of the Monarchy, he embarked on the building of a fashionable new house at Fairford, and on enclosing a park around it. The letter is dated 1657 just prior to his Front of Letter rebuilding of Fairford House, and concerns a substantial mortgage, so I surmise that he obtained a loan for this purpose from Justice Hale. he only official role that he had was in 1692 when he became High Sheriff of T Gloucestershire. It seems that he found the duties too much for his advanced years, for his son Samuel Barker (1658-1708) was sworn in to take over the role for the second half of the year. o, what about Justice Hale? The most prominent person of note at this time was Sir S Matthew Hale (1609-1676). He was an influential English barrister, judge and jurist who represented a variety of Royalist figures during the prelude and duration of the English Civil War. Notwithstanding his Royalist sympathies, Hale's reputation for integrity and his political neutrality saved him from any repercussions, and under the Commonwealth of England he was made Chairman of the Hale Commission, which investigated law reform after which, Oliver Cromwell made him a Justice of the Common Pleas. As a judge, Hale was noted for his resistance to bribery and his willingness to make politically unpopular decisions which 25 upheld the law. He sat in Parliament, either in the Commons or the Upper House and was the Member of Parliament who moved to consider Charles II's reinstatement. Under Charles, Hale was made first Chief Baron of the Exchequer and then Chief Justice of the King's Bench. As a leading barrister, Hale would have a substantial income and property and would be in a position to lend money to other Royalist sympathisers such as Barker. How the two would have known each other is a matter of conjecture. here are three other points which arise from the letter. Firstly, Fairford is in T Gloucestershire, near Cirencester. This is on the secondary or by-post road that passed through Cirencester to pick up the Bristol Great Post Road at Maidenhead. The letter was most probably collected from an inn in Fairford, carried by Horse Post to Maidenhead and then taken by post coach to London. Justice Hale was so well-known, that an address was evidently not necessary. Secondly, the letter has a complete wax seal of a shield surmounted by a feathered helmet, but no motto. This is probably Barkers emblem, but I can find no record to confirm. Lastly, the paper has a watermark of a jug with handle. Watermarks is a huge subject for further investigation upon manufacturers and dates. This one is not recorded within the limited information that I have. n conclusion, I believe that letters provide a fascinating subject into the lives and I historical context of people from past eras and is one that I would that I would recommend should anyone be bored and not know what to next collect!

References: Landed Families of Britain and Ireland & other on-line sources A W Robertson – Post Roads

1657 Letter

26 2020 / 2021 OFFICERS OF THE SOUTHAMPTON & DISTRICT PHILATELIC SOCIETY

President: Julian Jones FRPSL Vice President & Brian Hague Competitions’ Sec.: Chairman & Dr Mel Bradshaw (02380 785785) Packet Manager: Vice Chairman, Kevin Chard (01489 574834) Auction Manager & Programme Sec. Asst Programme Sec. Patrick Austin Treasurer: Mike Watts (02380 454131) Asst Treasurer: Debbie Hindson (02380 266431) Membership Sec. & Mike Vokes (02380 262551) Chandler’s Ford Convener Librarian: VACANT Archivist & Curator Steve Gerrard (tbc) Secretary, P. R. O. & Eddie Mays (02380 402194) Editor ‘Postmark’ (pro temp) Members’ Representatives : Jim Rankin & Lorraine Simms

S. & D. P. S. www.southamptondps.org.uk Hampshire P. Federation: www.hantsfederation.org.uk

SUBMISSION DATES FOR POSTMARK SPRING 2021 15th February SUMMER 2021 17th May AUTUMN 2021 22nd August WINTER 2021 21st November Submissions to be received by the Editor by midnight on each date 27 28