Southern Africa Annual Philatelic Conference

November 2017
The 16th Southern Africa Philatelic Conference

A Joint display of Bechuanaland will be presented on Saturday
Southern Africa Philately supports the Annual Conference

Southern African Philatelic Societies - Joint Conference Programme
3 to 5 November 2017

Friday 3 November - 18.30 Gather in the bar - 19.30 Dinner

Saturday 4 November - 9.00 - 9.50 Doors Open
9.50 -10.00 Welcome & Introduction - Simon Peetoom

10.00 -11.00
African Pioneers from High Commission Territories during WWII - Peter Thy
11.00 - 11.30 Break - Tea & Coffee
11.30 - 12.30 Transvaal - Lars Jorgensen

12.30 -13.45 Lunch Break

13.45 - 15.45 Bechuanaland Displays
Bechuanalands & Botswana Society
Tea & Coffee will be available around 2.45pm

15.45 - 16.45 South Africa Rail - Tony Howgrave-Graham

18.30 Gather in the bar

19.30 Dinner

Sunday 5 November

9.00 - 9.45 Doors Open

9.45 - 11.00 Attendees bring-along displays

11.00 - 11.30 Break - Tea & Coffee

11.30 - 13.00 Attendees bring-along displays

13.00 - 13.45 Lunch break

13.45 onwards Auction - Nick Arrow

Close of conference

Auction items available for viewing throughout Saturday & Sunday

Note
The auction will not start until all of the bidders are back from lunch!
Please inform Nick if you are intending to bid.

November 2016
The 15th Southern Africa Philatelic Conference
This Report is followed by a History of the Conference (2002 - 2016)
By Otto Peetoom

2016 - 15th Annual Conference Programme
Saturday 12 November
The Morning sesssion
Apartheid through South Africa Postal History - Bob Hill
Victoria Falls - Otto Peetoom
South Africa Revenues - Tony Howgrave-Graham

The Afternoon sesssion
Postcards of the Boer War - John Cowlin
A Potpourri of Postal Paraphernalia - Rob & Lyn Lester
The Rise & Decline of the National Party in South Africa, 1948/94
Paul van Zeyl

Sunday Morning 13 November
Early Cape Town Postcards - Colin Hoffman
Early Rate and Surcharged covers - Brian Trotter
Mis-spacing on the Union Official Overprints - Roald Sand
Unusual Rhodesian Postcards & ‘Acknowledgement of Receipt’ for Registered letters - Richard Barnett
SWA 1990 Essays for a proposed Government Service issue - Simon Peetoom
Walvis Bay Postal History - Mike Berry
1921 - 22 with Shackleton-Rowett Expedition - Chris Rainey
Transvaal and Orange River Colony CSAR stamps - Alan Drysdall

Sunday Afternoon - Live Auction - Nick Arrow

Held at the Honiley Court Hotel along the A4177, most of the 30+ enthusiasts of Southern Africa Philately arrived on Friday afternoon. It was immediately noted that the hotel is more ‘user friendly’ than the Falstaff in Leamington.
I had a large ground floor room with a door across the passage leading straight into a spacious Conference Centre, complete with power point adaption and screen. As usual a late afternoon gathering found the bar and our overseas team included Roald Sand from Norway plus Alan MacGregor and Paul Van Zeyl out of South Africa. Rounded off by a beaming Eddie Bridges and Carol Bomarito who came across the ‘ditch’ from New York.

Brian Trotter brought a dozen copies of his new book, hot off the press, entitled Southern African Mails - Routes, Rates and Regulations 1806 - 1916. Each copy weighing in at 2½ kilos, it was suggested it might double as a door stop! After dinner the ‘sensible’ went to bed whilst a select occupied the bar until the early hours after midnite.

Saturday morning Brought more people with Tim Harrison and Steve Hannath attending for the first time. The Conference centre is well lit, with plenty of room for the dealers plus more seating than we required.

The first display Apartheid through South African Postal History lacked the confectionery missiles usually thrown at the audience by Bob Hill

After careful tuition even his pronunciation of the ‘Bo-a-war’ (Boer War) is much improved.

Bob Hill showing a 'Kit-Kat' Campaign cover

Next up it was my turn with a Victoria Falls display and Jean Alexander, a collector of Waterfalls on Stamps, had come especially to share it. Unfortunately my power point presentation refused to co-operate and had to be supplemented with an ‘off the cuff’ talk. After our morning break Tony Howgrave-Graham presented South Africa Revenues and his power point display co-operated perfectly. Lunch was a buffet in our Conference room which avoided the normal ‘bun fight’ for individual orders.

Saturday afternoon started with an extensive and colourful display of Postcards of the Boer War by John Cowlin. Not to be outdone Rob & Lyn Lester followed with A Potpourri of Postal Paraphernalia consisting of an array of items that had not seen the light of day for some time. An excellent range of South African Labels, on and off cover, is worthy of note.

Paul Van Zeyl stole the show with The Rise & Decline of the National Party in South Africa and in his usual colourful way the audience had an insight of Van Riebeeck’s 1652 Café in Cape Town, the power of the National Party in 1948, the disaster of the former Homelands ending with a walk with the freed Mandela into the city of Cape Town!

Paul van Zeyl points to the top of Table Mountain and said to Van Riebeeck, put your cafe at the top of that mountain and you will make 'lekker' money!

Saturday Evening
The Annual Conference abounds with experienced and knowledgeable Philatelists and it was my turn to join an elite group by being presented with the Manfred Weinstein Medallion...for excellence in philately, in research and the sharing of knowledge. It is a medallion worn on a neck ribbon at Philatelic Events... First presented in 1981, it was quite amazing that five out of 29 recipients were present at the Conference, Alan Drysdall (1991) Brian Trotter and Richard Stroud (2004-05) and Chris Board and myself (2015-16).
With all of us wearing a medal an appropriate group photo was taken.

Five out of 29 recipients of the Manfred Weinstein Medallion

Left to right - Brian Trotter, Chris Board, Otto Peetoom, Alan Drysdall, Richard Stroud

Simon Peetoom - Conference Organizer since 2010 reads out the PFSA citation for his Dad's Manfred Weinstein Medellion

Left Brian Trotter Presents the Medal - A proud moment

Celebration did not end here; Paul Van Zeyl signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in October at the SA National. However the UK based Southern Africa Philatelists put on their own show. With much applause Alan Drysdall congratulated Paul and for good measure draped his RDPSA medal around Paul’s neck for the evening. To top the evening Paul also received the Tony Chilton Cup for best Saturday display and Paul’s cup must’ve ‘run-over’!
The final hurdle for the day was ‘who can stay in the bar until the early hours of Sunday’ contest, I left before the winner went in search of his room.

Signatures to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists

Alan Drysdall, Brian Trotter (background) and Paul van Zeyl
Richard Stroud signed the roll in 2015 (See photo below)

Sunday Morning - Another challenge was between our group and a bunch of ‘others’ - they had arrived on a coach the previous evening. A fight over possession of a fried egg and coffee before both ran out, the contest was declared a draw and we retreated to the safety of our Conference room for the usual Sunday ‘bring and show’ displays.
Colin Hoffman displayed a superb range of early Cape Town postcards, followed by early rate and surcharged covers by Brian Trotter. Roald Sand explained the mystery of the various mis-spacing on the Union Official overprints and Richard Barnett showed unusual Rhodesian Postcards and ‘Acknowledgement of Receipt’ for registered letters.

The second round started with Simon Peetoom showing SWA 1990 Essays for a proposed Government Service issue which was cancelled. Next Walvis Bay Postal History by Mike Berry that included an early manuscript marking. Bob Lester sought information on a 1950 Jewish Cavalcade (five mystery covers). Chris Rainey took the audience to the Antarctic on the Quest during 1921 - 22 with Shackleton and Rowett, making calls at Rio and South Georgia where Shackleton suffered a fatal heart attack on 5 January 1922. On arrival at Montevideo a request from Shackleton’s widow to bury her husband at South Georgia meant a return to Grytviken. The Expedition also visited Tristan da Cunha and called at St Helena on their way back to the UK. Alan Drysdall provided an interesting talk on the Transvaal and Orange River Colony CSAR stencil-cut and overprinted stamps. He drew attention to the fact that Stanley Gibbons listed these for the first time in the 2017 Commonwealth catalogue.

Other displays I either cannot recall or did not see and will no doubt be written up by Chris Oliver, I did not attend the auction as I made my way home to East Yorkshire. As always it proved to be an enjoyable weekend and it continues to surprise me that many other enthusiasts of Southern Africa Philately do not make an effort to attend...perhaps they simply do not realize what they are missing!...What is on offer? An Annual Conference, news on various websites and last, but not least...our own 44 page journal, Southern Africa Philately, three times per year in February, June and October!

Walvis Bay Postal History by Mike Berry

Richard Barnett with an array of interesting Rhodesia

Richard Weaver 1961 2c RSA Definitives

How it all Started
A Brief History
Based on an article by Otto Peetoom in
Southern African Philately No 1 - September 2015

2002 Chester Racecourse
The late Tony Chilton had put a paper together to highlight some of the difficulties societies were facing with an aging membership and a small number of members doing the administration of these societies. Many members served on the committees of more than one society. Unfortunately by the time the event took place, Tony had passed away, however his paper was read and discussed at the Chester conference but his suggestion did not find favour.

2002 - From Thursday 28 to Saturday 30 November members of various Southern Africa Societies gathered for their first ever joint convention which included members from the Anglo Boer War, Bechuanaland & Botswana, Cape & Natal, Orange Free State, Rhodesia, South Africa and Transvaal study groups.
Eddie Bridges conducted an auction which was successful and became a traditional end of conference event.

Chester laid the foundation stone for an Annual Southern Africa Conference held at Leamington Spa. The following year Brian Trotter and Eddie Bridges took on the organization of the yearly event and it developed into a highlight for Southern Africa Philately.

Leamington Spa - 21 to 23 November 2003
The second Southern Africa Conference was at held at the Falstaff hotel and a report by Chris Oliver appeared in The Springbok No 284.

Roy Ross recalls that the Saturday turned into a comedy act that was World Cup Rugby versus Philately! England was playing Australia in the final, the score was even and the game went to extra time. Brian Trotter was trying to get philately underway but the audience was glued to the television.

Tony Chilton Memorial Trophy

2004 - 2015 All subsequent Conferences have been staged at the Falstaff hotel in Leamington Spa and anyone with an interest in Southern Africa Philately is welcome and does not need to be a member of any particular society.

In 2010 Simon Peetoom took over from Brian Trotter as Conference Organiser.

Best Saturday Display
Year	November	Trophy Winners	Topic	Report*
2002	29 - 30	Brian Trotter	1	281
2003	21 - 23	Tony Howgrave-Graham	2	284
2004	5 - 7	Ian Shapiro	3	289
2005	4 - 6	Bob Allison	4	292
2006	3 - 5	Eddie Bridges	5	296
2007	9 - 11	Sebastian Payne	6	300
2008	7 - 9	Mike Smith	7	304
2009	13 - 15	Richard Stock	8	308
2010	12 - 14	John Shaw	9	312
2011	11 - 13	Mike Smith	10	317
2012	9 - 11	Lyn & Rob Lester	11	320
2013	8 - 10	Bob Hill	12	324
2014	7 - 9	Richard Stock	13	329
2015	6 - 7	Lars Jorgensen	14	332
2016	11 - 13	Paul van Zeyl	15	336

Note* Conference Reports published in The Springbok No...
Voted as best display

Saturday Display Winning Topics
No	Year	Topic
1	2002	Edwardian Stamps of South Africa
2	2003	South Africa King’s heads
3	2004	Story of Gerald Medway (WWII)
4	2005	Early Postal development of the Orange Free State
5	2006	Union of South Africa Booklets
6	2007	South African Machine Cancels 1899 - 1940
7	2008	Orange River Postal Stationery 1900 - 1910
8	2009	Boer War Invasion of Northern Natal
9	2010	Union of South Africa First Pictorial Definitives
10	2011	Orange Free State Postal Stationery
11	2012	Union of South Africa 1910 2½d Commemorative stamp
12	2013	Cape of Good Hope datestamps 1792 - 1910
13	2014	1899 The Boer Invasion of Natal
14	2015	Early issues of Transvaal
15	2016	The Rise & Decline of the National Party in South Africa

Displays at Conference
Saturday’s are devoted to invited displays and invariably produce an excellent range of topics covering every aspect of Southern African Philately. At the conclusion of the day, the audience cast their votes for the best display of the day. The winner is announced after dinner and presented with the Tony Chilton Memorial Trophy. On Sunday, whoever has brought something along may show whatever they wish and as a result such displays vary from a few pages to several frames.

2002 - Edwardian Stamps of South Africa by Brian Trotter
Transvaal by Lars Jorgensen from Belgium.

2003 - South Africa King’s heads by Tony Howgrave-Graham
The Impact of the Boer War on the Orange Free State by Richard Stroud
The Fletcher-Jones Correspondence by Alan Drysdall
South Africa QEII Commemoratives to 1961 by Godfrey Mellor
Hand carved walking sticks (non Philatelic) made by Boer POW’s
by Robin Woodruff
UDI Surcharged Mail 1965 - 1970 by Richard Barnett
Natal Postal Stationery by Keith Hanman

2004 - Anglo Boer War Censored Mail by Stuart Duggan
The Route to Rhodesia via the Transvaal and Bechuanaland by Colin Hoffman
South Africa 1910 2½d Commemorative stamp by Chris Board
South Africa First Pictorial Definitives by John Shaw
The Story of Gerald Medway (WWII) by Ian Shapiro
1880-1900 OFS Political change affecting Postal Rates by Richard Stroud

2005 - Early Postal development of the OFS by Bob Allison
Rhodesian Military Mail by Kevin Ashworth
South African WWII Issues by Tony Howgrave-Graham
1864-1899 CGH Postal Rates and Markings by Robert Johnson
Early Bechuanaland Overprints by Brian Hurst
South African Airmails by Bryan Stokoe.

2006 - Colonial and Early Union Booklets by Brian Trotter
1910 Cape Town Pageant by Otto Peetoom
1896 Matabele Rebellion by Colin Hoffman
Union Pictorial Booklets by Eddie Bridges
1864-1899 CGH Postal Rates and Markings by Robert Johnson
Early Natal Sea Post by John Dickson
1914 South African Rebellion re WWI by Paul van Zeyl
The End of the Rhodesia & Nyasaland Federation by Richard Stroud

2007 - The Imperial Military Railway in South Africa by Alan Drysdall Wembley Exhibition Railway cards and early Union Examples by Chris Board King’s head Postal Stationery Designs and Proofs by Brian Trotter
Postmarks of North-East Rhodesia by Anita McCullough
South African Machine Cancels 1899 - 1940 by Sebastian Payne

2008 - Basutoland by Eddie Bridges
Orange River Postal Stationery 1900 - 1910 by Mike Smith
South West Africa, including GSWA by John Sussex
South African Airmails by Nick Arrow
South African Officials by Tony Howgrave-Graham
Union Parcel Cancellations by Sebastian Payne

2009 - Boer War Invasion of Northern Natal by Richard Stock.
Early Mails in Rhodesia by Colin Hoffman. South Africa WWI and WWII Labels by Otto Peetoom. South West Africa KGV Postal Stationery by Francis Kiddle. Zimbabwe and the Inflation Period by Richard Barnett. South African Homelands by Paul van Zeyl.

2010 - Mkushi (Northern Rhodesia) History and the Type written Postage Dues by Otto Peetoom. South Africa First Pictorials by John Shaw. 1888-1895 CGH Rectangles by Robert Johnson. German South West Africa Postal History by John Sussex. Development of the Transvaal by Paul van Zeyl.
1907-1918 South African Railways Letter from Harry Milner to Miss Hilda Hall by Bob Hill.

2011 - Early Provincial & Union Booklets by Brian Trotter
South West Africa Revenue Stamps by Francis Kiddle
The History of South Africa 1896 - 1910 with emphasis on Transvaal as the Economic centre by Paul Van Zeyl
Orange Free State Postal Stationery by Mike Smith
South Africa - Union Unhyphenated Definitives by Tony Howgrave-Graham
Imperial Military Railways by Alan Drysdall

2012 - Central South African Railways (CSAR) 1902-1919 by Alan Drysdall British Bechuanaland by Tony Stanford
Union of South Africa 1910 2½d Commemorative stamp by Lyn & Rob Lester
South African Advertising Envelopes by Nick Arrow
South Africa first Pictorials by Tony Howgrave-Graham & John Shaw
German South West Africa Postal History by John Sussex

2013 - Orange Free State Postal History 1834 - 1900 by Bob Allison
South African Coil Stamps by Tony Howgrave-Graham
A joint display - Boer War FPO’s in the Orange Free State by Bob Allison plus OFS Postcards after the Boer War by Richard Stroud
RSA Booklets 1987 - 2010 by Chris Oliver
The Postal Markings of Natal by Mike Berry
Cape of Good Hope 1792 - 1910 by Bob Hill

2014 - CGH Postal Stationery by Chris Board
Union Officials by Roald Sand
Zimbabwe Inflation Mail by Richard Barnett
Ascension Island by Otto Peetoom
The Zulu War 1879, the Second Boer War 1899- 1902 and the Bambatha Rebellion 1906 by Richard Stock
Union the 2d and 3d Pictorial Definitives by Eddie Bridges

2015 - Northern Rhodesia, expeditions by Paul Graetz, WWI and action in German East Africa by Derek Lambert
Early issues of Transvaal by Lars Jorgensen
RSA Protea Definitives (Correct commercial use) by Gary Brown
The Rebellion & the Union’s entry into WWI in GSWA by Paul van Zeyl
Boer War on the subject of Armoured Trains and looted mail by Richard Stock
Exhibitions in South Africa by Rob and Lynn Lester

2016 - Apartheid through South Africa Postal History by Bob Hill
Victoria Falls by Otto Peetoom
South Africa Revenues by Tony Howgrave-Graham
Postcards of the Boer War by John Cowlin
A Potpourri of Postal Paraphernalia by Rob & Lyn Lester
The Rise & Decline of the National Party in South Africa by Paul van Zeyl

2015
Annual Southern Africa Philatelic Conference - Falstaff Hotel, Leamington Spa 6 - 8 November

Lars Jorgensen - Best Saturday Display

Transvaal by Lars Jorgensen

1d - 6d - 1s
Crude pritings
by Viljoen

1878 Combination Cover

The Leamington Spa
Annual Southern Africa Philatelic Conference
6 to 8 November 2015

Friday afternoon marks the arrival of an expectant group of keen Philatelists, Alan MacGregor from Simonstown had already arrived the previous day, Otto Peetoom parked at the hotel at 2.30pm and shortly afterwards Gary Brown and his wife (from Australia) checked in. The flood of arriving enthusiasts soon grew, Brian Trotter brought along Lars Jorgensen (Travelling from Belgium). The familiar face of Paul van Zeyl from South Africa appeared, then there came Simon Peetoom, the organizer, Mike Berry, Nick Arrow, Richard Stock, Richard Stroud, Chris Rainey attended for the first time and David Morrison followed on his heels.

As the bar filled during the afternoon, more smiling faces made their presence felt Lyn and Rob Lester, Bob Hill, Tony Howgrave-Graham, Tony Stanford, Brian Hurst, Tony Johnson, Richard Weaver, Mike Smith, Robert Johnson, Chris Board, Alan Harley, Colin Hoffman and Derek Lambert.

During dinner, the wine flowed and the subject was by and large philately and several individuals went to bed later than planned. Saturday morning brought along others such as Alan Drysdall, Andrew Higson, Richard Barnett and his wife, Pat Flanagan (from South Africa) John Gledhill and Graham Manning. Chris and Susan Oliver had other commitments and didn’t make it until Sunday.

Saturday morning
Brian Trotter presented an overview of the new journal Southern Africa Philately, its aims and its intended presence of promoting the philately of Southern Africa. This was well received and virtually every individual at the conference took a subscription to the journal. I counted around thirty five people present.

The first display by Derek Lambert covered Northern Rhodesia, expeditions by Paul Graetz, WWI and action in German East Africa.

Next up we were entertained by Lars Jorgensen, who led us through the pitfalls of collecting the Early issues of Transvaal, the various printings, different papers, imperforates, roulettes, perforations and varieties.
After a time, Lars was interrupted whilst contemplating an inverted VR overprint with the announcement that coffee and tea had arrived. Without batting an eyelid Lars stated Surely Transvaal Philately is more important than coffee!

After the break Gary Brown presented RSA Protea Definitives with emphasis on their correct commercial use.
A somewhat belated lunch put the conference back on schedule.

After lunch Paul van Zeyl presented an interesting display on The Rebellion & the Union’s entry into WWI in GSWA, Paul was awarded Gold for this exhibit at the recent Cape Town National.

Richard Stock was up next, starting with Bechuanaland 1961 decimal overprints before moving onto the Boer War on the subject of Armoured Trains and looted mail. On this occasion the coffee break was on schedule.

Rob and Lynn Lester, with their usual enthusiasm presented the final Saturday display Exhibitions in South Africa.
Starting with the 1892 Kimberley exhibition, Rob took us through the decades of a mixture of stamp and other exhibitions and finally ended with the last Union fling at UNIPEX in 1961.

The Saturday evening gathering in the bar had an air of expectation for something special, various attendees wearing medals, made me glad that I had washed on the day, sent me back to my room to don a jacket and tie...If only I had brought my medals...O’ well you can’t win them all. On entering the dining room champagne was being dispensed and those present were far too old for it to be a wedding reception.

First Andrew Higson read the Nomination as a Signatory to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelist of South Africa for Richard Stroud that was met by much cheering and clapping. Next a Citation for the Manfred Weinstein Congress Award presented to Chris Board, two important milestones of achievement in the name of Southern Africa Philately.

Finally the annual contest of ‘Last ones in the Bar’ finished off an enjoyable and tiring day.

Sunday morning
Breakfast at 8 am and people checking out
Morning displays are to be followed by the auction after lunch.
Nick Arrow advised that around 55% of the lots sold with realizations around £7000.

Leamington Spa is without doubt the highlight of the Southern Africa Philatelic year and next year promises a new, larger venue, with no stairs to negotiate and a lift to the rooms.
Details of the Sunday displays will follow in due course.

The new journal Southern Africa Philately will include several articles covering the Saturday displays - If you haven't subscribed yet ask the Grandchildren to pay on your behalf - It could be your Christmas Box!

Chris Rainey, Alan MacGregor and Brian Hurst

Richard Stroud signing the

Roll of Distinguished Philatelist of South Africa

Chris Board - Manfred Weinstein Medellion

2014
Southern African Philatelic Societies Joint Conference
Falstaff Hotel, Leamington Spa 7 to 9 November
Report by Chris Oliver in PDF

Saturday 8 November

Chris Board Presented a comprehensive display of 1878 - 1910
Cape Postal Stationery

Roald Sand displayed his South Africa Officials, explaining the complexity of the subject and his interest in the various issues

Richard Barnett gave an interesting talk regarding Zimbabwe Inflation Period Mail and its relative rarity

After lunch Otto Peetoom presented a power point presentaion of Ascension which may be viewed on this website

Richard Stock gave an informatrive display of Military events in Zululand, followed by The Boer Invasion of Natal & The Siege of Ladysmith.
It included social history, was very well received and voted the best display of the day.

Finally Eddie Bridges provided a comprehensive overview of the Union of South Africa 2d Union Buildings & 3d Groote Schuur definitives

Sunday 9 November

Bring and show Anything of Interest was commenced by
Otto Peetoom which included copies of 1922 Union Essays by Bradbury, Wilkinson that can be viewed on this website.
SWA 1/- Bantam and 1945 1d Victory with invereted overprints on cover.
A 1899 Missionary letter from France to Mission du Zambezi that wandered around Africa for ten months before finally finding its recipient. A letter posted from Simonstown relating to Scott's Antarctic Expedition
A selection of rare Southern Rhodesian Postal Stationery which included Archival material and one of the World's rarest Aerogrammes KGVI H&G 2

Bob Hill gave an overview of mail origination from African Compounds, Locations and Townships

Robert Johnson displayed early Cape Postcards

Brian Trotter entertained with an array of early covers showing postage rates, registraion, starting in the Cape of Good Hope and onto Bechuanaland and South Africa

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