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The Maidstone & Mid Kent Philatelic Society (Maidstone Stamp Club) was formed in 1922, to promote the hobby of philately and is still providing a meeting place for all those who enjoy collecting stamps and postal history at any level.
The club meetings are at
St. Paul’s Church Boxley Road,
Maidstone. ME14 2AH
Meeting are from 7.30pm to 9.30pm
September to June, every other Thursday
DAY MEETINGS ARE HELD AT
MOTE PARK INDOOR BOWLS CLUB
10.30am to 12noon
Visitors and New Members are always very welcome
Each year we have two auctions, and two competition evenings which include a stamp bring and buy sale.
Other evenings are taken up with displays given by guest speakers or club members and cover the whole spectrum of the hobby.
The club also organises two all-day stamp fairs, held at Grove Green Community Centre, these are normally held on the second Saturday of April & November.
For more details
telephone 01622 757599
YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT US AT ANY OF THE ABOVE MEETINGS
apart from the AGM
REVIEW OF PASSED MEETINGS
Meeting held on 19th January 2017
The title of the display was "Moving Mail by Rail"
Given by Mrs Y. Wheatley, a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society
Not only did we see many rare early items of mail which travelled around the UK, showing the different Travelling Post Office Marks, we were treated to parcel labels of the different rail companies. Also shown were "String Letters" these were letters that had string placed round them so that they could be treated as parcels because at the time the rail companies could not charge for letters carried by rail but could charge for parcels. it was used to get urgent letter such as news correspondence to their destination quickly by the next available train instead of having it sorted by Royal Mail and then being placed on the mail train. The display was enhanced by many pictures/postcards of the trains, stations and equipment used at the time.
Morning Meeting held on 9th February 2017
The title of the display was "The Postal History of Serbia"
Giving by our member Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins
This was a marvellous display showing the turmoil of Serbia from 1840 to modern times, covering the Ottorman period under Turkey, time being controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, then when it was part of Yugoslavia and time under the Germans then the Russians. So much history of the area was brought to life by Marcus in the deliverance of this display I cannot do it justice, you had to see it in order to appreciate the work and research which was put into this truly wonderful collection of material.
Meeting Held on 16th February 2017
Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins stepped in at the last minute with a display of Bosnia Herzegovina.
This was another great display of early military and civilian mail up to 1916 giving an insight to the infighting and turmoil that proceeded the brake-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the formation of Yugoslavia.
Meeting held on 2nd March 2017 Morning Meeting,
Display given by four members of Sidcup Philatelic Society.
This was four different small displays, the first was revenue stamps of Great Britain taking in such things as Law Court customs, Dog Licences, Tax stamps on playing cards and many other. Next was a display Royalty material connected to the coronation and reign of George VI. The second half started with a display of Israel Stamps with their tabs, followed by a display of Aircraft on stamps, postcards and covers. All in all it was a very varied mornings display enjoyed by all present.
Meeting held on 9th March 2017
Display given by Margaret Emerson on the 2012 Olympic Games
This display showed what could be done using modern stamps and covers plus those items of ephemera that lot of us would have thrown away. Margaret brought the games back to life with her talk enhanced by these every day items such as the passes of the helpers and even the train tickets that would have been used to get there. A truly inspiring evening giving facts relating to the games and rounding it off with the Para Olympics. I don't collect modern stamps, but this display kept my attention for the complete evening.
Meeting held on 23rd March 2017
Display given by Mr R Stock and member of the Forces Postal History Society, on The British Army of the Rhine.
This display consisted of military cover sent from mainly Germany during the time the occupation after the second world war and continuing to the present day with the British forces that are still stationed there. This included the movement of secret and diplomatic correspondence. It gave a good insight to the number system used to send mail to the correct unit.