Why a North Devon stamp club is thriving in the 21st century

A North Devon club is on a mission to prove that stamp collecting can become the perfect hobby for people of all ages – even in the 21st century.

Taw and Torridge Stamp Club has just launched its first ever Facebook page and is inviting people to a special presentation on Thursday, March 13 to discover the world of stamp collecting and the fascinating history of postal services in North Devon.

This will include tiny local Post Offices now lost to the mists of time, letters sent locally over the centuries – both before and after stamps were issued – and even hand-coloured Valentine’s letters to sweethearts dating from the early 1800s as well as early 1900s’ Christmas postcards.

The Taw and Torridge Club has been running for more than 50 years and meets every other Thursday at the Castle Centre in Barnstaple.

Known as philately, stamp collecting may seem like a dry and dusty hobby in the digital age but it offers a wide range of avenues and themes for collectors to explore, the thrill of hunting certain stamps and the joy at discovering a bargain that may be worth quite a bit of money.

Longstanding club member Philip Milton, who will be making the presentation this Thursday, started collecting when he was just seven-years-old and he joined the club aged 11.

He said: “There is really no limit and no age restriction - it’s a hobby anyone can take up at any time and you can start for very little money, spend as much or as little time on it as you wish and you might even find a hidden gem worth thousands of pounds!

“The internet is wonderful, but it is still nice to be able to collect actual physical things, often with a rich background story and history behind them and of course digital technology also enables us to search even wider for bargains and rare stamps, using online sales sites such as eBay.

“The club is very social too and for me, collecting provides a little world into which I can escape from time to time and I have accumulated a collection of various items over the decades, acting as a custodian of them for future generations.”

The first ever stamp issued in Britain was the iconic Penny Black in 1840, followed by the Penny Red and today there are literally millions of different stamps for collectors to seek.

Changing global borders, countries that do not even exist anymore and eerie stamps from fallen regimes such as Nazi Germany all offer a wealth of collecting targets for enthusiasts plus plenty of historical interest too as well as themed sets to collect commemorating everything from anniversaries and pop culture to wildlife and ships.

Rare or unusual stamps can command a lot of money – the British Guiana 1c Magenta from 1856 is known as the world’s most valuable rare stamp and was sold in 2014 for almost nine-and-a-half million Dollars!

Philip’s presentation will also include items of interest from his collection and anecdotes from his own philatelic career, as well as delving into North Devon postal history and would be a good introduction to anyone considering collecting as a potential new hobby. 

Does he have a Penny Black used on cover from North Devon?

You’ll have to come along to find out!

The club is very keen to hear from anyone who would like to find out more about stamp collecting and people of all ages are welcome to visit the new Taw & Torridge Stamp Club Facebook page or to drop in to the meeting at the Castle Centre this Thursday, March 13 at 7.30pm or any alternate Thursday up until June 5. 

You can visit the new club Facebook page at www.facebook.com/taw.torridgestampclub