Lanarkshire Philatelic Society

 

"The Mathiesons Entertain"

 

Mr. Kenneth & Mrs. Maureen Mathieson

 

"The Mathiesons Entertain" was the title of the evening at the Lanarkshire Philatelic Society on Friday, 22nd January, and the husband and wife team – Ken and Maureen of East Kilbride - duly did entertain with colourful and instructive displays.

Ken, after quoting "In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue", proceeded with his fascinating display using stamps, miniature sheets, covers, postcards and maps, he detailed, from birth to death, the life of Christopher Columbus. 

He was born in Genoa in 1451 and, in 1492, having received financing from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain – to whom he gave the promise that any land, gold, spices he found would be given to Spain. His voyages, shipwrecks, personnel, imprisonment, discoveries made – Cuba, Hispaniola, South America, West Indies etc - through his four voyages – 1492, 1493, 1498 and 1502 – were all wonderfully illustrated in the philatelic and postcard materials. He died in Valladolid, Spain on 20th May, 1506.

Ken ended his display with newspaper cuttings which suggested that Columbus’ parents were actually Scots living in Douglas, Lanarkshire!

Maureen gave her display of "Butterflies and Moths". The life cycle of the butterfly was beautifully illustrated with stamps, miniature sheets, covers, postcards and also models. 

Maureen began from the egg – to the caterpillar - chrysalis – and so to the butterfly. She gave the information that there are some 20,000 species of butterfly in the world and some 130,000 species of moth. Some species of butterfly commonly found in Scotland were displayed – Common Blue;  Painted Lady; Red Admiral; Tortoiseshell & Cabbage White etc. Many other species were displayed including the Jamaican butterfly which has a 6” (15 cm) wingspan.

Maureen continued with her display of "Moths" – of which there are some 130,000 species – and explained that moths are not so colourful as butterflies – have bigger bodies – do not have "clubs" at the end of their antennae (as butterflies do). A model of the Atlas Moth was shown – with its 12” (30 cm) wingspan.

Murray Touche led members in giving thanks to both Ken and Maureen for giving such wonderfully illustrated and educational displays on their different but most interesting subjects.

Our next meeting in the Caledonian Bowling Club, Motherwell Road, Hamilton, is on Friday, 5th February, 2016, at 7:30pm when members look forward to welcoming George Henshilwood who will display "Switzerland and Danish Territories". 

Anyone with an interest in stamps, postal history, postcards etc is very welcome to attend.