BSRP AGM & Competitions 
27th April 2002 

By Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins

A good turnout for this meeting which commenced with an active bourse, four members providing material for sale, two of these arriving with suitcases of goodies. Items for sale included postal history of all periods including pre-stamp, postcards and Soviet postal history with an interesting selection of early postal markings. The postal history was supplemented by a large range of hard to find fiscal material, bonds, currency notes, a selection of Ukrainian covers and much more besides. The bourse was followed by the AGM at which the usual range of reports on the year's activities was presented. During the AGM the Committee also presented the Knighton Trophy for services to the Society over the year. This was awarded to Dennis Page for his sterling work on the Journal and his assistance with all things technical to those new to the world of philately and computers. This was followed by the presentation of the Literary trophy to Noel Warr for his "Receipts" article in BJRP84.. With the AGM finished and after a quick break for vitals the competitions began. This year, as last these were well supported with entries in all classes, and both experienced veterans and youngsters alike entering the lists for a tilt at the trophies. The entries were as follows:

The Bojanowicz Trophy 
(9 sheets of material from the Russia group any period up to 1917)

• "For the Postman", Dr. Ray Ceresa. 
  A fascinating display of court documents illustrating the usage of the "For the Postman" fiscal stamps used by the courts. The display included a range of usages and issues, all of which are hard to track down on documents. · 
• Pre-stamp Lithuania. Geoff Lovejoy. 
  A fine display of this material which did credit to the passion, patience and knowledge of Geoff.
• Great War Charity stamps on cover, Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins. 
  A colourful and informative display of elusive material covering the period 1914-1917. (winner)

The Henry Myers Salver 
(9 sheets of any material from the Russia group March 1917 to December 1992)

• Russia 1988, Norman Ames. 
  A very welcome display from Norman which provided an insight into the range and quality of more modern Russian stamp production. The first class presentation of the exhibit and wonderful designs were a real incentive to get home and get mounting my own collection of later issues.
• Emergent Lithuania, Geoff Lovejoy. 
  This was a great display which managed in nine sheets to convey the confusion, change and social upheaval that was taking place as Lithuania emerged from Tsarist Russia to take it's place in the community of nations. Again we were given an insight into Geoff's research and detailed knowledge, even to the distinguishing of old Yiddish as the language of one particular letter from father to son. A deserving winner. · 
• Social Turmoil Between the Revolutions, Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins. 
  This showing of "Social Philately" began with the controversial overprints of the abdication proclamation on the Romanov series and then took us through the effects of the revolution on everyday life illustrated through stamps and postal history. Included were a postcard from a soldier at the front reporting disturbances behind the lines, recording his own discomfort and horror at what was happening. A letter to the Tsarevich's tutor, another (franked with a currency stamp) from the Quartermaster-General reporting strikes, lockouts and falling production around Moscow. Chainbreakers, famine relief and the fact of the absence of all the prominent Bolsheviks from the first revolution were all displayed through the medium of philately.

The Buchanan Cup 
(9 sheets of any material from the Russia group from January 1993 onwards).

• Postal practices in the Russian Federation 1993-2000, Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins. 
  This exhibit comprised a range of covers showing both the continuation of postal practices dating back to Tsarist times and the introduction of new practices within the Russian Federation postal service. Perlustration, registration, application of UPU treaties and returned mail were some of the highlights. (Winner- note that in the event of a single entry the exhibit still has to be judged to be sure it reaches the required standard to receive an award)

The Stibbe Rose Bowl, 
(up to eighteen sheets of any material from the Russia group accompanied by a written paper of c500 words embodying original research.)

• The Russian Post at Dalny, Dr. Raymond Casey. 
  This exhibit and the accompanying paper were quite clearly the highlight of the day, Dr Casey, for many years a doyen of Russian philately, gave a full and erudite history, not only of the Russian post at Dalny, but the political situation that surrounded its inception together with a history of the discovery of the postmarks and the identification of the circumstances of their use. This last aspect gave a fascinating insight into the methods of true research and of the academic debates that add colour along the way until a final resolution is found. Dr Casey's research had taken him through atlases, Russian archives, museums and libraries in some quite improbable locations. As if all this were not enough the material was also presented immaculately to an international standard thus providing both a lesson and inspiration to all of us. It was indeed a worthy winner of the trophy and for my money the best exhibit of the day.
• The registered post of St.Petersburg 1999-2002, Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins. 
  This research paper examined the registration marks and labels of one major city in the Russian Federation to illustrate the wide range of markings in use and the development of these over a relatively short time-frame. The registration markings were categorised into a number of types and sub-types and the post offices of use were also identified. This was a good example of the amount of philatelic research that is begging to be carried out on the modern period. It clearly showed also that it is possible to carry out such research on a limited budget.

The meeting finally closed at around 5.45 and a happy band of philatelists took their different paths homeward, some carrying new treasures for their collections and others some silverware to grace the mantelpiece for the coming year, but all with a feeling of time well spent in a community of friends.

© 2002 the BSRP