NEWPORT AND GWENT PHILATELIC SOCIETY Newsletter 13 (May 1995)

This newsletter should reach you with the programme for next season. I produce it twice a year. The November newsletter is available at meetings (to save on postage). If you are missing any just ask. New members should get the May and November newsletters. Incidentally, welcome to our newest additions: Mike Blackman (who collects anything to do with patents - guess where he works) and Roger Williams.

Meetings

Yet another season has raced by. The dinner at the Rising Sun was a great success, with 21 members and guests sampling most of an extensive menu. This was followed by a visit from the Patent Office with Alan Blunt and David Brunt. The ladies and social evening seems to be a regular Christmas favourite so I shall keep this on the programme for another year at least. For the video night we had two Post Office films, the main one being the "GPO Story", which was followed by a short on air mails. The visit from Bridgend filled the room: Jack Kearns (St Pierre), Nigel McGaw (Bray cards - we know all know what they are), Mike Styles (Bridgend meter-marks), Alf Bryan (GB prestige panes) and Nancy Wornum (Newport cards and "fun") provided the displays.Also present were Barbara Boscott, Maureen Phillips, Ron Gregory and Jeanette (Nancy's grand-daughter). A lovely evening. Neil Prior, the Federation secretary, provided a different slant on GB for his visit. The other meetings were well-supported members nights. We also paid our annual visits to Bridgend and Cardiff.

What else? Oh yes, I hear that the Spring Stampex trip was once more a success. I could not travel on the Cardiff coach but managed to visit the exhibition early in the week. Competition night saw more entries but only one that was prepared with the convention in mind.

Federation Matters

I mentioned the Federation AGM in the november newsletter. I can now show anybody who is interested the revised federation rules. Martyn, Gwen and I represented Newport at a rather poorly attended Committee meeting in Port Talbot in March. Points of interest: new (rather large) medals are being purchased for the convention competition winners. Barry Society have toured the postal collections at the Cardiff National Museum. Apparently the museum has an extensive collection of flora on stamps and will be mounting an exhibition on orchids soon. The Federation are thinking of arranging a day of invited displays at a "local" venue.

Library

The library list appeared in newsletter 12 (extra copies on request). Please ask Gwen Hussey (phone 856706) if you need anything. Suggestions for books to the library are always welcome.

Newport 50th

This is getting nearer. Any ideas welcomed.

Stamp fairs

There now seem to be too many fairs, although the emphasis is firmly on postcards. The Mid-West fairs at Chepstow have now stopped but there was a new fair at the Hilton in Newport. The entrance fee was a bit steep at £1 and there were few dealers. Better to concentrate on the Symes fairs at Cardiff or the Ann Scott (postcard) fairs at Bristol.

Quote ... unquote

In "The Times" on 25 March there was an article on Leslie Thomas. Best known as the author of "The Virgin Soldiers", he is an avid stamp collector, who at the age of 12 "regularly spent his bus fares at a shop in his native Newport".

'Have you lost a rare stamp again?'

'On the contrary' answered the Hemulen, gloomily. 'I have them all: every single one. My stamp collection is complete. There is nothing missing.' ..........

''I think I'm beginning to understand', said Moomintroll slowly. 'You aren't a collector any more, you're only an owner, and that isn't nearly so much fun.'

- from Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson

Society Rules (ok?)

1. The Society shall be called the Newport and Gwent Philatelic Society and be affiliated to the Federation of South Wales Philatelic Societies.

2. Members below the age of eighteen shall be junior members.

3. The annual subscription shall be £3 for a full member and 50p for a junior member, due by 1 October each year.

4. The society shall have for its officers a chairman, vice chairman, secretary, and treasurer, who with other members shall form a committee of not less than five. An honorary librarian shall be appointed by the committee.

5. The honorary secretary shall give notice of all meetings and shall conduct the ordinary correspondence of the Society.

6. All officers of the society shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the society.

7. The society shall hold meetings fortnightly from the beginning of October until the end of May, on Wednesday or on such other days as shall be agreed upon by a full meeting.

8. The Annual General Meeting shall be the last meeting of the season.

9. Members shall be entitled to bring friends to any ordinary meeting of the Society without fee, but a visitor attending more than twice shall be invited to become a member.

10. The society will always be ready to assist and advise on disposal of deceased members' collections.

11. These rules shall not be altered nor amended except at an annual general meeting or at a special Meeting convened for the purpose by not less than ten ordinary members.

Competition rules

1. Each entry shall be the competitor's own work.

2. All entries to be of eight or sixteen sheets but to be eligible for the South Wales Federation Conventions must comprise sixteen sheets (or eight sheets for junior members).

3. Each member to be entitled to submit one entry in each section:

General Philately - Len Ewings Rosebowl

Thematic - May Pegler trophy

GB - F & J Brace Trophy

8 Sheets - Phillip James Cup

John Perry

Honorary Secretary