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Bedford Philatelic Society
Society History
At a
meeting held in the local Gas Co’s showroom on 3rd March 1944, a
number of persons interested in stamps, discussed the possibility
of forming a society in the district.
From this
meeting the Bedford and District P.S. was born, and 24 founder members’ were
enrolled, officers elected, rules agreed upon, and a programme
drawn up. Much help and advice was given by a Mr S.
Parkinson of Leicester, who was eventually elected a Life Member.
The
President was a noted local collector Mr W.S. Brocklehurst J.P., now deceased, whose chief interests were
G.B. issues, including booklets, coils and registered envelopes, but he
surprised us all on one occasion by showing a practically complete range of
stamps of India overprinted for the Convention States.
During
subsequent meetings in 1944 a further 16 members’ joined the Society, including
Mr Argenti who late moved
to London and was a Member of the Royal, he collected New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia. By the end of the first year the membership reached a total of forty.
After the
first few meetings the venue was changed to the Bedford Modern School Library,
we then secured a room in the town to meet.
At one
time we had six school masters included in the membership. Meetings were
originally held on the first Friday and second Thursday of each month, Thursday
being early closing day for the shops. This was changed later to alternate
Wednesdays, but this was changed to being held three weekly intervals, still on
Wednesday’s and took the form of a talk or display at one meeting and approvals
and sales at the next.
By 1958
after some 14 years existence the membership is down to 25, although according
to the records of membership numbers 105 persons have passed through the
Society.
Bedford
P.S. were founders members’ of the Federation.
Secretary
Mr A.D. Kinnon 01234-822566
Email alister.kinnon@btopenworld.com
Meeting Address
The Bunyan
Meeting House
M40-3YD
2nd
& 4th Wednesdays (Sept-June) @ 7pm. for
2012
25th January Sheets from
members’ collections
8th February Visit from Rushden S.C.
22nd February Competition
Evening
7th March Club to visit
Cambridge
14th March Ethiopia by Simon
Kelly
28th March Members’ Evening/Ransby
11th April Something
beginning with “G”
25th April Visit from
Peterborough P.S.
9th May A.G.M. & Members
sale
23rd May Quiz
13TH June Members’ latest aquisitions