Since the last newsletter things have been quieter at the club, although not for your secretary. A big welcome to Ron Hardacre and Diane Cannard as new members. Also a welcome to Idwal Hopkins from Machen. Farewell though to Jess Brace, who is taking things easier now that she has reached 80 and to Elsie Myer. We hope still to see them occasionally at meetings.

At the end of November, Dennis Martin treated members to a display of stamps ?designed by Freddy Ryman?. Freddy had designed most of the stamps of Gibraltar in recent years and Dennis showed a range of these and other material, with lots of signed items. He had been in correspondence with the man himself and later in the season had the chance to visit him at his home in Gibraltar.

The letter ?M? showed members in their usual inventive form in January with displays of: Mushrooms, Methodists, Military, Isle of Man, Monaco, Military crests, Metermarks, M perfins, Machins, Mountains and other M bits. Wait for 1998/9 for the letter ?N?.

?My first stamp? stumped many members but we were treated to some good stories and saw some stamps from Finland (not from your secretary!), Gibraltar, GB, Lundy, southern Rhodesia, India, Jugoslavia and Belgium.

The first visitor of 1998 was John Beechey of the Barry club. He brought part of his medal winning display of ?Faith in Australia?, including part of the plane itself! The display had struck gold at Stampex and had been to Milan and India. Since the meeting, I have heard that it has been entered at PRAGA 98. It was a truly wonderful display of covers. It also gave John the chance to present some of his research material, including a newspaper that had cost an ?arm and a leg? to buy.

Your secretary missed the competition night but sent in two entries. Other than these, there were only five entries. In total there was only one entry in the general philately class, four thematics and two in the 8 sheets competition. The general and thematic classes were won by your secretary. Gwen Hussey came first in the 8 sheets category. The was no GB entry. Members are encouraged to enter next year. It needs only 8 sheets (16 if you want entries to go forward to the Federation convention). This year we put forward three entries to the Federation competition: the post office on the first M/S Gripsholm; Pigeons and Doves; designed by Freddy Ryman.

The now regular annual visits by Bridgend and Barry clubs were both greatly enjoyed, although your secretary had to miss the Barry meeting. The special visitor for the season was Trevor Wigmore, secretary of the Maidstone and District club. He was born in Newport and still has family connections in the town. His display of Newport postal history included many items not seen before even by our own resident expert, Martyn Britton.

Visits

The visits to Barry and Cardiff clubs were also both very enjoyable evenings. Your secretary also displayed to British Rail Cardiff on 8 December.

Federation news

Martyn Britton, Gwen Hussey and I represented the club at the Federation committee meeting in Port Talbot on 29 March. Most of the meeting was taken up with final planning for the Convention, which took place on 2 May in Port Talbot. The Convention itself seemed quite low key: there were relatively few competition entries and no club display, although the committee did manage to put up some sheets of Welsh postal history. Unusually, the weather was fine and a visit to Swansea during the day allowed me to walk along the beach in glorious sunshine. Unfortunately Reg Sumbler had been taken ill and was in hospital so there was a big gap in the dealers. With no Chris Doble either, the material available seemed limited to postal history and postcards, with few bargains to be found.

Swansea stamp club is organising the Autumn Day, on 26 September 1998. It will be at t he INCO Social Club, Clydach. This event is mainly for individual stamp clubs but there will be some dealers. Newport has been invited to take a table.

Other Federation news is a bit sparse. There may be a judging seminar but date and location have not yet been decided. If any members want to learn how to judge competition entries, this is your chance. I hope that existing judges attend from other clubs, as standards do need improving. If you attend, there is no need to become a judge. It will help you understand the rules and might help with your own entries and collections.

ABPS

Just a reminder: This stands for the ?Association of British Philatelic Societies?. Newport is a member and all paid up members of our club should now have an ABPS membership card. Ask your secretary if you have not got one.

The ABPS produces a newsletter. This is quite a substantial publication. A copy is available from our librarian (Gwen Hussey). If you take the exchange box, you will sometimes see a copy there. Current and back copies are always available at club meetings - just ask!

The ABPS is organising a stamp fair in Brighton on 21/ 22 November (B&H 98). Part of this fair will be an inter-federation competition, with each Federation being invited to provide three 32 page displays covering traditional philately, postal history and aerophilately. The South Wales Federation is planning to provide entries.

What else can you get? Examples include: annual subscription to ?Stamp Magazine? for ABPS members is only ?20; Stanley gibbons gives 10% off purchases of ?50+. A full list of discounts is available; David Loffstadt offers 10% of all stock.

Stamp fairs

Symes Fairs continue at the University building by Cathays station. The dates that I know are: 27 June, 19 September and 21 November 1998. Chris Doble still runs his fairs near Cardiff Central station. Ann Scott?s next postcard fairs are 7 June, 2 August and 5 December 1998 at the BAWA Centre, Bristol. If you need more details on venues, please ask.

There seem to be more fairs than ever in London, with Stampex, the postal history fairs and the Wembley fair. With membership decreasing at the Cardiff club, there are no longer any coaches to these fairs. This has not stopped several members making their own arrangements.

Club fairs are at Barry (Memorial Hall) on 6 June 1998 and Swindon (St Joseph?s Lower School, Queens Drive) on 13 June 1998.

Other items

Rumour has it that there will be a reorganisation of postal services in the area, with (as an example) Caldicot no longer being part of Newport. Watch this space for further news.

Requests

Does any member have a cover from any of the three Newport conventions that she or he no longer needs? If so please tell me.

I am also collecting for guide dogs for the blind. Please bring to meetings any stamps from your mail or even your collection that you do not want.

New season

We have a new chairman (Alistair MacKinnon), who is also exchange box organiser; a new treasurer (Dennis Martin), who will also help out when your secretary cannot get to meetings and a new vice-chairman (Gwen Hussey).

The programme for the season will be out later than usual. The 1998/9 season starts in September. The summer 1998 meetings are already listed in your programme for 1997/8.

The venues are

* John Perry’s on 17 June 1998

* Gwen Hussey’s on 15 July 1998

* Bill Osborn’s on 12 August 1998

If you need directions, please phone.

John Perry

Honorary Secretary

(Tel : 01633 881068)