Gibraltar stamps take centre stage

Gibraltar stamps, postal history and postal stationery were a prominent feature at the recent EuroPhilEx exhibition that took place in Birmingham, England, attracting participants from over 50 countries.

In order to mark the 50th anniversary of the Gibraltar Study Circle, a specialist philatelic society with members in a wide range of countries (including Gibraltar) and headquartered in the United Kingdom, the society was invited to produce a display covering 40 frames and featuring all aspects of Gibraltar philately.

The organiser and coordinator of the display was the incoming chairman of the Gibraltar Study Circle, Stan Lawrence, who spent a number of years living in Gibraltar.

He secured prime material from a number of members of the Study Circle, who were each charged with preparing one or more frames for the exhibition.

A frame contains 16 large stamp album pages. The forty frames therefore consisted of 640 pages of Gibraltar philately, with each section of the display was prefaced by an introductory page.

Michael Celecia, a Gibraltarian member of the Study Circle, formed part of the team that mounted the Gibraltar pages in the frames.

This was the largest display of Gibraltar philately in Britain since the 2004 Stampex exhibition in Islington in London, on the occasion of Gibraltar’s tercentenary (1704-2004), when Richard Garcia co-ordinated a wide-ranging display of Gibraltar material.

One of the exhibitors in Birmingham in the Study Circle display at EuroPhilEx was Richard Garcia, who was asked to display early unoverprinted Gibraltar stamps of the reign of Queen Victoria used in Morocco (one frame) and stamps and postal stationery of the reign of King Edward VII overprinted for use in Morocco, from 1903 to 1906 (two frames). Gibraltar ceased to run the British postal service in Morocco on 1 January 1907.

As part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Gibraltar Study Circle, members from abroad will be joining Gibraltar members of the society to participate in three days of philately at the Gibraltar Garrison Library, on 16, 17 and 18 September.

Collectors in Gibraltar, and the public at large, will then be able to view displays of fine Gibraltar stamps, covers and postal stationery similar to what was shown in Birmingham.