New The year began with a Penny Postage Jubilee Dinner on 15 January with nearly 300 gentlemen present including the Postmaster General, Henry Cecil Raikes. Other major events took place including an Exhibition at the Guildhall organised by the City Corporation of London from 16 May to 19 May, visited by over 20,000 people, and other regional exhibitions. There was an official Post Office celebration in the form of a grand Conversazione at South Kensington Museum on 2 July when nearly 4,000 people attended. A number of innovative displays and exhibits were assembled for these events. 

They were important in GB philately for the introduction of the first commemorative postal stationery and the first decorative special event handstamps. The Jubilee envelope was imitated in the same way as the original Mulready envelope fifty years earlier. The events also led to the use of special event cancellations and cachets which could also be applied by favour, thereby establishing the practice of the “philatelic souvenir”.

John’s exhibit was shown at Europhilex and was awarded a Large Gold Medal (96 points), was Best in the Open Class and was a candidate for the Grand Prix National.

Part of the collection can be viewed on line at the Museum of Philately website:www.museumofphilately.com