John Wilson (philatelist)
Encyclopedia
John Mitchell Harvey Wilson (10 October 1898 – 6 February 1975) was a British
philatelist
, Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection
from 1938 to 1969. He introduced dividing the collection by reign and, after World War II, loans from the collection to international exhibitions.
.
While serving in the Coldstream Guards
during the last months of Great War
, he was hospitalised in Stirling, Scotland where he first became interested in stamp collecting
after his father brought his own collection to help his son pass the time. After the war he was a barrister
but retired in the early 1930s to manage his philatelic collection and estate full-time. Generally, he specialised in small countries or in short philatelic periods of a country, studied it, then sold the collection to begin another one.
He was President of the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) from 1934. In October 1936 he accepted the offer to succeed Edward Bacon
, the Curator of the Royal Philatelic Collection. Wilson knew the collection well: he visited it regularly with the RPSL Expert Committee of which he was Chairman from 1937 to his death. He became "Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection" on June 20, 1938, shortly after Bacon died.
Because King George VI
was less enthusiastic than his father, King George V
, and had less time available for the Royal Collection, Wilson's first task was to move it upstairs in Buckingham Palace
.
After a study of the red albums
, he established that Bacon had mounted and commented almost all acquisitions and issues up to the Edward VIII
reign. In December 1938 George V agreed that stamps of his reign be stored in blue albums. As previously, all stamp projects and issues came from the British General Post Office and from its Dominions and colonies.
Wilson's work slowed during World War II
because of phlebitis
and the storage of the red albums in a safe provided by a Lloyds Bank
's subsidiary in Pall Mall
but he began work on the first blue albums.
With peace re-established and following George VI's wish, the keeper travelled regularly with stamps from the Collection to present them during international philatelic exhibitions: first the Nevis
collection in Bern in 1946, then for the different Dominions' stamp centenaries, and even outside Commonwealth countries during the 1960s.
In 1949 and 1950, Wilson was again elected president of the Royal Philatelic Society; a mandate he abandoned in 1940, but he remained chairman of the Expert Committee and prepared the Royal Collection panel for the RPSL annual exhibition. After King George VI died in 1952, he continued, alone like his two predecessors, to build the blue collection and store the issues of Elizabeth II
's reign to be mounted at an appropriate future date. He also participated to some stamp advisory meetings where, between 1964 and 1966, he fought against Postmaster General
Tony Benn
's idea to replace the Queen's effigy on the stamps with the country name.
In 1969, he retired as keeper of the Royal Collection and proposed John Marriott
as his successor.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
philatelist
Philately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
, Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection
Royal Philatelic Collection
The Royal Philatelic Collection is the postage stamp collection of the British Royal Family. It is the most comprehensive collection of items related to the philately of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth, with many unique pieces.- Early history :...
from 1938 to 1969. He introduced dividing the collection by reign and, after World War II, loans from the collection to international exhibitions.
Biography
John Wilson was the second Baronet in his family, the title having been received by his father for his contribution to Scottish agriculture. John inherited an estate near GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
While serving in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
during the last months of Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was hospitalised in Stirling, Scotland where he first became interested in stamp collecting
Stamp collecting
Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is one of the world's most popular hobbies, with the number of collectors in the United States alone estimated to be over 20 million.- Collecting :...
after his father brought his own collection to help his son pass the time. After the war he was a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
but retired in the early 1930s to manage his philatelic collection and estate full-time. Generally, he specialised in small countries or in short philatelic periods of a country, studied it, then sold the collection to begin another one.
He was President of the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) from 1934. In October 1936 he accepted the offer to succeed Edward Bacon
Edward Denny Bacon
Sir Edward Denny Bacon was a British philatelist who helped the enlargement and mounting of collections possessed by rich collectors of his time and became the curator of the Royal Philatelic Collection between 1913 and 1938.- Early life :Edward Bacon was the son of a malt producer of London,...
, the Curator of the Royal Philatelic Collection. Wilson knew the collection well: he visited it regularly with the RPSL Expert Committee of which he was Chairman from 1937 to his death. He became "Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection" on June 20, 1938, shortly after Bacon died.
Because King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
was less enthusiastic than his father, King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, and had less time available for the Royal Collection, Wilson's first task was to move it upstairs in Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
.
After a study of the red albums
Stamp album
A stamp album is a book, often loose-leafed , in which a collection of postage stamps may be stored and displayed.- Overview :...
, he established that Bacon had mounted and commented almost all acquisitions and issues up to the Edward VIII
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
reign. In December 1938 George V agreed that stamps of his reign be stored in blue albums. As previously, all stamp projects and issues came from the British General Post Office and from its Dominions and colonies.
Wilson's work slowed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
because of phlebitis
Phlebitis
Phlebitis is an inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs.When phlebitis is associated with the formation of blood clots , usually in the deep veins of the legs, the condition is called thrombophlebitis...
and the storage of the red albums in a safe provided by a Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank Plc was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1765 until its merger into Lloyds TSB in 1995; it remains a registered company but is currently dormant. It expanded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and took over a number of smaller banking companies...
's subsidiary in Pall Mall
Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
but he began work on the first blue albums.
With peace re-established and following George VI's wish, the keeper travelled regularly with stamps from the Collection to present them during international philatelic exhibitions: first the Nevis
Nevis
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies...
collection in Bern in 1946, then for the different Dominions' stamp centenaries, and even outside Commonwealth countries during the 1960s.
In 1949 and 1950, Wilson was again elected president of the Royal Philatelic Society; a mandate he abandoned in 1940, but he remained chairman of the Expert Committee and prepared the Royal Collection panel for the RPSL annual exhibition. After King George VI died in 1952, he continued, alone like his two predecessors, to build the blue collection and store the issues of Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
's reign to be mounted at an appropriate future date. He also participated to some stamp advisory meetings where, between 1964 and 1966, he fought against Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
's idea to replace the Queen's effigy on the stamps with the country name.
In 1969, he retired as keeper of the Royal Collection and proposed John Marriott
John Marriott (philatelist)
John Brook Marriott was a British teacher and philatelist. He was the Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection between 1969 and 1995.- Biography :...
as his successor.
Publications
- The Royal Philatelic Collection, 1952. An history of the Royal Philatelic Collection and catalogue of the red albums, mainly collected by King George V, John TilleardJohn Alexander TilleardJohn Alexander Tilleard was a British solicitor and the philatelist who helped King George V to constitute his collection, known as the Royal Philatelic Collection.- Biography :...
et Edward BaconEdward Denny BaconSir Edward Denny Bacon was a British philatelist who helped the enlargement and mounting of collections possessed by rich collectors of his time and became the curator of the Royal Philatelic Collection between 1913 and 1938.- Early life :Edward Bacon was the son of a malt producer of London,...
. Awarded the Crawford MedalCrawford MedalThe Crawford Medal is a vermeil medal awarded by the Royal Philatelic Society London for the most valuable and original contribution to the study and knowledge of philately published in book form during the relevant period....
by the Royal Philatelic Society London in 1953.
Honours and awards
- Knight Commander in the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
in 1957. - Tapling Medal in 1950 awarded by the RPSL for an article published by The London Philatelist: "British Guiana, the 1853–60 issues".
- Crawford MedalCrawford MedalThe Crawford Medal is a vermeil medal awarded by the Royal Philatelic Society London for the most valuable and original contribution to the study and knowledge of philately published in book form during the relevant period....
in 1953 awarded by the RPSL for The Royal Philatelic Collection. - Alfred Lichtenstein Memorial Award awarded in 1956 by the Collectors Club of New YorkCollectors Club of New YorkThe Collectors Club of New York, often referred to as the Collectors Club, is a private club and philatelic society in New York City. Founded in 1896, it is one of the oldest existing philatelic societies in the United States...
for his outstanding service to philately.
Sources and references
*External links
- Biography in the Who Was Who?, British Philatelic TrustBritish Philatelic TrustThe British Philatelic Trust was established in 1981 by the British Post Office. The governing deed was executed on 26 September 1983. The Trust is independent and was registered as an educational charity on 21 November 1983.- Origins :...
, 9 October 2003, retrieved 20 November 2007. - Biography in the American Philatelic SocietyAmerican Philatelic SocietyThe American Philatelic Society is the largest nonprofit stamp collecting and organization of philately in the world, with almost 44,000 members from 110 countries...
's Hall of Fame, posthumous tribute awarded in 1976.