Edward James Nankivell (1848–1909) was a respected member of the Institute of Journalists in London and an avid early stamp collector. Stamp collecting was a relatively new hobby (the first postage stamp in the world, the Penny Black

Penny Black

The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was issued in Britain on 1 May 1840, for official use from 6 May of that year....

, was issued by Britain in 1840) and not taken seriously at all by the people, who considered it only something to amuse children.

Nankivell

Nankivell (surname)

Nankivell is a surname originating from Cornwall, it may refer to:* Edward J. Nankivell* Joice NanKivell Loch, an Australian author, journalist and humanitarian worker who worked with refugees in Poland, Greece and Romania after World War I and World War II....

 was upset by the lack of respect the public had for his beloved hobby and he wrote
Stamp Collecting as a Pastime as a passionate plea for the acceptance of stamp collecting as a serious pastime for everyone from the Prince of Wales to ordinary school children.

The book has become a classic and is available as a free download from the Gutenberg Project

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...

and a paper copy of the book is currently available as a reprint.

Publications

• Stamp Collecting as a Pastime by Edward J. Nankivell (1902) ISBN 978-0978653613 [Reprint]. Also as: Edward J. Nankivell, Stamp Collecting as a Pastime Stanley Gibbons Philatelic Handbooks (1902); reprinted, Dodo Press (2007). Online at Project Gutenberg.