Lanarkshire Philatelic Society

Members Evening

Albert Tong showing China

&

Ken Norris showing "Icy Waters"

Albert, who only joined our society a couple of years ago, gave us an impressive display of Chinese stamps. The first stamps, locals, were called "Dragons" given their design, which were used for Municipal Post/Revenues and Taxes. Forgeries of these exist with some being rather poor quality. The first national stamps were the Imperial Chinese Stamps of 1897 followed by the Chinese Imperial Stamps of 1898 both of which again featured the Dragon design. Next followed examples of Chinese used abroad (1898) and many examples of Foreign countries used in, and overprinted for, China. These included the stamps of Russia, France (Indo China, now Vietnam), Great Britain, Japan, Germany & Italy. Amongst his covers was one bearing German stamps and a local (using duty stamps) which confirmed a grocery bill had been paid in cash! His next material featured Commercial city posts and provincial stamps. He completed his display with many stamps from the communist era with issues relating to "The Peoples hero Movement" (1958); the "First Five year Plan" (1955) & the "Third Five Year Plan" (1975). There was no second "Five Year Plan" due to the sixties Cultural Revolution. Other propaganda stamps featured Agriculture, Bridges, Education, Mining & Housing; in fact virtually every facet of state "success".

The second round featured Ken Norris, a late substitute for Ian McPherson, who gave us a display entitled "Icy Waters", or, if you like, material related to the Antarctic. The Antarctic, used solely for peaceful scientific research is 58 times the size of Britain, has two indigenous penguins, the Emperor and the Adélie, and has reached a low temperature of -89 °C (a tad chilly!!). Ken featured five stamp issuing "countries" starting with British Antarctic Territory which include stamps featuring Planes, Wildlife, and British Royal Events. Covers with various base postmarks were also included as was material related to HMS Endurance (of which there have been three). Next was the Australian Antarctic Territory, which has four bases and four different first days of issue for any stamps! Two of their bases are name after Australian explorers, Mawson & Davis, (the others being Casey & McQuarrie Island) with many of their stamps featuring "Ships of the Antarctic" or Penguins. Next, Ross Dependency (New Zealand) includes Scott Base for which ken's material included a signed cover for a "Vice Regal" visit (a visit by the Governor General of NZ) and "Dog Sled" mail! South Georgia, formerly the Falklands Islands Dependencies, was next with the same 1960's definitives in sterling and decimal values, various British Royal events, the 50th Anniversary of the death of the explorer Ernest Shakelton and "Cooks Voyages" (1979). Finally, Ken showed us material from the South Sandwich Islands, which, though uninhabited, issue their own stamps.

Bill Jardine offered both members a warm vote of thanks for excellent displays.