Taunton Stamp Club

THE meeting was opened by the chairman Mr Nigel Cox who extended a very warm welcome to the evenings speaker Mr John Schofield.

The subject of this evenings presentation is his very extensive and unique collection of postal history associated with the Gilbert and Ellice and associated Islands dating from 1911 to 1976, the initial postage stamps used from 1911 in the Islands postal system where overprinted Fijian stamps which were produced specifically for the Gilbert and Ellice Islands postal system and used until the introduction of George V stamps which remained in use almost until the silver Jubilee of 1935.

The introduction of George VI stamps carried a new Island specific postal design and colours and remained in use until 1952 when Queen Elizabeth II became queen of England.

The second part of the presentations consisted of the postal history of the Ocean Islands from 1942 onwards including the Atomic testing on the Christmas Islands in the mid 1950`s, follow which both British and New Zealand stamps became excepted as postal revenue for both surface and air mail.

The amount of postal material on display and the verbal presentation given by Mr Schofield was of great interest of all the members attending the meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, March 6, new members and visitors are always welcome. Meetings are held approximately every two weeks on the first and third Monday of each month.

The meeting venue is at Kilkenny Court, Clifton Terrace, Taunton. TA2 7QL.