Guernsey Stamps Philatelic Bulletin May 2015

GUERNSEY STAMPS & COLLECTABLES BULLETIN

May 2015 VOL 10 No 1

70th ANNIVERSARY OF LIBERATION EUROPA: OLD TOYS 175th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PENNY BLACK ALDERNEY FLORA & FAUNA

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Welcome Welcome to the May issue of our Stamp Bulletin.

After five long years of German occupation, 9th May 1945 is a day that will never be forgotten in Guernsey’s history. Winston Churchill had announced the day before that the war had ended and that “....our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed to-day”. Photographs taken during the celebrations of this historic moment in 1945 are depicted in our stamp issue to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Guernsey. Alderney was not surrendered for another week and it wasn’t until December 1945 that residents returned to a devastated island. This features later in the stamp programme with a “Homecoming” issue for Alderney.

The month of May also sees us return to the Business Design Centre in Islington for the Europhilex International Stamp Exhibition. The exhibition is celebrating the 175th Anniversary of the Penny Black and our Guernsey miniature sheet, featuring a Penny Black, also marks this incredible anniversary.

This year’s Europa theme is Old Toys and we have chosen to depict a selection of toys that belonged to the Royal Family.

The stamp set, illustrated by artist Robin Carter, includes some remarkable small dolls Princess Victoria made before becoming Queen.

For an island of its size Alderney boasts an impressive rich and diverse collection of flora and fauna, some of which is shown on our May issue for Alderney.

Beautifully illustrated by Petula Stone Alderney’s blonde hedgehog is sure to be popular.

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New issues 175th Anniversary of the Penny Black Europa: Old Toys 70th Anniversary of Liberation Alderney: Flora and Fauna

How to Order By post Complete the order form and send to: Guernsey Philatelic Bureau FREEPOST GU267 Envoy House La Vrangue St Peter Port Guernsey Channel Islands GY1 5SS By phone Please call us on +44 (0) 1481 716486 between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday Online You can also order securely online at www.guernseystamps.com

POST & GO

FORTHCOMING 2015 STAMP ISSUES* GUERNSEY 22 JULY 2015 ARTISTS OF GUERNSEY: SEPAC

Guernsey Post & Go stamps, with an exhibition overprint, will be available from the Royal Mail Post & Go stand at the following exhibitions this year; Essen, Germany 7th - 9th May Europhilex, London 13th - 16th May Autum Stampex, London 16th - 19th September B series overprints can be pre-ordered using the enclosed form or alternatively can be ordered online nearer the exhibition date.

For operational reasons our tariffs change from 1st May but the flag design will remain the same.

We will be attending the Europhilex International Stamp Exhibition at the Business Design Centre, Islington from the 13th May - 16th May 2015.

We will be on stand 61, come along and say hello and buy our latest stamp issues.

FIND US AT STAND 61

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22 JULY 2015 SARK: 450 YEARS AS A FIEF OF THE CROWN 6 NOVEMBER 2015 CHRISTMAS STAMPS 11 NOVEMBER 2015 STORIES FROM THE GREAT WAR: PART 2

ALDERNEY 22 JULY 2015 ALDERNEY FORTS 16 SEPTEMBER 2015 HER MAJESTY: THE LONGEST REIGNING MONARCH 6 NOVEMBER 2015 CHRISTMAS STAMPS 10 NOVEMBER 2015 70th ANNIVERSARY OF HOMECOMING

FREEPOST GU267 Guernsey Philatelic Bureau Envoy House La Vrangue St Peter Port Guernsey Channel Islands GY1 5SS Tel: +44 (0)1481 716486 Fax: +44 (0)1481 712082 E-mail: philatelic@guernseypost.com www.guernseystamps.com The Royal Philatelic Society If you wish to join or find out more contact: John Triggs Email: jtriggs@cwgsy.net Tel: 01481 725847 Channel Islands Specialists Society Anyone wishing to join the CISS, buy one of the Society’s excellent publications, or find out more, should write to: Moira Edwards 86 Hall Lane Sandon Chelmsford Essex CM2 7RQ www.ciss1950.org.uk

*Stamp programme subject to change without notice.

175th Anniversary of the Penny Black NEW ISSUE: Miniature Sheet: £2.00 Issue date: 1st May 2015

Design subject to Royal approval The Penny Black, the world’s first official adhesive postage stamp was issued on the 6th May 1840 and to celebrate the 175th anniversary of this world famous philatelic milestone we have gathered some fun facts about the stamp, which you may find interesting. * Postal reformer Rowland Hill first proposed the idea of a postage ‘label’ in February 1837. * At around the same time the idea of prepaid / pre-stamped sheets ready for the user to write and fold was introduced, but the public preferred the gummed stamp for use with their own stationery. * The Penny Black stamps were printed on large sheets each containing 240 stamps, which were cut apart by scissors. * The Penny Black was printed using the line engraved printing method from 11 plates numbered 1 to 11, although plate 1 deteriorated quickly and was repaired to such an extent that it is generally considered as two separate plates - 1a and 1b - making 12 plates in total. * May 6th 1940 was the official launch date of the Penny Black, with copies delivered to Post Offices on May 1st. Unfortunately some sold the stamps early and one cover exists with a cancellation date of May 1st when it was in fact, not yet legal. * The British Post Office never updated the portrait of Queen Victoria, which was taken from a sketch of the monarch aged just 15. Though many of the British colonies used an image of an older Victoria, in Great Britain her image on postage stamps never aged. * It is estimated that well over a million penny blacks exist today in philately collections around the world. Mint examples from the rarest plate used, plate 11, are worth several thousand pounds.

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Presentation Pack: £2.90

Date of issue Designer

1 May 2015 Keith Robinson

Printer

Lowe-Martin

Values

£2

Process M/Sheet size M/Sheet stamp Paper Perforation Cylinder

Offset Lithography 70mm deep x 110mm wide 28.8mm deep x 28.8mm wide 110gsm unwatermarked PVA adhesive 12.5 A

First Day Cover: £3.20

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Europa: Old Toys NEW ISSUE: Set of six stamps: £3.73 Issue date: 1 May 2015

The origin of toys dates back to prehistoric times, in fact dolls representing infants, animals, and soldiers, as well as copies of tools used by adults are often found at archaeological sites.

The theme for the 2015 Europa stamp issue is ‘Old Toys’ and when considering how best to portray this subject through a series of stamps, we decided to focus on toys of the British Royal Family.

Working with talented illustrator Robin Carter, we have produced a beautiful stamp series featuring some muchloved toys of Royal children through the decades.

It is always interesting to find out how an artist brings any subject to life and here Robin explains more about how he set about designing the beautiful materials for this issue.

“The subject of ‘Old Toys of the Royal Family’ is a quite different topic from anything I’d had to illustrate before.

My first thoughts were of the kind of toys that could feature and where I might find reference for them. I then had to consider how to give the issue an ‘antique flavour’ reflecting the age of the subject matter.

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A trip to Buckingham Palace and the chance to view a selection of toys belonging to the Royal family galvanised the design process. Although the toys I remember as a child were not on such a grand scale as those of the Royal family with miniature cars like the Austin and the James Bond Aston Martin, carriages and even a caravan! It did remind me that many of the toys featured have been popular with all children for several generations - doll’s houses, rocking horses, rattles and teddy bears to name just a few.

Six stamps illustrating a variety of toys from the Royal collection were produced, together with its supporting sheet and accompanying stationery, featured toys belonging to a different family member.

To present each toy on a small scale for the stamps required a simple background and an antique ‘crackle’ pattern proved effective.

The resulting stamps have hopefully given some insight into the favourite playthings of the Royal children and created a unique and collectable set.”

Also available: Souvenir Sheet: £3.73 First Day Cover Souvenir Sheet: £4.93

Presentation Pack: £4.63 Sheets of 10: £37.30

First Day Cover: £4.93

Date of issue Designer

1 May 2015 Robin Carter

Printer

BDT International

Values

41p, 54p, 55p, 66p, 74p, 83p

Process

Offset Lithography

Stamp size

30.58mm deep x 38mm wide

S/Sheet

100mm deep x 140mm wide

Paper

110gsm unwatermarked PVA

Sheets Perforation Cylinder

10 13.75 A

41p Stamp: Prince George’s Rocking Horse c.2013 54p Stamp: Princess Victoria’s wooden dolls c.1831 55p Stamp: Prince Charles’ Toy car.1950 66p Stamp: Teddy from the Royal Nursery 74p Stamp: Princess Elizabeth’s mini baker’s wagon c.1930 83p Stamp: Silver rattles c.1774,1763, 2003

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70th Anniversary of Liberation NEW ISSUE: Set of six stamps: £3.62 Issue date: 1st May 2015 It was on 19th June 1940 that the Channel Islands were officially demilitarised. German troops were advancing and as black smoke rose from France’s coastline, the front page of the Guernsey Evening Press gave orders for the ‘Evacuation of Children’. War was a reality and the threat of Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands was a certainty.

In late June 1940, the first to leave the island were some 5,000 Guernsey children, several without their parents, who were accompanied by hundreds of their teachers and mothers with infants. As many parents said goodbye to their children, they told them they would try to follow on the next available boat. However, on Friday 28th June, Guernsey experienced its first air raid which killed 33 islanders and injured a further 67.

Around 17,000 men, women and children - just under half the population - escaped Guernsey before it was occupied by German Forces on Sunday 30th June when five Junker troop carriers landed at Guernsey airport. The following day, German troops arrived and the German flag was raised. More troops arrived later until the numbers roughly equalled that of remaining islanders.

For the island’s evacuated children they had to endure awful conditions and seasickness on crammed vessels heading for Weymouth on the English coast; they would undoubtedly be missing their families terribly. Brothers and sisters were separated in the commotion before all boarding steam trains and, with growing concern of an imminent air raid on the South Coast, thousands were transported to industrial areas of the north of England including Stockport, Bury, Halifax and Manchester.

For many of the children it would be five long years before they saw their parents again. Some did not return to Guernsey following the war and instead stayed in the communities which had welcomed and cared for them.

Thousands who returned to the island are still in contact with the families who cared for them during the war.

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Today, Guernsey’s coastline bears testament to this period of time. Punctuated with fortifications and bunkers, many islanders still alive today can recall being evacuated from their island home and how different Guernsey was on their return. Those who stayed, talk of life under German rule, and the jubilation of Liberation Day, 9 May 1945.

Sheets of 10: £36.20

With thanks to Gillian Mawson, author of ‘Guernsey Evacuees: The Forgotten Evacuees of the Second World War’.

Presentation Pack: £4.52

Date of issue Designer

1 May 2015 Bridget Yabsley

Printer

Cartor Security Printing

Values

GY Letter, GY Large Letter, UK Letter, EUR Letter, UK Large Letter, ROW Letter

Process Stamp size Paper Sheets Perforation Cylinder

Offset Lithography 30mm deep x 48mm wide 110gsm unwatermarked PVA adhesive 10 13.25 x 13.25 A

GY Letter: Two young boys enjoying their first taste of chocolate GY Large Letter: The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry Band UK Letter: Col.H.R. Power, OBE, MC, Chief Civil Affairs Officer EUR Letter: Petty Officer J.D. Langlois of the Royal Navy UK Large Letter: Landing Ship Tank US-516 in St Peter Port Harbour ROW Letter: Royal Visit of HM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth

Also available: First Day Cover: £4.82 Prestige Booklet: £14.48

www.guernseystamps.com

Alderney Flora & Fauna NEW ISSUE: Set of 6 ÂŁ3.62 Issue date: 1st May 2015

We are delighted to celebrate the truly diverse range of flora and fauna which the tiny island of Alderney has to offer. Within the island’s 2,000 acres lies a mixture of woodland, scrub and wetland, grassland and heathland, not to mention beautiful gardens, sandy beaches and rocky shores. Thanks to its wide ranging habitats and favourable climate, Alderney is home to a rich selection of flora and wildlife not normally found in the British Isles.

We have compiled some fascinating facts - along with some rumours - about the plants and animals which feature on our stamps.

6. Petals fall after a few hours so it is hard to spot this plant.

7. This species belongs to the Thrift family .

8. These animals originally came from south west Europe and north west Africa.

9. They could be English or Spanish.

10. They have two sets of incisor teeth, one behind the other.

Local Letter: Alderney Sea-Lavender Local Large Letter: Blonde Hedgehog

Why not test your knowledge? The answers are below so you can see how you have fared:

UK Letter: Dwarf Thistle

1. These plants are scentless.

2. These creatures are flea-less.

3. This species belongs to the Daisy family.

4. Some claim that these animals were bought from the London department store Harrods before being released in Alderney in the 1960s.

5. These animals have poor eyesight.

UK Large Letter: Spotted Rock-rose ROW Letter: Mole Answers: 1 Alderney Sea-lavender - 2 Blonde Hedgehog 3 Dwarf Thistle - 4 Blonde Hedgehog 5 Mole - 6 Spotted Rock-rose 7 Alderney Sea-lavender - 8 Black rabbit 9 Spotted Rock-rose - 10 Black rabbit

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EUR Letter: Black Rabbit

First Day Cover Souvenir Sheet: £4.82

Sheets of 10: £36.20

Presentation Pack: £4.52

First Day Cover: £4.82

Date of issue Designer

1 May 2015 Petula Stone

Printer

BDT International

Values

Local Letter, Local Large Letter, UK Letter, EUR Letter, UK Large Letter, ROW Letter Offset lithography

Process Stamp size Paper Perforation Cylinder

30.56mm deep x 38mm wide 110 gsm unwatermarked PVAadhesive 13.75 A

www.guernseystamps.com

Islington Design Centre 13-16 May 2015 Guernsey Post

Come and say hello at our Guernsey Stamps stand (no 61).

View our latest stamps which includes 175th anniverary Penny Black miniature sheet and other collectable items.

Guernsey Post & Go stamps will also be available from the Royal Mail Post & Go stand. www.guernseystamps.com