The Falkland Islands Government Archives

The work of Jane Cameron and the help she has given to the Study Group is recognised in the article below. The amount of material in the archives and the reading room is a tribute to the work that Jane and Tansy Newman have put into building an invaluable facility for Falkland Islands postal history research.

For those who have not visited the archives, the reading room (with Stefan Heijtz and Hugh Osborne in attendance) is shown below.

Karl Lellman 100th Birthday on January 25th

Ken Mills reports that it will be Karl's 100th birthday on January 25th. Everyone associated with the Study Group will recognise Karl's contribution to Falkland Islands philately and wish him well for this momentous milestone. If you want to pass on a message to Karl, use the comments form below and we will pass on your good wishes via Ken.

Frank Laycock

It is reported that Study Group member Frank Laycock has passed away. Members will remember that along with his association with Cavendish Auction, Frank was the auctioneer with the Study Group for many years. ouir thoughts are with the family at this time.

Jane Cameron - A Tribute

For many of us lucky enough to have visited the Falkland Islands Government Archives, Jane and Tansy at the archives have provided caring support to Study Group members looking at extending our knowledge of the postal history of the Falkland Islands. Jane died on Boxing Day, following injuries in a car crash and her memorial service was held in Stanley on 12th January. Courtesy of the Merco Press, the South Atlantic News Agency, an article on the service is reproduced below:

Islands pay tribute to “fierce champion of Falklands’ tradition”

“Fierce Champion of Falklands traditions,” Jane Cameron was remembered by her Falklands friends and her family at a Memorial Service held in Christ Church Cathedral in Stanley yesterday.

Granddaughter of a Falklands Colonial Secretary/Governor and sister to the Islands Government Representative in London, Sukey Cameron, Government Archivist Jane died of her injuries on Boxing Day, following a car accident near Trelew, Argentina on November 11.

‘Beagle’ project colleagues Petra Niegeman also died in the accident and the ship’s doctor Charles Boissevain was seriously injured. Radio reporter Marten Minkema suffered minor injuries.

Jane, who was born in the Falkland Islands and studied in the United Kingdom, returned to her place of birth in 1989 where she took up the previously non-existent role of Government Archivist. Describing the gargantuan task ahead of her, Jane’s brother Donald Cameron told the congregation that his sister’s work began with a mountain of cardboard boxes stored in Government House and the Secretariat and filled with dusty historic documents.

Over the next 20 years Jane became well known for her dedication to preserving the islands history in all of its forms including the preservation of buildings. Mr Cameron described an archivist as, “…part of the glue that holds the community together.”

An anonymous blogger summarised Jane’s place in the islands with the words, “In other places there will deservedly be obituaries listing Jane’s many and varied contributions to the Falkland Islands. Here I would simply like to say that I cannot believe that we shall never again see her bouncing down Ross Road at the wheel of her little red car, nor ever again experience either her withering glare of disapproval or the sparkly-eyed warmth of her wicked grin.”

After the service brother and sister Donald and Sukey, and her husband Howard Pullen, stood outside the doors of the Cathedral and bravely greeted and offered comforting words to the many Islanders who attended.

During the memorial service Mr Cameron thanked people for their countless kindnesses, including the people of Trelew, and those who worked so hard to save her at the hospital where she was treated.

Another Successful Falklands Section to December Grosvenor Auction

Here is the summary from Grosvenor of their December auction:

Exceptional sections on the Falkland Islands, the Dependencies and Antarctica are an established tradition at Grosvenor, and the lots offered at this sale brought to the room an impressive gathering of specialist collectors. As usual prices were strong.

The 1933 Centenary set of 'SPECIMEN' stamps (lot 641), additionally showing a second 'SPECIMEN' handstamp applied by the receiving postal administration, doubled its estimate to sell for £4,914. Amongst the Antarctica lots the 1911 envelope (lot 826) from the Scott Expedition addressed by the unfortunate Captain Oates to his mother did even better, more than tripling its estimate to sell for £3,826.

Another area to watch could be that of Whaling Mail as determined bidders were seen to drive the prices upwards, The top realisation was the £1,195 paid for a 1931 envelope from South Shetlands (lot 772).

FIPSG Open Evening at Stanley Parish Hall
On Thursday 3rd December, an Open Evening was held by the Study Group for both Falkland Islands FIPSG members and non-members, in Stanley Parish Hall next to Christ Church Cathedral.

Stefan Heijtz produced a continually running computer display of some of the gems of Falklands philately and explaining the value of some of the later issues as well.

In the meantime Hugh Osborne, Kim Stuckey and Stefan provided advice on valuation, storage and buildign collections to many residents. Some 30 or so collections were reviewed and some 50 people attended the 3 hour event in total.

The main focus of local collections is First Day Covers, but there remains interesting local postal history as well, much of it later with several nice 1982 Conflict items.

A fact sheet on collecting Falklands stamps was produced and is shown below. All in all, a successful evening to promote the Study Group.

FALKLAND ISLANDS STAMP COLLECTION CHECK LIST
Mint (unused stamps)
Stamps generally issued after 1977 are worth (at the moment) not much more than face value. Keep your mint stamps issued before 1977. Make sure they are in a dry environment, so they do not get damp and stick together.

Used Stamps
Used stamps are normally worth more on an envelope than cut or soaked off it. Used stamps pre 1970 are of interest to Falkland Islands collectors.

Envelopes with Falkland Islands stamps posted here (to overseas or internally within the Falklands)
The older the envelope the better. A rule of thumb is to think envelopes have to be 30 years old to start being of value – so envelopes from the 70s and before are worth more than 80s and later. An envelope itself is worth more if:
a)      It is what collectors call “commercial mail”. This means envelopes that have been through the post and have been posted for private mail or mail from companies etc. If the envelope indicates who it is from – either a person or a store/company, so much the better.
b)      The postmark is clear, so you can see where it is from, and the date is clear
c)      It is pre 1983. Particularly look out for the 1960’s commemorative issues used on envelopes or anything earlier.
d)      Envelopes cancelled in Fox Bay or MPA are worth more than ones from Stanley
e)      Window envelopes are worth less than complete envelopes.
f)       Farm cachets or Government cachets are on the front or back of the envelope.
g)      If they carry just the right postage – known as “correct rate”.

First Day Covers
A lot of First Day Covers have been produced, so the same rule applies as with envelopes – the ones 30-40 years old have more value than those from the 80s or later. For later First Day Covers, hold on to them for now.

Incoming mail (envelopes posted overseas coming to the Falkland Islands)There are some collectors who are interested in these. As usual, the older the better (again pre 1983). Also more unusual destinations, for example Camp settlements, would be worth more than Stanley ones.
These are general guidelines. There can always be exceptions. If you want guidance use the comments form on the Falkland Islands Philatelic Study Group website www.fipsg.org.uk

Ronnie Spafford
It was reported in some philatelic circles that Ronnie Spafford had passed away. We are pleased to report that as Mark Twain would say "rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated". We wish Ronnie continued good health.

Letter to Falkland Islands Postmaster from Stanley Gibbons - 1878

Here is a letter (sorry for the quality) from the man Stanley Gibbons himself to the Postmaster in 1878.

He adds a wonderful PS (with drawings) "We would like to receive some of the Black or Red Franks if not troubling you too much. Indeed!

Behind the Scenes at Stanley and Fox Bay Post Offices

Some photos to give you an idea of the some of the scenes at the Post Offices at Stanley and Fox Bay. Hope this gives you a better idea of life on the Falklands.

Stefan and Hugh with Postmistress Moira

The mail arriving in the PO from the UK MOD flight

The Stanley Machine Canceller

A close up of the datestamp for the machine canceller

Stanley Post Office

Which Way for Fox Bay?

Fox Bay Post Office (building on right)

Fox Bay Postmaster Gavin

FIPSG Features in Penguin News

Attached is a report of the visit of Stefan Heijtz, Hugh Osborne and Kim Stuckey to the Falkland Islands from the weekly Falklands newspaper, Penguin News published on 20th November. Article is copyright of Penguin News.

Days 3 & 4 in the Archives

The archives continue to throw up fascinating information about stamp issues, we have certainly gained more knowledge of destruction numbers and sheet numbering for a lot of the 60's issues.

At the other end of the mail service period, an excited Stefan is shown here with a book containing 50 or so pre-stamp covers filed. And this was the second such book he had found like this!

Some other finds are shown - this Map set 1d proof in about A4 size really stands out (sorry the photo is a little squint).

A big continuing thank you to Tansy who is looking after us so well, and answering our continuing requests for more material.

Day 2 in the archives

The second day in the archives provided more interesting material. Stefan uncovered a UK - Falkland islands postal trading settlement account form, a magnificent large pre printed document. Hugh continued the search of Centenary correspondence and early QEII. Kim looked at the South Georgia 1963 issues and more QE II commemoratives.

Below is shown as a sample, a couple of imperforate proofs for the ICY issue.

ICY Proofs

Visit to the Falkland Islands Government Archives

Study Group Chairman Hugh Osborne plus Kim Stuckey and Sefan Heijtz are in Stanley researching at the Government archives. This follows Wilf Vevers being south earlier in the season and Malcolm Barton visiting in the New Year.

Day 1 at the archives turned up some interesting surprises, including some stamps and cancels. We have tried to show some of the excitement below:

Pictures 1 & 2 - blocks of 20 of the Whale & Penguin 1/2d, 1d, 2/6 and £1 bearing a red ink "Cancelled" handwritten in manuscipt diagonally across the stamps. These were items sent to Crown Agents to illustrate a complaint of poor quality

Picture 3 - an imperforate proof of the 1963 South Georgia 2/- value, sent to the Colony to illustrate some late minor changes to the design.

Picture 4 - Stefan with his usual sniffing out techniques opened a book to find it originated from Fox Bay and carried cancels from 1925!

Two of the Whale & Penguin Blocks

A close up of a pair of the £1 "cancelled"

South Georgia 1963 Imperforate Proof

Fox Bay Find

Southern Meeting, Camberley 25^th October 2009

Hugh and Mary Osborne once again hosted this year`s meeting and the fine sunny weather normally associated with this event was again in evidence. Fourteen members and two guests represented good support for this popular gathering.

On arrival, members were invited to sign a sympathy card in memory of Bob Barnes who had died recently. He had played a prominent part in Study Group affairs for many years and he will be greatly missed.

Mary ensured that we were fortified with coffee, biscuits etc before Hugh Osborne began the meeting by referring us to a report given by him in the December 2008 Colour Supplement, page C30. This concerned the BBC wild life cameraman Gavin Thurston who joined the expedition ship MVOcean Nova on which Hugh was travelling. After later transferring to the BBC yacht The Golden Fleece the resulting programme in the `Life` series was broadcast on 26^th October 2009.

Kim Stuckey was next with a range of Fox Bay covers for the period from George VI onwards to 1990. All had correct rate postage including a Hovercraft cover which is very scarce with Fox Bay cancel. Ralph Riddell-Carre followed with stamps and covers of the KEVII reign including mint blocks, registered mail and a scarce New Island postmark.

After a break for viewing Roger Mazillius had the 1954 Dependencies Ships definitives as his theme. A wide range of mostly correct rate covers included some with matching headed notepaper from Base leaders and we also saw a photograph of the Canso amphibious aircraft used in connection with the Hunting Aerosurveys project. Malcolm Barton continued with a variety of items. Covers from the collection of Willoughby H. Thompson, the first editor of the Falkland Islands Journal in 1967, supported by a copy of the first issue, were followed by three complete sheets of the Dependencies 1948 1/2d Map with and without the `dot on T` variety. Finally we saw a rare used example of the 1984 5d Butterfly with watermark sideways right inverted.

Chris Everett said that he was new to the study of Falklands stamps and brought a box full of covers purchased at auction. Among them was a bundle of internal mail from the correspondence of Arthur H. Ward when headmaster of Darwin School. We also saw a range of colour photographs including the Fitzroy and A. E. S near Goose Green. Following the publication of the recent monographs by Malcolm Barton, Chris said that he will be starting a collection of the Flowers issues.

Mary then provided us with an excellent lunch and members showed their appreciation by becoming a team of helpers with the washing up etc.

The afternoon session began with Hugh Osborne returning to display a large range of correct rate covers having the 1960 Birds issue. Every value in the set was represented. There were examples of ordinary and commercial mail, airmail, air letters and 2^nd class airmail. Ray Rabbetts was next and chose Postage Due as one of his main themes. The earliest dated cover was 1933 and there followed those either with or without labels or T marks. By contrast we saw a block of the rare QV 1/2d deep blue green of 1891. The issue was lost at sea and most were salvaged and then destroyed. This was followed by specimen overprints on QV stamps and then varieties on the 1968/71 Flower definitives, South Georgia 1977/78 overprints and the Dependencies Plants issue of 1981.

At a break for viewing, Hugh presented Mary with a gift on behalf of The Group to thank her for all the hard work in preparing the meal and other refreshments.

Derek Harwood resumed with covers relating to Antarctic Whaling with a wide selection including mail both to and from the whaling stations. Derek Hogben came next with copies of photographs used for some of the values of the KGVI 1938 definitives accompanied by matching imprint blocks. As a piece of modern interest he also showed two specially printed covers for the visit of the Princess Royal to South Georgia and the Falklands in March 2009 with copies of the relevant Court Circulars.

Two members then returned. First was Kim Stuckey who showed a TAE cover addressed to Lt.A.M.Spong R.N. on HMS Protector. The addressee was Lieutenant Mansfield Spong who was the Royal Navy Flight Commander from HMS Protector in 1955-56 and piloted the first flight by a helicopter over South Georgia. He also showed a QSL card from 1948 where the sender was Reuben McLaren, Radio Operator at South Georgia. This helps with the first name of the many McLaren covers seen from that period. Ralph Riddell-Carre followed showing 1912 KGV definitives complete with all printings used in blocks of four.

Terry Wiffen had the last offering of the day which was a set of 26 covers published by Phil Middleton of Falklands Collectables to mark the 25^th anniversary of the end of the Falklands War. These were colourful and attractive and showed many aspects of the conflict.

Malcolm Barton gave a vote of thanks to Hugh and Mary for the excellent organization and success of the meeting which all agreed had been most enjoyable.

DEREK HOGBEN

Postal Strikes and Postage Costs

During the postal strikes, the Study group Exchange Packet is suspended. They will restart with a new Packet Leader, details to follow.

Postage costs, especially overseas from the UK, continue to escalate. The Committee will explain how these increasing costs are impacting the finances of the group in a future Upland Goose, and ask members for their views. Likewise the Books Coordinator asks any members from overseas to check postage costs before placing an order.

Auction Information

The next Study Group auction, open to members only, will take place at the Weekend at Faringdon next March. if you have any items to be considered for inclusion in the sale, please contact our Auction Manager as soon as possible, so material can reach him by Christmas.

Robert Barnes FRPSL

Sad news for all Falkland collectors is that our Past President Bob Barnes, has passed away in his sleep.

For many of us, the first steps into Falkland Islands postal history were the key works, Postal Cancellations of the Falklands Islands and the Postal Service of the Falkland Islands. Bob was encouraging and patient with newcomers to the Study Group and continued to add to the research with the Black and Red Franks book. He also brought together his interest of West Falkland and the story behind some of the names we see on the envelopes with his Personalities in the Post series and the book on the Pole-Evans family.

Our sympathy is extended to the Barnes family.

Auction News & Reminders
There is a tentative date of December 10th 2009 for the next Grosvenor auction, that will have stamps and postal history from the Falklands from a variety of vendors, including one collector not known to the Study Group. Grosvenor report on their recent auction:
"The Falkland Islands and Dependencies have featured strongly in our auctions in recent years, and in this sale a section of over 270 lots, including items from the collections formed by Roger Mazillius and others, attracted enormous interest. Star lots were the imprint blocks of eight of the May 1891 printings of the ½d (lot 387, £4,543) and 2½d (lot 409, £4,543), both first printings from the Bradbury Wilkinson archives. The issued stamps from these printings were lost when the S.S. Neko sank."

A reminder that Robin Murchie has his excellent Postal Auction No. 96 on 10th November 2009, with Falkland Islands, Antarctica, Ascension, St Helena and Tristan. He can be contacted via PO Box 228, Oswestry, SY10 1DQ.

Finally a 170-lot, 5-vendor auction is currently underway for collectors of philatelic material, stamps, both used and unused, and ephemera relating to the islands of Ascension, St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha. This is by far the largest such auction ever held by the South Atlantic specialists’ society. The auction is open to all, but in particular we wish to issue a special welcome to participate to those who are members of postal history organisations and stamp collectors who belong to societies specialising in the region, such as the Falkland Islands, Antarctica and other circumpolar regions, Pitcairn Island, southern and western Africa, Commonwealth countries, and the like.The list contains many gems, including rare author-autographed, first-editions of books; coins; monographs; special event covers; postcards; original artwork; older stamp- and postal-related material, and the list goes on and on.Detailed information about the auction is available from the St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Philatelic Society website: www.atlanticislands.org/auction.htm. The auction closes 01 December, 2009.

Gildersome 2009 - by Mark Burton

The Study Group northern area meeting took place this year at St Peters Church Hall Gildersome on Saturday afternoon 26^th September. Mike Roberts who organises the event started proceedings rolling at around 2 O’clock, reminding us that he had brought the October auction lots and they were available for viewing and giving apologies from three of the regulars. With only ten members we were in fact a bit thin on the ground this year. There is generally a “topic” for displays, chosen at the previous year’s meeting and this year it was the 4d stamp, although as always members are free to show what they like.

First up was Nigel Kaye who introduced his display with the words of Bob Barnes that the postal historian concentrates on the correct rate and saying that that is what he has done. He started with the 1937 Coronation issue on cover, the three stamps together make up the fourpenny registration rate and covers showing the 4d Foreign rate, there were 1d postal stationary envelopes upgraded for registration to 4d including an interesting KGV envelope upgraded with KGVl stamps. We were shown a Dependencies cover with four pence worth of stamps but only those making up the postal rate being cancelled in accordance with official instruction current at the time not to cancel over franked envelopes above the postage rate. I then showed a few sheets indentifying stamp different printings and John Shaw took the floor with just four covers showing fourpenny stamps, John did however promise that he would be back with other items later on.

Kim Stuckey then took the floor showing a sheet of the 1895 4d stamp and with his usual sense of humour defiantly told us that this would be the largest concentration of 4d stamps shown this afternoon.He then showed covers franked at four pence from the post offices at Fox Bay, South Shetlands and South Georgia and Coronation and Victory stamps used to pay the four pence rate. There was a Stewart Douglas cover with postmark variation of 33 inverted and the SG4 cancellation timed at 8.45pm, the Deception Island cancellation on the first day of use and a cover to Les Hardy accompanied by a photograph of Les Hardy a Scout Troop Leader. There was also cover from Stanley to New Island franked by the 1937Coronation set and two covers showing the 1953 Coronation set in blocks of four paying the registration rate, one from the radio operator at Signy Island. We then had a viewing break.

Mike Roberts then showed the earliest example of the fourpenny rate to Montevideo in the form of a Black Frank cover and a very nice inward cover franked at 4d from London to Stanley. We saw two examples of Queen Victoria 4d stamps on cover and a block of four KGV 1d stamps on a registered Afterglow cover, the Centenary and Silver Jubilee 4d stamps on registered commercial covers and a cover showing the reuse of the Victorian parcel cancellation. Next up was Hugh Osborne who showed different printings of the first KGVl 4d value in blocks of four and a Whale and Penguin block possibly from the third printing, 1970 SS Great Britain 4d with an inverted watermark and various covers showing the 4d registration rate . We then had a viewing break followed by our usual very nice afternoon tea prepared by Mrs Alison Roberts.

Next up after tea was David Mountfort , who was this afternoon enjoying celebrity status on account of his many accidental aliases in the September Upland Goose. David showed items relating to cruise ships and guard ships and HMS Endurance in particular and also items relating to Brabant Island and the establishment of the post office there. Trevor Shaw then showed postcards making a request for information about them.

After this John Shaw, true to his word that he would return was before us again with a fantastic display of postcards principally used in the Edwardian including one particularly interesting internal under franked card, I thought this was altogether a most impressive display. Not to be outdone however Nigel Kaye came back. For quite a number of years I have been enthralled by Nigel’s displays but the several items he put up this second time were really very impressive indeed being items of correspondence from someone working in South Georgia in the 1950s which his wife was about to shred when it was suggested they may be of value. There was an air letter from South Georgia to South Uist in the Western Isles and an item relating to the Duke of Edinburgh’s visit and a particularly interesting postcard franked by a Falklands 1952 1d KGVl stamp from South Georgia. All very,very interesting. Kim Stuckey then showed a 1956 Trans Antarctic cover posted by the pilot of the first South Georgia helicopter flight and Mike Roberts showed an HMCS Afterglow cover supported by photographs and a Tabarin period cover endorsed “Most Secret”, a cover from the return voyage of SS Great Britain and wreck cover.

After 5-30 Hugh Osborne, our Chairman, brought the meeting to a close with a vote of thanks for Mike and Alison. The Edgar Stern award was given to Nigel Kaye and it was decided that the topic for the next meeting would be open but other than that it would “same place same time”. The Northern Meeting is a really great event, always most enjoyable, the coming together of likeminded people in this way is absolutely what the Study Group is all about. I find it particularly interesting not just to see other peoples’ collections but also the collecting methods and themes that are pursued.

EASTERN MEETING REPORT - SUNDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER

On a glorious Suffolk day, 8 members met at Sudbury for the Eastern meeting. Much interesting debate took place as everyone presented a display or items for discussion.

Malcolm Barton kicked off with a display he titled "Unusual". He first tried to persuade us that a Birds ½d sheet cancelled to order in 1968 was in fact 2/6d of a parcel rate! An interesting block of four of the Mailships 1st printing 1p with the hawseholes variety, complete with selvedge showed that this was not just used for booklets. Late 70s aerogrammes with Specimen overprints - was this a John Bull activity or official? A 1971 large cover with thirteen flower £1 values, including both 1st and 2nd printing to FIC in London. And finally a 1955 requisition for the South Georgia instructional marks, 2 of each type (can we distinguish between them?) including a cachet that no one had seen before "Décédé - Deceased" - not the cachet you would want to receive returned on a letter! Unusual indeed.

Alastair Kennedy showed covers from the 1982 War and a fascinating photo of the interior of the Forces Post Office. Terry Wiffen showed an excellent purchase from a remainders box - a cover from Marr to his fiance at the time of the Discovery Expedition. Host Clive Perkins took us slightly away from the Falklands to show a superb set of early PSNC covers in the 1870-1890 period - all of which bore the name of the carrying vessel. Many of these covers came from Brazil or Uruguay carried on the ships such as Iberia, Potosi I, Magellan I and II that would also carry mail shipped from the Falklands.

Kim Stuckey showed mail, photographs and letters from the Hunting Aerosurveys Expedition based on Deception Island from 1955-57, including the expedition labels and cachets. Mail from this expedition is scarce, as it was overshadowed, in a philatelic sense, by the Trans-Antarctic Expedition taking place in the same period. The Expedition was visited in January 1957 by the Duke of Edinburgh as part of his world cruise - Deception Island being probably one of the strangest anchorages for Britannia in her long and distinguished career!

Ray Rabbetts departed from his "Modern Man" tag to show items from the early commemoratives - starting with the Centenary issue of 1933, with an attempt to distinguish printings, covers to Argentina with postage due as the the postal authorities did not recognise the issue. He then took us onto the KGVI issues with the Victory 3d Plate 1 re-entry and flaws leading to Plate 2 production. Ray then brought us back into QEII with a display of the Passerines, showing the blocks that proved the stamps were printed in 4 panes of 25 and then guillotined to be issued in sheets of 50. He finished with the imperforate stamps of the issue, shown on both unwatermarked and CA watermarked paper, rescued, it is believed, from waste at the printers Cowells.

John Gray showed a variety of air letters from the 50s and 60s, including a fascinating January 1954 letter from the cook on John Biscoe - which itself could be the subject of an Upland Goose article. An interim QEII 6d with sheet number on an air letter was also much admired. Other letters had a wealth of interesting content - "the snobbish Colony Club" as an example!
Chairman Hugh Osborne brought the meeting to a close, taking the cue from the interim 6d airletter to show the QEII interim issue correct rates on cover. This included a recent acquisition of the 6d on an airmail envelope with the cachet "Insufficent Postage for Carriage by Air". Other covers included an air mail rate 1/- with sheet number, and various mixed frankings including the KGVI 1952 issue of 1/8½d six ounce registered rate.

At the meeting Clive Perkins announced this would be the last Sudbury meeting. We are hoping to make alternative arrangements to host the Eastern Meeting and would ask all members in the area to make every effort to support this new venture. I am sure that all attendees over the years would like to thank Clive for his excellent hosting at the Sudbury Institute and hope to see him at the new venue next year.

Past President Malcolm Barton (left) chats to Clive Perkins as Her Majesty looks down approvingly

Contacting our Treasurer
Treasurer Mark Burton reports his email address given in the latest Upland Goose should include "bonneycroft" not "bonnycroft" . If you perform this replacement, emails should reach him!

Grosvenor Date
Just to confirm that the September Grosvenor sale is on the 23rd, not the 24th/25th as mentioned in the Upland Goose. Obviously the "Goose" often goes to print before final auction dates are confirmed.

More Pefin Items on Ebay - Caveat Emptor

Thanks to Stefan Heijtz who has alerted us to more perfins for sale on ebay. A ebay sarch of "perfin Falkland" will find the lots. I am sure there will be more to follow on this interesting story

Important News for Falkland ebayers

Many of us who are regular ebayers have looked at some incredible Perfin offers over the last few days - on a Victorian 9d for example. Without any disparagement of the seller or ebay, Stefan Heijtz adds his considerable expertise to the story.

FORGED CW PERFINS OFFERED ON EBAY!

Over the past few days, three groups of stamps with the CW-perfin, a total of five stamps QV-KEVII, have been offered on ebay. However, they are all forgeries in that the CW-perfin has been faked! I have brought this to the attention of both the seller as well as ebay. Ebay has done nothing about it (are you surprised?) and the seller has added the info that they may be forgeries to his description, as well as said that he would forward this info to all successful bidders (but how do we know that he did this?).

The seller is based in Hong Kong and claims that he has bought them in good faith. That may be the case but I believe that they have been produced in China, as the result of the sale of a genuine example on ebay some time ago, which made it obvious to the forger that by adding a faked CW to an otherwise cheap stamp, the value would be hundreds of Pounds rather than a few Pence! Sadly there are many dishonest people around trying to abuse ignorant collectors.

Anyway, if any of you are the buyers of these lots, you should either try to cancel the sale, or at least get an extension for the stamps. Whether you prefer to send them to me for examination, or RPS, BPA or any other expertising group, is entirely up to you. But now you have been warned about the status of these items.

I will not reveal all the secrets as to why I am able to tell you that these perfins are fakes, but believe me when I say that they are! There are a number of clear factors involved!

For further information please contact me at stefan@novastamps.com

An Early Preview of September Grosvenor sale

There is a Grosvenor sale on Wednesday 23rd September with the Falklands lots in the morning session, probably around 11:30am to 12 noon.
Thanks to Grosvenor for allowing the FIPSG web site to have an early look at some lots. Some example lots illustrated:

½d. deep blue-green, first printing May 1891, the unused imprint block of eight (4 x 2) from the Bradbury Wilkinson archive sheet, all of the printing was lost when the ‘Neko' sank, a fine unique item. Heijtz certificate (2002). SH 5a.

Early Incoming Mail: 1876 (Dec. 23) envelope addressed to George Travis in Falklands, bearing Great Britain 1873-80 1s. plate 12 (2, RL& RK), cancelled by indistinct barred ovals with Royston c.d.s. alongside, red crayon "4" and endorsed "Per Brazil Mail", with Falklands receiving mark of February 4th 1877, some toning and cover is roughly opened, torn and wrinkled, otherwise a scarce quadruple rate item. No. 19 in theHarmers booklet (included).

£1 KGV black and red, a marginal example from the top of the sheet, tied to small piece by F.6 1921 (July 12) c.d.s., fine. S.G. 69, cat. £550.

£1 W&P black on red fine used on local registered cover, tied by Port Stanley 1930 (Mar.) cancellation. S.G. 126.

1935 airmail cover to Ewell with strip of three G.B. 1934 Photogravure ½d invalidated by three red bars and South Africa 1d. and 6d. cancelled Cape Town 1935 (Apr. 5), boxed violet R.R.S. "WILLIAM SCORESBY" cachet at bottom left, with relevant extract from the Polar Post of Sept. 2006, also two fine used 1938 9d.

Birds 10s and £1 in mint plate blocks of four, each lightly mounted on one stamp with the others unmounted, also singles of each fine used. S.G. 206, 207.

New Study Group Treasurer

You may be aware of the recent news that our Study Group Treasurer, Roger Mazillius has informed the committee that he can no longer continue as Treasurer after the end of the current financial year (ending August 31st 2009). As many of you know, Roger is very active in local government on the Isle of Wight and is finding he needs more time to dedicate to this role.

Mark Burton has generously stepped forward to take on the joint role of Treasurer and Membership Secretary. As one of the original instigators of the Study Group, it is a pleasure to see Mark take on these roles.

New Date for Eastern Meeting

The date for the Study Group Eastern Meeting at Sudbury is now Sunday 20th September, other details as before. Please contact Clive Perkins or use the comments form below if you need more information.

American FIPSG Meeting

Mark Butterline reports that our US friends in the FIPSG will be meeting at StampShow 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA on Saturday, August 8th at 2PM (room TBA). Stefan Heijtz will be speaking on "Falkland Islands and Dependencies Postal History 1827-1937."

There will also be a FIPSG society stand (shared with SHATPS and PISG).

June Upland Goose

For Study Group members, your June Upland Goose is now on the way if you have not received it by now.

To me, the supplement on the Faringdon weekend is a magnificent piece of work by our Journal editor, Bill Featherstone. For visitors to the website who are not Study Group members, in 32 pages it shows some of the gems of Falkland philately and would be well worth joining the Study Group alone to receive this!

For members it really gives a flavour of the Faringdon weekend if you have not attended before. If you don't want to take the full plunge try a regional meeting as a starter.

As ever, thanks to Bill and our Upland Goose distributor, Derek Hogben for all their efforts in getting this superb publication onto our doormats (with a thud!).

Swinpex 13th June Report

Another glorious day (aren't all FIPSG meeting days sunny?) for the joint meeting between the Study Group and the Polar Postal History Society at Swinpex in Swindon on 13th June. Our Study Group secretary, Morva White is President of the Swindon Philatelic Society this year so Swinpex was a busy day for her.

13 members and 2 guests of the societies (6 members of both!) met with 8 displays being given over the two hours, with opportunity to "top up" purchases at the fair from additional items on sale from members.

Chair of PPHSGB, Trevor Cornford, kicked off with his evolving display on Shackleton, covering both Trans-Anarctic Expedition inward and outward mail and items from Shackleton's last voyage on the Quest to South Georgia before his death in 1922.

Wilf Vevers gave a comprehensive review of the Kosmos Years with mail carried on many of the ships used. A particular highlight was a letter from the Kosmos agent in London to Blake regarding shipment of whisky to F.E. Cobb.

Robert Hurst showed postcards from the exhibition at the National Maritime Museum June-November 2009 on "North West Passage - An Arctic Obsession".

Our Study Group Chairman, Hugh Osborne started the second round with some copies of sheep and whaling returns from 1912, and brining us bang up to date Cruise Ship sailing records from 2002. In fifty years time these will be consulted to tie covers to arrivals! He also showed a display of the QEII "Interim set" - including a 7oz registered rate of 1/8½d. Hugh is searching for the QEII interim

½d on cover!

Lesley Marley showed a fascinating display of a wide variety of Military Sea Transportation covers from the Arctic, then Kim Stuckey rounded off the second session with Fox Bay Post Office early days from the start of the Post Office in 1899 with the WFI obliterator and West Falkand cancel through to the FB.1 cancel in 1914 first day of use.

The final session featured Morva White displaying her social philately study of Christ Church Cathedral - The World's Most Southerly Cathedral including two purchases obtained on the day! Trevor Cornford then rounded off the displays with Trans-Antarctic Expedition with covers and flaws and a second cover known (Nigel Kaye has the other) of "oiled" stamps from Ward at Darwin Harbour in the 1950's. How did the stamps gets oiled - a number of theories were put forward - and do any other covers exist?

A wide variety of topics were covered on the day and it was excellent to have the close relationship between FIPSG and PPHSGB maintained with this joint meeting.

June Upland Goose Distribution

A message to FIPSG members that due to delays at the printers and associated holidays, it is likely to be the last week in June before the next issue of the Upland Goose arrives on your doormats, especially for our overseas members. If there is a further update to the dispatch date, we will let you know. As usual it will be worth the wait for a wide variety of topics.

Membership Secretary

The FIPSG Committee have accepted the resignation of Douglas Jeffery as Membership Secretary. In the short term Morva White will take on this role, but the Committee would welcome any volunteers from the membership who might be interested in taking on the task. Please use the comments form or email the Chairman if you are interested.

We would like to thank both Douglas and Vera for the many years of service that they have given to the Study Group. That service continues as Douglas will continue to organise the Faringdon weekend, as he has for many years.

Vectis Regional Meeting

The Vectis Regional Meeting on the Isle of Wight took place on the 9th May, at Northwood WI Hall. It was a fantastic sunny day for the Red Jet 25 minute trip from Southampton docks to the island and a warm welcome was given by our hosts Roger Mazillius and Stephen Palmer (the taxi driver who did not even receive a tip!).

There were also several members of the local Philatelic Society present, who joined eight FIPSG members in viewing several excellent displays - much information was shared.

A full report on the meeting will follow in an issue of Upland Goose.

FIPSG Members unfurl the flag - Vectis Meeting

Thanks to IoW County Press for the photo

Summer Events

13th June 2009 (Saturday)

SWINPEX - St. Joseph's RC College, Ocotal Way, Swindon, SN3 3LR; 10am to 4.30pm

Admission Charge 50p

(Afternoon meeting jointly with Polar Postal History Society from 1pm to 4pm)

11th July 2009 (Saturday)

MIDPEX – Xcel Leisure Centre, Mitchell Avenue, Canley, Coventry CV4 8DY, 10am to 5pm.

(Joint Stand with PPHSGB) http://www.midpex.co.uk/

2008 at Swinpex with Polar Post Society

A reminder of what you are missing, if you do not visit the SWINPEX meeting. It is very interesting to meetjointly with the PPHSGB. SO whether local, or from further away, please join us in Swindon on 13th June.

In 2008, 15 members met after testing the stocks of dealer material at Swinpex on 14th June 2008. The chairman of both societies, Hugh Osborne of FIPSG and Trevor Cornford of Polar Postal Society thanked members for attending. Thanks to Morva White for organising an interesting afternoon with many exceptional items to view.

The meeting attendees:

what happens when two Societies meet!

May 7th Grosvenor Auction Results

There was strong interest in the Falkland Islands and Antarctic Expedition material in the Grosvenor auction, including the lots that orginated from Judith Faulkner and Margery Wharton.

Thanks to the analysis from Hugh Osborne, the most popular lots vs estimate were:

Lot Est Hammer Ratio Hammer/Estimate

284 £450 £2100 4.67

Antarctica: An extensive thematic display collection 'Of Ice and Men' on leaves, in binders, stockbooks or loose contained in a carton, with much supporting material

115 £80 £350 4.38

Falkland Islands: Postcards: 1916 panoramic postcard of 'Hvalstationen, Syd-Georgia', BF-1-bf, unused (pencil note on reverse). Ex Wharton

70 £135 £500 3.70

Falkland Islands: Collections: A comprehensive collection of commemorative issues in four large binders, from 1935 Silver Jubilee mint and used on cover, etc. to 2006 with most issues mint and on f.d.c., also some commercial covers, mainly fine.

71 £110 £350 3.18

Falkland Islands: Collections: A mainly Q.E.II accumulation in a small carton, incl. mint commemoratives and definitives, booklets, f.d.c.ís incl. British Antarctic Territory, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, etc., mainly fine.

288 £225 £680 3.02

Antarctica: British Antarctic Territory, Bases, a collection in two binders with a range of covers from 1956 onward

275 £325 £850 2.62

Antarctica: A collection of mainly picture postcards from 1947 onward in four binders

283 £600 £1550 2.58

Antarctica: Antarctic Explorers, an outstanding collection of autographs, some on piece incl. Tom Crean, Francis Drake, Hartley Ferrar, T.V. Hodgson, W. Lashly, Raymond Priestley, Charles Royds, R.W. Skelton

230 £350 £900 2.57

Antarctica: British Antarctic Expedition 1907-09, Sheet of notepaper from the R.M.S. 'Olympic' (sister ship of the 'Titanic') bearing a pair of the King Edward VII Land 1d. pre-cancelled with handwritten endorsement below 'These stamps were/issued by the/New Zealand/Government for/the Expedition/E.H. Shackleton/Postmaster', very slight soiling but full of character. Ex Wharton.

66 £475 £1200 2.53

Falkland Islands: Collections: An accumulation in seventeen albums, stockbooks, etc., the balance of the Margery Wharton collection

44 £135 £320 2.37

Falkland Islands: King George V: Covers and Cancellations: 1933 (Feb. 14) P.S.N. Co. envelope to Washington D.C., U.S.A. posted by a passenger on board the 'Reina del PacÌfico' on her second visit to the islands, franked by Centenary 1d. and 11/2d. and probably carried on the 'Durban'

Continuing the Auction Theme

For those of you who don't receive the catalogue, we should mention the Falkland Islands, Antarctica, Ascension, St Helena and Tristan postal auction held by Robin Murchie, who supports our Study Group events so well.

His next auction is on 19th May and Robin can be contacted at PO Box 228, Oswestry, SY10 1DQ for more details.

More Falkland Islands Lots in Stamp Auction

Tennants of Leyburn, North Yorkshire have a number of Falkland Islands lots in their 29th April sale. For details see:

http://www.tennants.co.uk/

And a reminder that Stefan Heijtz Postal Auction No.15 closes on 22nd APRIL 2009 (8pm UK time)

http://web.telia.com/~u81002681/F.I.auction/AUCTION.CATALOGUE.html

New! Online Colour Guide to Falkland Islands Stamps

A message from Stefan to all Falkland Islands collectors. Thanks Stefan for all the hard work putting this together.

Dear Friends!

For years I have been planning to do this and now it is finally done!

On my website you will find scans of all the different printings and shades for all Falkland Islands stamps, from the first Queen Victoria issues in 1878, up to the 1960-68 QEII Bird set.

The direct link is:
http://www.novastamps.com/stefan/Colour-Guide

Please don’t forget to read the introduction before using the colour guide since this contains important information.

I hope you will find the colour guide useful.

Best regards,
Stefan

Antarctic Magistrate - the biography of Edward Beveridge Binnie

The "Paid at South Georgia E.B.B." provisionals and the Port Foster overprint were just two philatelic rarities of Falkland Islands postal history that were associated with the subject of this new book - Edward Binnie. From the details below and the previous publications from Ian Hart we know we will be in for a treat of both informed and entertaining writing plus several previously unseen photographs of life and times in the Dependencies in the early part of the twentieth century.

The book can be ordered direct from Pequena and will be dispatched around Easter time.

Stefan Heijtz Postal Auction No.15 on 22nd APRIL 2009 (8pm UK time)

There is a large number of interesting and unusual items, including the second and final parts from the collections of the late Madge Biggs and Father Monaghan, plus a good number of other interesting consignments. Postal history is particularly strong this time with very scarce commercial items from the QV, KEVII, KGV and KGVI periods. Other good sections are: Postal Stationery with many scarce items, Censor Mail with in particular First World War items, the 1982 War with exceptional commercial material, Departmental Cachets with many interesting items, Fox Bay and New Island with some good covers and postmarks, Postcards, South Georgia and the South Shetlands with many really unusual items.

For more details click here:

http://web.telia.com/~u81002681/F.I.auction/AUCTION.CATALOGUE.html

Below is illustrated Lot 12:

1900 picture postcard ("Stanley" Heyburn A6) dated 30 Dec 1899 with QV 1/2d.(x2) (correct rate) tied by FALKLAND ISLANDS 1.JA.19OC (F.1v1 with "OC" INVERTED!) with another clear strike below the stamps, commercially used to Germany with arrival cds of 5.2 . THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE "19OC" WITH INVERTED "OC" ON COVER OR CARD! Also one of very few picture postcards dated before 1900! Minor corner bends mentioned for accuracy but a highly important and attractive item

Lot 12 of the April Auction

Faringdon 2009 Report

It was a fantastic weekend, with a number of new attendees who strongly contributed to the sessions. It was great to see so many attendees and hope to see you next year - the date is 26th-28th March.

Look at the happy faces in the group photo - make a date in your diary for next year !!

Faringdon Report - by Mark Burton

I am by now, of course, quite familiar with the journey to Faringdon . I pass Bicester and Towcester on the road signs and I once again ponder the pronunciation and as I catch glimpses of the dreaming spires of Oxford my thoughts turn to tomorrows auction and the various scheduled events of the weekend.

On arrival we tend to congregate in the bar area where acquaintances are made and renewed and the conversation is of all things Falkland. There is the slightly more formal reception at six and after dinner we have the first scheduled session of the weekend.

This year Tony Lovelock showed he not only has a wonderful collection of Queen Victoria postal history but is also a talented stand up comic. During his very entertaining display which was in two parts we saw a wonderful array of covers. There were two red franks, the high values overprinted specimen in strips of 4, a block of 20 of the 6d green and a variety of cork cancellations. There were provisional bisect covers from the first sailing, the Alcock bisect cover and example of the 8th, 9th and 10th mail.

After a viewing break we saw the pincers, windmill, cricket ball and Africa cork cancellations and various covers illustrating different postage rates together with three Government House cancellations on cover.

Malcolm Barton gave the vote of thanks , thanking Tony for a remarkable display of well researched material.

After breakfast and the hour set aside for auction viewing on Saturday Wilf Vevers took the floor with a display entitled “One hundred and twenty years of postcards“. The display started with three general purpose Cosmos cards and postcards showing the Kosmos offices in Port Stanley and Punta Arenas, examples of packet boat mail and maritime postcards. During the 1950s the occasional cruise ship started appearing in Stanley and examples of postcards from these were shown. There were whaling postcards, the different postage rates for postcards and examples of the second KGVI set and 1960 birds set used on postcard. We saw a very interesting inland postcard from New Island to Stanley which we were told was probably from Norman Watt who was the New Island postmaster. We saw examples of the airmail rate introduced for postcards in 1974, a Queen Victoria postcard showing the late fee payment and postcards from the 1982 conflict. It was however, when Wilf got to the South Georgia items that the most remarkable thing were shown - post cards from each of the whaling stations on South Georgia, expedition postcards and inland postcards at the halfpenny rate both to and from South Georgia. The most fascinating item in this part of the display was a home made postcard being a photograph of the football pitch constructed at South Georgia, complete with small pavilion. It is all to easy to forget that during the whaling season in the early part of the twentieth century there was a population of up to 2,000 people on South Georgia and this part of the display brought that period fascinatingly to life. This wonderful display finished with postcards from Lindblad Explorer and Hunting Aero Survey.

Stefan Heijtz gave the vote of thanks.

There then followed a member participation event on War Stamps lead by John Shaw and Kim Stuckey. We saw the different printings and different overprints and varieties of overprint and a number of complete sheets. Postal use of the stamps from Stanley, South Georgia , Deception Island and one cover from Fox Bay. It is quite unusual to find these stamps used from Fox Bay compared with the other postmarks and bearing in mind the populations including seasonal populations each post office served this is quite understandable. There were interesting contributions particularly from Ralph Riddell-Carre and Robert McMillan amongst others.

Hugh Osborne gave the vote of thanks

Following this there was the AGM and after lunch the auction, both reported elsewhere. After the auction there was the usual bourse and Ray Rabbetts gave a presentation on modern varieties in the lecture theatre.

Saturday evening is members evening and always brings up some interesting and unusual material. John Gray started the ball rolling with a display relating to the Terriss family in the Falklands which Bob Barnes had prepared as a tribute to Judith Faulkner as they both shared this interest in the family. Amongst the very many other interesting displays was Kim Stuckey who showed Victory stamps showing re-entries and crown flaws and an inward Victory cover from Mauritius. Tony Belfield who showed colour roughs for the 1963 South Georgia issue, Robin Muchie who showed a cover to Montevideo carried on Ovario, Hugh Osborne Operation Tabarin , John Shaw censorship and Clive Perkins maritime cards relating to the Panama and other ships.

After the viewing break Rolf Scharning showed whaling mail including a interesting multi franked cover from the KGVI period. Stefan Heijtz examples of the post office crown and a New Island postmark with a later date than previously recorded. Ray Rabbetts an early letter from the Falklands and his researches relating to it. Ben de Deugd two items obtained in mixed lots from e-bay, one a rare customs mark and the other a camp postage due. Allan Wiffen showed a map of the Falklands with the location of scenes shown on stamps located, Morva White items relating to Christchurch Cathedral and John Baverstock photographs of a recent visit to Fox Bay, the store there and a number of envelopes address to the store. John Youle showed an extract from an early edition of Polar Post giving numbers issued at Fox Bay for amongst other issues the 1964 Battle set which showed only a relatively small number of the 2 1/2d stamp was allocated to Fox Bay and these quickly ran out so it is quite unusual to see first day covers with the full 1964 Battle set on from Fox Bay, John did however have a cover with the full set on display.

So that was Saturday evening, the members evening closed at about 10-30 but there was yet more to come. This was to be for me one of the highlights of the weekend “An Un-gentlemanly Act” was shown in the hotel’s lecture theatre, courtesy of Roger Mazillius, I think only four or five of us managed to see that but it was well worth it. It finished at about 12.40. The final end of a long and very fascinating day.

There were three sessions on Sunday morning. The first was Mike Roberts on ships and shipping aided very effectively by a slides of the items on display Mike explained the difference between a ship letter, where there is no government contract and a packet letter where there is. The scene was set by showing slides of wrecks in Stanley harbour before moving on to a pre stamp letter from an American whaler at New Island, and an 1880 cover carried on a ship chartered from Dean & Son, who were later taken over by the Falkland Islands Company. Packet routes were represented by a black frank cover carried on the government schooner, Foam, and we saw Kosmos mail contract items and Pacific Steam Navigation covers. Here also was the fabulous “Yawl Pandora” cover franked by Chilean stamps and cancelled with the New Island date stamp and manuscript New Island cancellation on a postcard franked by a pair of KEVII halfpenny stamps. We saw items from RMS Falkland , on which Mike’s great uncle had been skipper, and from Lafonia, Fitzroy and Exeter. A fantastic display.

Wilf Vevers gave the vote of thanks saying that the presentation and research were fantastic and that we had all learnt a great deal from Mike’s research which was undoubtably the case.

Richard Griffiths followed with a display called the “Forgotten Years” covering the period 1970 to 1982 when Richard had been in the Islands, we saw airmail rates, shipping related mail and OHMS mail and the vote of thanks was given by David Mountford.

Stefan Heijtz followed with Victorian specimens showing the eight different types of specimen hand stamps and overprints and postal stationary specimens and Hugh Osborne gave the vote of thanks.

It was then 11.50 and Hugh presented Malcolm Barton our outgoing president with a certificate of life membership and then thanking all those who had contributed to making the weekend such a success closed the event.

Once again this year was a really excellent weekend. A packed philatelic schedule with a opportunity to see some truly wonderful material, in a very pleasant part of the country for those wanting to take time out .The hotel is excellent and those attending for the first time, of which there were quite a number this year, are always made particularly welcome. For the regulars the weekend has become something of an annual pilgrimage and as well as increasing one’s philatelic knowledge and understanding it must really be the best opportunity of the year to add to one’s collection.

Faringdon 2009 - Study Group members

South Georgia Travelling Post Office - FIPSG Members Get Buying!

In the June Upland Goose we hope there will be room for an article about the South Georgia Travelling Post Office service for Cruise Ships.

Members Roger Mazillius and Trevor Barnes visited the Island on the MV Discovery in January and Roger took these photos which he hope Members will find of interest.

1. Roger and Trevor with Postmaster Sarah Lurcock (next to Trevor) and volunteer postal assistant Paula Sullivan - Base Boating Officer

2. Come and buy!

3. The waterproof heavy duty rucksacks used to transport stock on and off ship

4. Goodbye!

Southern Area Meeting - Camberley

There was also some displays of stamps and Postal History! Many thanks to Hugh and Mary Osborne for their excellent hosting of the event once again. (picture courtesy of Roger Mazillius)

ASPS Annual Congress - Perth

The Study Group will have a Society stand for the full day of Saturday 18th, April 2009 at the Dewar's Centre, Perth

Spink Shreves Sales 29th - 31st January

For Study group members unaware, Spink Shreves auction of 29th / 31st January includes the David Flaat Antarctic stamps & Postal History collection, including some superb Falklands and Dependencies items. For more details go to www.shreves.com

Brief Grosvenor Auction Report

Some 25 or so Study Group members were among a packed auction room at Grosvenor Auctions on Thursday 20th November. There were approx 550 Falkland Islands and Dependencies lots, the bulk of which were the second part of the Malcolm Barton collection sale. In addition there were Antarctica lots available for those whose pockets were not completely emptied.

In general prices reflected both the collectability of the lots and the investment potential of stamps in a recession. In particular mint blocks of Queen Victoria and King George VI approached, or in even some cases exceeded,catalogue values. Specimens and used stamps gave more in the way of bargains. Likewise postal history (with some exceptions) was lively but not through the roof !

The Upland Goose Silver Jubilee Index

Published here for the first time is the full version of the Upland Goose Silver Jubilee Index 1970-1995. Bill Featherstone has kindly provided the Word document that formed the basis of the index. For members this will provide an additional resource for research. You can use the "Find" command to search for any keywords you wish to locate.

Back copies of Upland Goose, for members only, are available from Mark Burton - details in the current issue of Upland Goose.

Click here to download Silver Jubilee Index

Join the FIPSG Forum!

Click on the picture below to take yourself to the FIPSG forum. By registering on the forum, you can start topics in various areas of Falkland Islands philately. or answer questions posed by other forumers. Let's try and make the FIPSG web experience even more interactive!

New Monograph in September

FIPSG members will receive the new monograph, number 9 in the series, A Catalogue of Falkland Islands Postcards 1950-1982.

This is a superb piece of research from the late postcard expert Margery Wharton. The monograph is also in colour, a result of a generous bequest from Frances Heyburn to the FIPSG in memory of her late husband Henry who wrote the first two books in this area.

A great addition to the reference library of any FIPSG member. Plus an excellent reason to join the Study Group if you are not a member already!

The Dictionary of Falklands Biography

We now have a stock of the Dictionary of Falklands Biography. This is a superb book of short biographies of the major figures in the history of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. It will cost just £31 at a meeting for FIPSG members! Postage costs are an additional £5 in the UK and £11 for Europe and US (this is a bulky 576 page book!). See the new books order form for details

We will ensure copies are available at the Sudbury, Gildersome and Camberley meetings.

Congratulations to Stephen Palmer

Congratulations to Study Group member and Upland Goose contributor Stephen Palmer on his appointment to Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen. This obviously gives Stephen easier access to the Royal Collection!

Some of the Gems of Falklands Postal History

Study Group member Stefan Heijtz is selling the majority of his early Falkland Islands postal history. The link to the sale is given here. This is not a promotion of the sale itself but the link is given as an unique opportunity for Study Group members who have not attended the meetings to view some of the rarest items in Falklands philatelic history.

Click on the reference number to the left of the description to view the items. Enjoy the viewing!

Click Here to view the items

Faringdon 10th Anniversary - The Crowd!

The Study Group at the 2008 Weekend at Sudbury House Hotel

NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE

Postmarks and Cachets of the British Antarctic Bases and South Georgia

Thanks to a generous donation from the author, we can offer Postmarks and Cachets of the British Antarctic Bases and South Georgia from £20. We have limited stocks of this excellent book. See Books for more details.

From £20

Shackleton at South Georgia by Robert Burton and Stephen Venables

Shackleton at South Georgia is a valuable and informative 24-page booklet by two South Georgia experts, Robert Burton and Stephen Venables.

from £5

Christ Church Cathedral by Alistair McHaffie

This 50 page booklet by Study Group member Alistair McHaffie gives the history of Christ Church Cathedral with illustrations.

from £4.50

Coming soon

A new monograph, The Flower Definitives Issue. Available free to members. More information in Upland Goose.

Featured Book

Just £27 to FIPSG members!

This is the edition of the most comprehensive catalogue of Falkland Islands stamps ever produced. In the catalogue you will find information about and prices (based on market values and auction realisations) for:

All issued stamps of the Falkland Islands, the Dependencies, South Georgia and British Antarctic Territory, including prices for mint, used and on cover, with illustrations of most stamps.
All major varieties
Postal Stationery from Queen Victoria to the latest issues
All postmarks and cancellations used in the Falkland Islands, the Dependencies, South Georgia and British Antarctic Territory
The Miscellaneous chapter contains every other possible aspect of Falkland Islands philately in 39 sections.
Non-philatelic collectables: Paper Money, Coins, Telephone Cards and Tokens.

You will also find general information about the Falkland Islands and the Dependencies, full listings of Postal Rates, Printing Dates and Numbers Printed of every stamp, Numbers Destroyed, General Philatelic Information about Papers, Perforations and Watermarks of Falkland Islands stamps.

Your Comments or Requests for further information welcome!

Coming soon A new monograph, The Flower Definitives Issue. Available free to members. More information in Upland Goose.

Coming soon

A new monograph, The Flower Definitives Issue. Available free to members. More information in Upland Goose.